The Meaning of Deuteronomy 12:21 Explained

Deuteronomy 12:21

KJV: 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.

YLT: 'When the place is far from thee which Jehovah thy God doth choose to put His name there, then thou hast sacrificed of thy herd and of thy flock which Jehovah hath given to thee, as I have commanded thee, and hast eaten within thy gates, of all the desire of thy soul;

Darby: If the place which Jehovah thy God will choose to set his name there be too far from thee, then thou shalt slay of thy kine and of thy sheep which Jehovah hath given thee, as I have commanded thee, and thou shalt eat in thy gates according to all the desire of thy soul.

ASV: If the place which Jehovah thy God shall choose, to put his name there, be too far from thee, then thou shalt kill of thy herd and of thy flock, which Jehovah hath given thee, as I have commanded thee; and thou mayest eat within thy gates, after all the desire of thy soul.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Deuteronomy 12:21 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 12:21 mean?

if is too far from you the place where chooses Yahweh your God to put His Name there then you may slaughter from your herd and from your flock which has given Yahweh you just as I have commanded you and you may eat within your gates all the desires of your heart
כִּֽי־ יִרְחַ֨ק מִמְּךָ֜ הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִבְחַ֜ר יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶיךָ֮ לָשׂ֣וּם שְׁמ֣וֹ שָׁם֒ וְזָבַחְתָּ֞ מִבְּקָרְךָ֣ וּמִצֹּֽאנְךָ֗ אֲשֶׁ֨ר נָתַ֤ן יְהוָה֙ לְךָ֔ כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר צִוִּיתִ֑ךָ וְאָֽכַלְתָּ֙ בִּשְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ בְּכֹ֖ל אַוַּ֥ת נַפְשֶֽׁךָ

יִרְחַ֨ק  is  too  far 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָחַק  
Sense: to be or become far, be or become distant, be removed, go far away.
מִמְּךָ֜  from  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
הַמָּק֗וֹם  the  place 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָקֹום  
Sense: standing place, place.
אֲשֶׁ֨ר  where 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יִבְחַ֜ר  chooses 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּחוּר 
Sense: to choose, elect, decide for.
יְהוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֶיךָ֮  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
לָשׂ֣וּם  to  put 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
שְׁמ֣וֹ  His  Name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
וְזָבַחְתָּ֞  then  you  may  slaughter 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: זָבַח  
Sense: to slaughter, kill, sacrifice, slaughter for sacrifice.
מִבְּקָרְךָ֣  from  your  herd 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: בָּקָר  
Sense: cattle, herd, oxen, ox.
וּמִצֹּֽאנְךָ֗  and  from  your  flock 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: צֹאן  
Sense: small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks.
נָתַ֤ן  has  given 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר  just  as 
Parse: Preposition-k, Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
צִוִּיתִ֑ךָ  I  have  commanded  you 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
וְאָֽכַלְתָּ֙  and  you  may  eat 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
בִּשְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ  within  your  gates 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
אַוַּ֥ת  the  desires 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אַוָּה  
Sense: desire, lust, will (not necessarily evil).
נַפְשֶֽׁךָ  of  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.