Deuteronomy 12:24
Deuteronomy 12:24 in Multiple Translations
You must not eat the blood; pour it on the ground like water.
Thou shalt not eat it; thou shalt pour it upon the earth as water.
Thou shalt not eat it; thou shalt pour it out upon the earth as water.
Do not take it for food but let it be drained out on the earth like water.
You must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground.
Therefore thou shalt not eat it, but powre it vpon the earth as water.
thou dost not eat it, on the earth thou dost pour it as water;
You shall not eat it. You shall pour it out on the earth like water.
Thou shalt not eat it: thou shalt pour it upon the earth as water.
But thou shalt pour it upon the earth as water,
Do not eat the blood; instead, let it drain onto the ground.
Berean Amplified Bible — Deuteronomy 12:24
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Deuteronomy 12:24 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
לֹ֖א
תֹּאכְלֶ֑/נּוּ
עַל
הָ/אָ֥רֶץ
תִּשְׁפְּכֶ֖/נּוּ
כַּ/מָּֽיִם
לֹ֖א
lôʼ
H3808
not
Part
תֹּאכְלֶ֑/נּוּ
ʼâkal
H398
to eat
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms | Suff
עַל
ʻal
H5921
upon
Prep
הָ/אָ֥רֶץ
ʼerets
H776
land
Art | N-cs
תִּשְׁפְּכֶ֖/נּוּ
shâphak
H8210
to pour
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms | Suff
כַּ/מָּֽיִם
mayim
H4325
Water (Gate)
Prep | N-mp
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Deuteronomy 12:24
לֹ֖א
lôʼ
H3808
"not"
Part
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Definition: 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Usage: Occurs in 3967 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. See also: Genesis 2:5; Genesis 31:15; Exodus 4:9.
תֹּאכְלֶ֑/נּוּ
ʼâkal
H398
"to eat"
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms | Suff
This word means to eat or devour, and it's used in many stories, including when Jesus fed the 5000 with fish and bread in the book of Matthew. It's about taking in nourishment and being satisfied.
Definition: 1) to eat, devour, burn up, feed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to eat (human subject) 1a2) to eat, devour (of beasts and birds) 1a3) to devour, consume (of fire) 1a4) to devour, slay (of sword) 1a5) to devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subjects - ie, pestilence, drought) 1a6) to devour (of oppression) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be eaten (by men) 1b2) to be devoured, consumed (of fire) 1b3) to be wasted, destroyed (of flesh) 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to cause to eat, feed with 1c2) to cause to devour 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to feed 1d2) to cause to eat 1e) (Piel) 1e1) consume Aramaic equivalent: a.khal (אֲכַל "to devour" H0399)
Usage: Occurs in 703 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, [idiom] freely, [idiom] in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, [idiom] quite. See also: Genesis 2:16; Leviticus 6:9; Numbers 24:8.
עַל
ʻal
H5921
"upon"
Prep
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Definition: prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) 1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity) 1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion) 1h) to (as a dative)
Usage: Occurs in 4493 OT verses. KJV: above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-) on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, [idiom] with. See also: Genesis 1:2; Genesis 24:13; Genesis 41:33.
הָ/אָ֥רֶץ
ʼerets
H776
"land"
Art | N-cs
The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.
Definition: : soil 1) land, earth 1a) earth 1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part) 1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven) 1a3) earth (inhabitants) 1b) land 1b1) country, territory 1b2) district, region 1b3) tribal territory 1b4) piece of ground 1b5) land of Canaan, Israel 1b6) inhabitants of land 1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world 1b8) city (-state) 1c) ground, surface of the earth 1c1) ground 1c2) soil 1d) (in phrases) 1d1) people of the land 1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance) 1d3) level or plain country 1d4) land of the living 1d5) end(s) of the earth 1e) (almost wholly late in usage) 1e1) lands, countries 1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan
Usage: Occurs in 2190 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world. See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 18:18; Genesis 42:13.
תִּשְׁפְּכֶ֖/נּוּ
shâphak
H8210
"to pour"
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms | Suff
To pour or spill something out, like blood or a liquid. In the Bible, it can mean to shed blood or to pour out one's heart in prayer or complaint. For example, in Psalm 42:4, the writer pours out his soul to God.
Definition: : pour 1) to pour, pour out, spill 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to pour, pour out 1a2) to shed (blood) 1a3) to pour out (anger or heart) (fig) 1b) (Niphal) to be poured out, be shed 1c) (Pual) to be poured out, be shed 1d) (Hithpael) 1d1) to be poured out 1d2) to pour out oneself
Usage: Occurs in 111 OT verses. KJV: cast (up), gush out, pour (out), shed(-der, out), slip. See also: Genesis 9:6; Jeremiah 6:6; Psalms 22:15.
כַּ/מָּֽיִם
mayim
H4325
"Water (Gate)"
Prep | N-mp
This word means water, referring to a liquid or a source of refreshment. It appears in the Bible as a literal and figurative term, including references to wasting or urine. The word is used in various contexts, such as in Genesis and Leviticus.
Definition: This name means water, refreshment
Usage: Occurs in 525 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)). See also: Genesis 1:2; Leviticus 14:9; Joshua 18:15.
Study Notes — Deuteronomy 12:24
Show Verse Quote Highlights
Context — One Place for Worship
22Indeed, you may eat it as you would eat a gazelle or deer; both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat it.
