Deuteronomy 15:22
New International Version
You are to eat it in your own towns. Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat it, as if it were gazelle or deer.

New Living Translation
Instead, use it for food for your family in your hometown. Anyone, whether ceremonially clean or unclean, may eat it, just as anyone may eat a gazelle or deer.

English Standard Version
You shall eat it within your towns. The unclean and the clean alike may eat it, as though it were a gazelle or a deer.

Berean Standard Bible
Eat it within your gates; both the ceremonially unclean and clean may eat it as they would a gazelle or a deer.

King James Bible
Thou shalt eat it within thy gates: the unclean and the clean person shall eat it alike, as the roebuck, and as the hart.

New King James Version
You may eat it within your gates; the unclean and the clean person alike may eat it, as if it were a gazelle or a deer.

New American Standard Bible
You shall eat it within your gates; the unclean and the clean alike may eat it, as a gazelle or a deer.

NASB 1995
“You shall eat it within your gates; the unclean and the clean alike may eat it, as a gazelle or a deer.

NASB 1977
“You shall eat it within your gates; the unclean and the clean alike may eat it, as a gazelle or a deer.

Legacy Standard Bible
You shall eat it within your gates; the unclean and the clean alike may eat it, as a gazelle or a deer.

Amplified Bible
You shall eat it within your [city] gates; the [ceremonially] unclean and the clean alike may eat it, as [if it were] a gazelle or a deer.

Christian Standard Bible
Eat it within your city gates; both the unclean person and the clean may eat it, as though it were a gazelle or deer.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Eat it within your gates; both the unclean person and the clean may eat it, as though it were a gazelle or deer.

American Standard Version
Thou shalt eat it within thy gates: the unclean and the clean shall eat it alike, as the gazelle, and as the hart.

Contemporary English Version
You can butcher it where you live, and eat it just like the meat of a deer or gazelle that you kill while hunting. Even those people who are unclean and unfit for worship can have some.

English Revised Version
Thou shalt eat it within thy gates: the unclean and the clean shall eat it alike, as the gazelle, and as the hart.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Eat it in your city. Clean and unclean people may eat them together as if they were eating a gazelle or a deer.

Good News Translation
You may eat such animals at home. All of you, whether ritually clean or unclean, may eat them, just as you eat deer or antelope.

International Standard Version
In your cities both the unclean and the clean together are to eat together, as the gazelle and the deer.

Majority Standard Bible
Eat it within your gates; both the ceremonially unclean and clean may eat it as they would a gazelle or a deer.

NET Bible
You may eat it in your villages, whether you are ritually impure or clean, just as you would eat a gazelle or an ibex.

New Heart English Bible
You shall eat it within your gates: the unclean and the clean shall eat it alike, as the gazelle, and as the deer.

Webster's Bible Translation
Thou shalt eat it within thy gates: the unclean and the clean person shall eat it alike, as the roebuck, and as the hart.

World English Bible
You shall eat it within your gates. The unclean and the clean shall eat it alike, as the gazelle and as the deer.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
you eat it within your gates, the unclean and the clean alike, as the roe and as the deer.

Young's Literal Translation
within thy gates thou dost eat it, the unclean and the clean alike, as the roe, and as the hart.

Smith's Literal Translation
In thy gates thou shalt eat it: the unclean and the clean together, as the roe and the stag.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But thou shalt eat it within the gates of thy city: the clean and the unclean shall eat them alike, as the roe and as the hart.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Instead, you shall eat it within the gates of your city. The clean as well as the unclean alike shall feed on these, such as the roe deer and the stag.

New American Bible
but in your own communities you may eat it, the unclean and the clean eating it together, as you would a gazelle or a deer.

New Revised Standard Version
within your towns you may eat it, the unclean and the clean alike, as you would a gazelle or deer.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But you shall eat it within your towns; the unclean and the clean shall eat of it alike, as a gazelle, and as the hart.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
But eat the defiled and the clean in your cities together; you shall eat it like the deer and like the stag.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Thou shalt eat it within thy gates; the unclean and the clean may eat it alike, as the gazelle, and as the hart.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Thou shalt eat it in thy cities; the unclean in thee and the clean shall eat it in like manner, as the doe or the stag.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Firstborn Animals
21But if an animal has a defect, is lame or blind, or has any serious flaw, you must not sacrifice it to the LORD your God. 22Eat it within your gates; both the ceremonially unclean and clean may eat it as they would a gazelle or a deer. 23But you must not eat the blood; pour it on the ground like water.…

Cross References
Leviticus 17:3-4
‘Anyone from the house of Israel who slaughters an ox, a lamb, or a goat in the camp or outside of it / instead of bringing it to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting to present it as an offering to the LORD before His tabernacle—that man shall incur bloodguilt. He has shed blood and must be cut off from among his people.

Leviticus 17:10-14
If anyone from the house of Israel or a foreigner living among them eats any blood, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from among his people. / For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for your souls upon the altar; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul. / Therefore I say to the Israelites, ‘None of you may eat blood, nor may any foreigner living among you eat blood.’ ...

Leviticus 22:8
He must not eat anything found dead or torn by wild animals, which would make him unclean. I am the LORD.

Leviticus 7:24
The fat of an animal found dead or mauled by wild beasts may be used for any other purpose, but you must not eat it.

Leviticus 11:39-40
If an animal that you may eat dies, anyone who touches the carcass will be unclean until evening. / Whoever eats from the carcass must wash his clothes and will be unclean until evening, and anyone who picks up the carcass must wash his clothes and will be unclean until evening.

