If the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to put his name there be too far from thee, then thou shalt kill of thy herd and of thy flock, which the LORD hath given thee, as I have commanded thee, and thou shalt eat in thy gates whatsoever thy soul lusteth after.

DEUTERONOMY 12:21KJV
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Deuteronomy 12:21 (KJV)

What does Deuteronomy 12:21 mean?

Deuteronomy 12:21 explains that if the special place God chooses for worship is too far away, people are allowed to slaughter animals from their herds or flocks at home and eat them within their own towns, as long as they follow God’s instructions. This verse gives permission for ordinary meat-eating outside the central place of worship when distance makes travel difficult.

Moses is speaking to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the promised land, giving them instructions from God about worship and daily life. The verse addresses a practical concern: not everyone would live close to the one chosen worship site, so God allows them to eat meat locally, provided they still respect His commands. This shows a balance between centralized worship and everyday needs.

The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 12:21

  • "place" (מָקוֹם, maqom): This word refers to the specific location God would choose for His name, emphasizing that worship was to be centralized, not scattered.
  • "gates" (שַׁעַר, sha‛ar): In ancient Israel, "gates" often meant the entrance or area of a town or city, so eating "in your gates" means eating within your own community, not at the sanctuary.
  • "soul" (נֶפֶשׁ, nephesh): Here, "soul" is often understood as "desire" or "appetite," showing that people could eat as they wished, within the boundaries God set.

Why Deuteronomy 12:21 matters

  • This verse clarifies that eating meat was not limited to religious sacrifices at the sanctuary; people could eat meat at home, addressing a practical need for those living far from the central worship site.
  • The instruction balances the importance of a central place for worship with the realities of daily life, showing God’s concern for both spiritual order and everyday well-being.
  • The verse connects to the larger section where Moses is teaching the Israelites to respect God’s chosen place for sacrifices, but also to live out God’s commands in their ordinary routines.

Where else these words appear

“after” Hebrew H185 · used in 7 verses

  • Deuteronomy 12:15 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.
  • Deuteronomy 18:6 And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel, where he sojourned, and come with all the desire of his mind unto the place which the LORD shall choose;
  • Jeremiah 2:24 A wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure; in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.

“far” Hebrew H7368 · used in 56 verses

  • Genesis 21:16 And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.
  • Psalms 22:19 But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
  • Isaiah 6:12 And the LORD have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.

“kill” Hebrew H2076 · used in 127 verses

  • Genesis 31:54 Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount.
  • 1 Samuel 2:13 And the priests' custom with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand;
  • 2 Chronicles 15:11 And they offered unto the LORD the same time, of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.