Ye shall not eat of any thing that dieth of itself: thou shalt give it unto the stranger that is in thy gates, that he may eat it; or thou mayest sell it unto an alien: for thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk.

DEUTERONOMY 14:21KJV
Know the Bible

Deuteronomy 14:21 (KJV)

What does Deuteronomy 14:21 mean?

Deuteronomy 14:21 instructs the Israelites not to eat animals that die naturally but allows them to give or sell such animals to foreigners living among them. The verse also commands the Israelites not to cook a young goat in its mother's milk, emphasizing their distinct status as a people set apart for God.

In this verse, Moses is speaking to the people of Israel as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. The command sets dietary boundaries that reinforce Israel’s identity as "holy" (set apart) to the LORD. The mention of giving or selling the animal to a "stranger" or "alien" shows a distinction between Israel’s religious obligations and the practices allowed for non-Israelites living among them. The final instruction about not boiling a kid in its mother’s milk is often understood as a prohibition against certain pagan rituals or as a way to show respect for life.

The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 14:21

  • "Stranger" (גֵּר, ger): This word refers to a foreigner who lives among the Israelites but is not fully part of the community. The verse distinguishes between the dietary rules for Israelites and those for resident foreigners.
  • "Holy" (קָדוֹשׁ, qadosh): This word means "set apart" or "dedicated." The verse uses it to remind Israel that their unique food laws are part of their special relationship with God.
  • "Seethe" (בָּשַׁל, bashal): This word means "to boil" or "to cook." The instruction not to "seethe a kid in his mother's milk" is a specific and unusual command, likely aimed at separating Israelite practices from those of surrounding nations.

Why Deuteronomy 14:21 matters

  • This verse clarifies that the food laws were not just about health or ritual but were tied to Israel’s identity as a people set apart for God.
  • The distinction between "stranger" and "alien" shows that not everyone in Israel was held to the same religious standards, highlighting the inclusivity and boundaries of the community.
  • The command about not boiling a young goat in its mother’s milk is unique to Israel and points to a deeper concern for compassion and separation from pagan customs, themes that run throughout Deuteronomy.

Where else these words appear

“kid” Hebrew H1423 · used in 16 verses

  • Genesis 27:9 Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth:
  • Exodus 23:19 The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk.
  • Judges 14:6 And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.

“seethe” Hebrew H1310 · used in 24 verses

  • Genesis 40:10 And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes:
  • Leviticus 8:31 And Moses said unto Aaron and to his sons, Boil the flesh at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and there eat it with the bread that is in the basket of consecrations, as I commanded, saying, Aaron and his sons shall eat it.
  • 2 Kings 6:29 So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son.

“itself” Hebrew H5038 · used in 41 verses

  • Leviticus 5:2 Or if a soul touch any unclean thing, whether it be a carcase of an unclean beast, or a carcase of unclean cattle, or the carcase of unclean creeping things, and if it be hidden from him; he also shall be unclean, and guilty.
  • Leviticus 11:40 And he that eateth of the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: he also that beareth the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.
  • 2 Kings 9:37 And the carcase of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel; so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel.

“milk” Hebrew H2461 · used in 44 verses

  • Genesis 18:8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.
  • Deuteronomy 11:9 And that ye may prolong your days in the land, which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give unto them and to their seed, a land that floweth with milk and honey.
  • Proverbs 30:33 Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.