The Meaning of Deuteronomy 12:15 Explained

Deuteronomy 12:15

KJV: 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.

YLT: 'Only, with all the desire of thy soul thou dost sacrifice, and hast eaten flesh according to the blessing of Jehovah thy God which He hath given to thee, in all thy gates; the unclean and the clean do eat it, as of the roe, and as of the hart.

Darby: Nevertheless, according to all the desire of thy soul thou mayest slay and eat flesh in all thy gates, according to the blessing of Jehovah thy God which he hath given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the gazelle, and the hart.

ASV: Notwithstanding, thou mayest kill and eat flesh within all thy gates, after all the desire of thy soul, according to the blessing of Jehovah thy God which he hath given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the gazelle, and as of the hart.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Deuteronomy 12:15 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 12

1  Monuments of idolatry to be destroyed
4  The place of God's service to be kept
15  Blood is forbidden
17  Holy things must be eaten in the holy place
19  The Levite is not to be forsaken
20  Blood is again forbidden
26  and holy things must be eaten in the holy place
29  Idolatry is not to be enquired after

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 12:15 mean?

However whatever desires your heart you may slaughter and eat meat according to the blessing of Yahweh your God which He has given you within all your gates the unclean and the clean may eat of it of the gazelle and alike the deer
רַק֩ בְּכָל־ אַוַּ֨ת נַפְשְׁךָ֜ תִּזְבַּ֣ח ׀ וְאָכַלְתָּ֣ בָשָׂ֗ר כְּבִרְכַּ֨ת יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָֽתַן־ לְךָ֖ בְּכָל־ שְׁעָרֶ֑יךָ הַטָּמֵ֤א וְהַטָּהוֹר֙ יֹאכְלֶ֔נּוּ כַּצְּבִ֖י וְכָאַיָּֽל

רַק֩  However 
Parse: Adverb
Root: רַק  
Sense: only, altogether, surely.
בְּכָל־  whatever 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
אַוַּ֨ת  desires 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אַוָּה  
Sense: desire, lust, will (not necessarily evil).
נַפְשְׁךָ֜  your  heart 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
תִּזְבַּ֣ח ׀  you  may  slaughter 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: זָבַח  
Sense: to slaughter, kill, sacrifice, slaughter for sacrifice.
וְאָכַלְתָּ֣  and  eat 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
בָשָׂ֗ר  meat 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בָּשָׂר  
Sense: flesh.
כְּבִרְכַּ֨ת  according  to  the  blessing 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: בְּרָכָה  
Sense: blessing.
יְהוָ֧ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
נָֽתַן־  He  has  given 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
בְּכָל־  within  all 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
שְׁעָרֶ֑יךָ  your  gates 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
הַטָּמֵ֤א  the  unclean 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָמֵא  
Sense: unclean, impure.
וְהַטָּהוֹר֙  and  the  clean 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָהֹור  
Sense: pure, clean.
יֹאכְלֶ֔נּוּ  may  eat  of  it 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
כַּצְּבִ֖י  of  the  gazelle 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: beauty, glory, honour.
וְכָאַיָּֽל  and  alike  the  deer 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַיָּל  
Sense: stag, deer, hart.