Deuteronomy Chapter 14
Showing all 29 verses for Deuteronomy Chapter 14.
The People's Bible is written by people, for the people. Each verse below shows:
"Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead. "
"You are children of the LORD your God. Do not cut yourselves or shave a bald patch on your forehead when someone dies, as other nations do."
As God's own children, we can grieve honestly without turning to self-destructive rituals born of despair. Jesus, who wept at a friend's tomb yet later conquered death itself, shows that our sorrow can hold hope, because our identity as God's beloved child never breaks.
"For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth. "
"You are a people set apart for the LORD your God — he has chosen you to belong to him in a special way, different from every other nation on earth."
Being set apart was never about superiority - it was about belonging to God and being entrusted to reflect His love to the world. Jesus reminds us this identity is a gift freely given, not a status we earned or need to defend over others.
"Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing. "
"Do not eat anything that is detestable (i.e., ruled out by the food laws that follow)."
This simple instruction opens a long list meant to shape everyday life around devotion to God. Jesus later teaches that what truly defiles a person comes from the heart, not the plate - these boundaries were formative for a season, not the final word.
"These are the beasts which ye shall eat: the ox, the sheep, and the goat, "
"These are the animals you may eat: cattle, sheep, and goats,"
Even a plain list of permitted animals reminded Israel that ordinary meals belonged to God. Jesus shows that under grace, what matters most is a heart devoted to Him, wherever and however we eat.
"The hart, and the roebuck, and the fallow deer, and the wild goat, and the pygarg, and the wild ox, and the chamois. "
"the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep."
This further list of clean wild game shows how thoroughly God's instructions touched everyday provision, not just formal worship. Jesus cares about the whole of ordinary life, not only the sacred moments.
"And every beast that parteth the hoof, and cleaveth the cleft into two claws, and cheweth the cud among the beasts, that ye shall eat. "
"You may eat any animal that has a split hoof divided into two parts and that chews the cud."
The rule itself - parted hoof and chewing the cud - gave a clear, everyday marker of set-apart living that anyone could apply at mealtime. Jesus shows that our deepest markers now are love, righteousness and peace rather than a physical sign.
"Nevertheless these ye shall not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the cloven hoof; as the camel, and the hare, and the coney: for they chew the cud, but divide not the hoof; therefore they are unclean unto you. "
"But you must not eat these, even though they chew the cud or have a divided hoof: the camel, the hare, and the rock hyrax — they chew the cud but don't have a divided hoof, so they are unclean for you."
Even careful, sensible-sounding categories like the camel or hare needed clear boundaries so nothing was assumed clean without instruction. Jesus later widens the picture entirely, showing that no person - only certain foods under the old law - was ever meant to be called unclean.
"And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcase. "
"And the pig, because although it has a divided hoof it does not chew the cud, is unclean for you: you must not eat its meat or touch its carcass."
The pig became a byword for uncleanness in Israel's imagination, later appearing at the lowest points of two gospel stories. Jesus meets people even there - at the pig trough, among the swine-herds - showing His grace reaches the most despised places.
"These ye shall eat of all that are in the waters: all that have fins and scales shall ye eat: "
"Of everything that lives in the water, you may eat anything that has fins and scales."
Fins and scales gave a simple, visible test anyone could apply at the water's edge. Jesus later calls His followers to become fishers of people, using this everyday image to describe gathering others into God's kingdom.
"And whatsoever hath not fins and scales ye may not eat; it is unclean unto you. "
"But anything that does not have fins and scales you must not eat — it is unclean for you."
What lacked fins and scales was set apart as unfit for Israel's table, a small daily reminder that even ordinary choices could honour God. Jesus asks not for such careful sorting today, but for hearts fully given to Him in every choice, however small.
"Of all clean birds ye shall eat. "
"You may eat any bird that is clean (i.e., not on the list that follows)."
A simple, open permission - eat of all clean birds - reminds us that God's instructions were never only restriction; they included generous freedom too. Jesus offers the same balance, real boundaries alongside real abundance.
"But these are they of which ye shall not eat: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, "
"But these are the ones you must not eat: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture,"
This detailed list of forbidden birds of prey reminded Israel that even small daily choices could be acts of devoted attention to God. Jesus doesn't ask us to master such lists today, but He still wants every part of our lives, however ordinary, offered to Him.
"And the glede, and the kite, and the vulture after his kind, "
"the red kite, the falcon, and any kind of buzzard,"
More birds of prey are named, continuing a pattern that trained Israel's attention onto God in the smallest details of daily life. Jesus reminds us that faithfulness in small things reflects the same heart as faithfulness in large ones.
"And every raven after his kind, "
"any kind of raven,"
The raven, named specifically as unclean here, is elsewhere used by God to provide for His prophet - a reminder that God can work through anything, clean or unclean by human categories, to show His care.