23Only be sure not to eat the blood, because the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life with the meat.
24You must not eat the blood; pour it on the ground like water.
25Do not eat it, so that it may go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is right in the eyes of the LORD. 26But you are to take your holy things and your vow offerings and go to the place the LORD will choose.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deuteronomy 12:16 | but you must not eat the blood; pour it on the ground like water. |
| 2 | Deuteronomy 15:23 | But you must not eat the blood; pour it on the ground like water. |
Deuteronomy 12:24 Summary
[This verse is saying that when we hunt or eat animals, we should not drink their blood because it is a part of their life, and life belongs to God. This is similar to what we read in Genesis 9:4, where God tells Noah that he can eat animals, but must not eat their blood. By pouring the blood on the ground, we are showing respect for God's creation and acknowledging that He is the giver of life. This helps us remember that everything we have, including the food we eat, comes from God and is a gift from Him.]
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it important not to eat blood according to Deuteronomy 12:24?
Eating blood is forbidden because the blood is the life, as stated in Deuteronomy 12:23, and it is a reminder that life is sacred and belongs to God, as seen in Genesis 9:4 and Leviticus 17:11.
What does pouring the blood on the ground like water signify?
Pouring the blood on the ground like water, as instructed in Deuteronomy 12:24, is a way of acknowledging that the life of the animal belongs to God and is being returned to Him, similar to the concept of sacrificing animals in Leviticus 17:11.
Is this command only for the Israelites or does it apply to us today?
While the specific command in Deuteronomy 12:24 was given to the Israelites, the principle of respecting life and acknowledging God's ownership of it is still relevant today, as seen in Acts 15:20 and Acts 21:25, where early Christians were instructed to abstain from blood.
How does this verse relate to the concept of sacrifice and worship in the Bible?
The command not to eat blood and to pour it on the ground is connected to the idea of sacrifice and worship, as seen in Deuteronomy 12:26, where the Israelites are instructed to take their holy things and vow offerings to the place the Lord will choose, highlighting the importance of worshiping and sacrificing to God in a way that honors Him.
Reflection Questions
- What does this verse reveal about God's character and His relationship with His people?
- How does this command to not eat blood reflect the value God places on life, and what implications does this have for our own lives?
- In what ways can we, like the Israelites, demonstrate our respect and reverence for God's creation and the life He has given us?
- What does it mean to 'pour out' something to God, and how can we apply this concept to our own lives as an act of worship and surrender?
Gill's Exposition on Deuteronomy 12:24
Thou shalt not eat it,.... Neither with the flesh, nor separately: thou shall pour it upon the earth as water; as the blood of sacrifices was poured upon the altar, the blood of common flesh was to
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Deuteronomy 12:24
Only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood is the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh. No JFB commentary on these verses.
Cambridge Bible on Deuteronomy 12:24
I. First Division of the Laws: on Worship and Religious Institutions—Deuteronomy 12:2 to Deuteronomy 16:17, Deuteronomy 16:21 to Deuteronomy 17:7 Some 16 laws occupying because of their subject the premier place in the Code. 2–28. The Law of the One Altar and its Corollary As we have seen the law of One Sanctuary for Israel was, in the circumstances of that people in the 7th century, an inevitable consequence from the prophetic proclamation of One God for Israel. For the practice of worshipping Him at many shrines, sanctioned by Himself in the earlier period of Israel’s settlement, had, especially as many of the sites chosen were those of the Canaanite worship of local Ba‘alim, tended to break up the people’s belief in His Unity. He became to their minds many Jehovahs (see above on Deuteronomy 6:4); and at the same time their conceptions of Him were degraded by the confusion of His attributes with those of the deities to whose shrines He had succeeded. Therefore as the Unity of Jehovah and His ethical character are the burden of the Miṣ ?wah or Charge introductory to the Code it is appropriate that the first of the laws should be that abolishing the custom of sacrifice at many sanctuaries and limiting His ritual to a single altar. Note, too, how this is immediately followed by a warning against the worship of other gods (Deuteronomy 12:29-31); and that the next laws (Deuteronomy 12:32 to Deuteronomy 13:18) deal with those who entice, or are enticed, to that worship. Nothing could more clearly show how urgently the concentration of the worship of Jehovah was required in the interest of faith in His Unity and in His spiritual nature. How thoroughly such a law contradicts the earlier legislation about altars, as well as the divinely sanctioned practice of sacrifice in Israel after the settlement; and how far it is incompatible with the corresponding laws in P, will appear in the notes. The chapter has some obvious editorial insertions disturbing the connection (Deuteronomy 12:3; Deuteronomy 12:15-16; Deuteronomy 12:32); but there are besides repetitions of the central injunction of the law in the same or similar phraseology and introduced or followed by different reasons for it.
A careful analysis shows that these are not due to the discursiveness of one writer, but are statements of the same law from different writers of the same religious school. This conclusion is confirmed by the prevalence in Deuteronomy 12:2-12 of the Pl. and in Deuteronomy 12:13-28 of the Sg. form of address. But even within Deuteronomy 12:2-12 there is a double statement of the central injunction; on the other hand in Deuteronomy 12:13-28 the repetitions are either clearly editorial insertions, or due to the necessity of repeating the central injunction of the law in a practical corollary permitting the non-sacrificial enjoyment of flesh to Israelites, too far from the One Altar to be able regularly to consecrate it there.