Leviticus 22:19-25
must offer an unblemished male from the cattle, sheep, or goats in order for it to be accepted on your behalf. / You must not present anything with a defect, because it will not be accepted on your behalf. / When a man presents a peace offering to the LORD from the herd or flock to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering, it must be without blemish or defect to be acceptable. ...

Numbers 18:15
The firstborn of every womb, whether man or beast, that is offered to the LORD belongs to you. But you must surely redeem every firstborn son and every firstborn male of unclean animals.

Exodus 22:31
You are to be My holy people. You must not eat the meat of a mauled animal found in the field; you are to throw it to the dogs.

Deuteronomy 12:15-16
But whenever you want, you may slaughter and eat meat within any of your gates, according to the blessing the LORD your God has given you. Both the ceremonially clean and unclean may eat it as they would a gazelle or deer, / but you must not eat the blood; pour it on the ground like water.

Deuteronomy 12:21-22
If the place where the LORD your God chooses to put His Name is too far from you, then you may slaughter any of the herd or flock He has given you, as I have commanded you, and you may eat it within your gates whenever you want. / Indeed, you may eat it as you would eat a gazelle or deer; both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat it.

Deuteronomy 14:3-21
You must not eat any detestable thing. / These are the animals that you may eat: The ox, the sheep, the goat, / the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep. ...

Acts 15:20
Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals, and from blood.

Acts 15:29
You must abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.

Romans 14:14
I am convinced and fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.

1 Corinthians 8:4-13
So about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world, and that there is no God but one. / For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many so-called gods and lords), / yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we exist. And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we exist. ...


Treasury of Scripture

You shall eat it within your gates: the unclean and the clean person shall eat it alike, as the roebuck, and as the hart.

the unclean

Deuteronomy 12:15,21,22
Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the roebuck, and as of the hart…

2 Samuel 2:18
And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.

1 Kings 4:23
Ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and roebucks, and fallowdeer, and fatted fowl.

Jump to Previous
Alike Ceremonially Clean Deer Eat Hart Houses Roebuck Towns Unclean Used Within
Jump to Next
Alike Ceremonially Clean Deer Eat Hart Houses Roebuck Towns Unclean Used Within
Deuteronomy 15
1. The seventh year a year of release for the poor
7. one must be generous in lending or giving
12. A Hebrew servant, except by choice, must be freed in the seventh year
19. All firstborn males of the cattle are to be sanctified unto the Lord.














You are to eat it within your gates
This phrase refers to the consumption of certain animals that were not suitable for sacrifice due to blemishes or other imperfections. The Hebrew word for "gates" (שַׁעַר, sha'ar) signifies the entrance to a city or town, often representing the community or household. In ancient Israel, the city gate was a place of gathering, judgment, and commerce. Eating "within your gates" implies that these animals, though not fit for the altar, were still permissible for personal consumption within the community. This reflects God's provision and care, ensuring that nothing is wasted and that all members of the community, regardless of their ritual purity, can partake in the blessings of sustenance.

both the unclean and the clean may eat it
The distinction between "unclean" (טָמֵא, tamei) and "clean" (טָהוֹר, tahor) is central to the Levitical laws. Here, the terms do not refer to the animals themselves but to the people consuming them. In the context of ancient Israel, "unclean" could mean ritually impure due to various reasons, such as contact with a corpse or certain bodily discharges. The allowance for both unclean and clean individuals to eat these animals underscores the inclusivity of God's provision. It highlights a practical aspect of the law, where the focus is on community sustenance rather than ritual exclusion. This provision foreshadows the New Testament teaching that in Christ, the barriers of ritual purity are transcended, emphasizing the unity and equality of all believers.

as they would a gazelle or deer
The comparison to a "gazelle" (צְבִי, tsevi) or "deer" (אַיָּל, ayal) is significant. These animals were considered clean and could be eaten, but they were not used in sacrificial offerings. The mention of these animals serves as a reminder of the distinction between what is sacred and what is common. In the ancient Near Eastern context, gazelles and deer were often hunted for food, symbolizing God's abundant provision in the natural world. This analogy reinforces the idea that while certain animals are not suitable for the altar, they are still part of God's good creation and can be enjoyed as part of daily life. It reflects a theology of gratitude and stewardship, where all of creation is seen as a gift from God to be used wisely and joyfully.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Eat it
תֹּאכֲלֶ֑נּוּ (tō·ḵă·len·nū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 398: To eat

within your gates;
בִּשְׁעָרֶ֖יךָ (biš·‘ā·re·ḵā)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 8179: An opening, door, gate

both
יַחְדָּ֔ו (yaḥ·dāw)
Adverb
Strong's 3162: A unit, unitedly

the unclean
הַטָּמֵ֤א (haṭ·ṭā·mê)
Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2931: Unclean

person and the clean [may eat it]
וְהַטָּהוֹר֙ (wə·haṭ·ṭā·hō·wr)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2889: Clean, pure

as if it were a gazelle
כַּצְּבִ֖י (kaṣ·ṣə·ḇî)
Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6643: Splendor, a gazelle

or deer.
וְכָאַיָּֽל׃ (wə·ḵā·’ay·yāl)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 354: A hart, stag, deer


Links
Deuteronomy 15:22 NIV
Deuteronomy 15:22 NLT
Deuteronomy 15:22 ESV
Deuteronomy 15:22 NASB
Deuteronomy 15:22 KJV

Deuteronomy 15:22 BibleApps.com
Deuteronomy 15:22 Biblia Paralela
Deuteronomy 15:22 Chinese Bible
Deuteronomy 15:22 French Bible
Deuteronomy 15:22 Catholic Bible

OT Law: Deuteronomy 15:22 You shall eat it within your gates: (Deut. De Du)
Deuteronomy 15:21
Top of Page
Top of Page