Book of Deuteronomy · Chapter 14 of 34
29 verses · 3 video commentaries from 3 courses · Berean Standard Bible
1You are sons of the LORD your God; do not cut yourselves or shave your foreheads on behalf of the dead,
2for you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD has chosen you to be a people for His prized possession out of all the peoples on the face of the earth.
3You must not eat any detestable thing.
4These are the animals that you may eat: The ox, the sheep, the goat,
5the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep.
6You may eat any animal that has a split hoof divided in two and that chews the cud.
7But of those that chew the cud or have a completely divided hoof, you are not to eat the following: the camel, the rabbit, or the rock badger. Although they chew the cud, they do not have a divided hoof. They are unclean for you,
8as well as the pig; though it has a divided hoof, it does not chew the cud. It is unclean for you. You must not eat its meat or touch its carcass.
9Of all the creatures that live in the water, you may eat anything with fins and scales,
10but you may not eat anything that does not have fins and scales; it is unclean for you.
11You may eat any clean bird,
12but these you may not eat: the eagle, the bearded vulture, the black vulture,
13the red kite, the falcon, any kind of kite,
14any kind of raven,
15the ostrich, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk,
16the little owl, the great owl, the white owl,
17the desert owl, the osprey, the cormorant,
18the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe, or the bat.
19All flying insects are unclean for you; they may not be eaten.
20But you may eat any clean bird.
21You are not to eat any carcass; you may give it to the foreigner residing within your gates, and he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner. For you are a holy people belonging to the LORD your God. You must not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.
22You must be sure to set aside a tenth of all the produce brought forth each year from your fields.
23And you are to eat a tenth of your grain, new wine, and oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks, in the presence of the LORD your God at the place He will choose as a dwelling for His Name, so that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always.
24But if the distance is too great for you to carry that with which the LORD your God has blessed you, because the place where the LORD your God will choose to put His Name is too far away,
25then exchange it for money, take the money in your hand, and go to the place the LORD your God will choose.
26Then you may spend the money on anything you desire: cattle, sheep, wine, strong drink, or anything you wish. You are to feast there in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice with your household.
27And do not neglect the Levite within your gates, since he has no portion or inheritance among you.
28At the end of every three years, bring a tenth of all your produce for that year and lay it up within your gates.
29Then the Levite (because he has no portion or inheritance among you), the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow within your gates may come and eat and be satisfied. And the LORD your God will bless you in all the work of your hands.
Deut 14:3-21
The Letter of Aristeas suggests that the dietary laws in the Pentateuch, such as those concerning cloven-footed and ruminant animals, are not merely about specific creatures. Instead, they are symbolic, representing moral and intellectual virtues like the separation of good actions and the act of recalling and reflecting on life.
Summarized by AI · Judaism Before Jesus · Lecture 16: The Egyptian Diaspora · watch the clip
Jewish law included dietary restrictions, requiring them to keep kosher. Certain meats, like sheep and goats, were permitted, while others, such as pigs and camels, were forbidden, reflecting their status as a holy people consuming holy foods.
Summarized by AI · The New Testament: Exploring the Christian Bible · Lecture 3: The Religion of Jesus | Understanding First-Century Judaism · watch the clip
Deut 14:21
In ancient Israel, the Ten Commandments were not a significant or authentically ancient text, constitution, or custom. Unlike traditions such as the Exodus, which were widely known, the Ten Commandments were a minor element. Their importance is further diminished by the fact that they appear twice in the Torah, while a less prominent law, 'you shall not boil a kid in its mother's milk,' appears three times, suggesting the latter held more significance in the history of the Bible and ancient Israelite religion.
Summarized by AI · The Ten Commandments · Lecture 10: Conclusion · watch the clip