"And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind, "
"the ostrich, the nighthawk, the seagull, and any kind of hawk,"
Owls and hawks, creatures of the night and the hunt, were set apart from Israel's table - part of a wider pattern shaping a people distinct from their neighbours. Jesus shows that our distinctiveness now is love and holiness of life, not dietary lines.
"The little owl, and the great owl, and the swan, "
"the little owl, the great owl, the white owl,"
The list continues with the owl and the swan, small details in a much larger picture of a people trained to notice God in everyday life. Jesus asks the same attentiveness of us now, but directed towards loving well rather than sorting foods.
"And the pelican, and the gier eagle, and the cormorant, "
"the desert owl, the osprey, the cormorant,"
The pelican and cormorant round out this careful list, a picture of just how thoroughly God's people were meant to build devotion into daily habits. Jesus later shows that habits of devotion still matter, even when the specific forms change.
"And the stork, and the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat. "
"the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe, and the bat."
This final stretch of the bird list, including the curious inclusion of the bat, shows Israel's food laws covering every corner of daily life without exception. Jesus reminds us that no detail of our lives is too small for God's care and our devotion.
"And every creeping thing that flieth is unclean unto you: they shall not be eaten. "
"Every winged creature that swarms (insects and the like) is unclean for you — you must not eat them."
Small creeping, flying creatures were also set apart from the table, part of a comprehensive system that trained Israel to see all of life as belonging to God. Jesus invites us to bring that same wholehearted attentiveness into our own daily choices.
"But of all clean fowls ye may eat. "
"But you may eat any clean flying creature (i.e., ones not covered by the bans above)."
A simple word of permission closes out the bird laws - clean fowls may be eaten freely. God's instructions always carried genuine provision alongside their boundaries, never restriction for its own sake.
"Ye shall not eat of anything 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. "
"You must not eat anything that dies of natural causes — you may give it to a foreigner living among you to eat, or sell it to a foreigner, but you are a people set apart for the LORD your God. Do not cook a young goat in its mother's milk."
Even within a system of ritual purity, kindness to the outsider mattered - meat unfit for Israel's own table could still feed a hungry stranger nearby. Jesus shows the same instinct: what we can't use ourselves can still become a gift to someone in need.
"Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. "
"You must faithfully set aside a tenth of everything your fields produce, year after year."
Giving back a portion of what the land produced trained Israel's heart to trust God as the true source of provision, not their own effort alone. Jesus later commends the same spirit - generosity that flows from trust, not mere obligation.
"And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always. "
"Eat the tithe 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 chooses, so that you learn to hold the LORD your God in awe always."
Regular, shared meals of worship at God's chosen place wove reverence into ordinary life rather than leaving it as a distant, occasional feeling. Jesus shows that true fear of God is awe, not dread, carried naturally into everyday gatherings and food.
"And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which the LORD thy God shall choose to set his name there, when the LORD thy God hath blessed thee: "
"But if the journey is too far for you to carry it, because the place the LORD your God chooses is too distant, once he has blessed you (with abundance) —"
God's provisions were practical, accounting for real distance and real hardship rather than demanding rigid uniformity regardless of circumstance. Jesus, too, meets people exactly where they are instead of insisting on one impossible standard for everyone.
"Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose: "
"then turn the tithe into money, take that money with you, and go to the place the LORD your God chooses."
Turning the tithe into money for the long journey shows God's law flexing to fit real circumstances rather than becoming an impossible burden. Jesus consistently shows this same practical compassion towards the limits people actually face.
"And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household, "
"Spend that money on anything you want — cattle, sheep, wine, strong drink, or anything you desire — and eat it there in the presence of the LORD your God, and rejoice, you and your household."
Worship here includes genuine joy and feasting with your household - not just solemn duty. Jesus, who turned water into wine at a wedding, delights when His people celebrate together in His presence.
"And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee. "
"And do not neglect the Levite living in your town, since he has no land or inheritance of his own among you."
Those who devote their lives to serving God's people - like the Levites here - deserve real support from the wider community. Jesus calls us never to let anyone who gives their life to serving others go without.
"At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates: "
"At the end of every three years, bring out a tenth of everything you produced that year and store it within your own town."
Building regular provision for the vulnerable directly into the community's economic rhythm meant care wasn't left to chance or mood. Jesus calls His followers to the same intentional, practical compassion rather than vague good intentions.
"And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest. "
"Then the Levite (since he has no land or inheritance among you), together with the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow living in your town, will come and eat until they are satisfied — so that the LORD your God may bless you in everything you do."
Provision for the Levite, the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow was woven right into Israel's yearly rhythm - the most vulnerable were never an afterthought. Jesus calls His followers to the same practical compassion, ensuring no one at the margins is left hungry or overlooked.