Deuteronomy 14
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Overview
Deuteronomy 14 is a chapter that outlines dietary laws and tithing instructions, emphasizing the distinctiveness and holiness of the Israelite community. Moses provides guidelines on clean and unclean foods and instructions on tithing to support religious and communal life. Key aspects include:
Dietary Laws: The chapter begins with a list of clean and unclean animals, detailing which animals the Israelites may eat and which they must consider unclean. The clean animals include those that chew the cud and have split hooves. Certain birds and all sea creatures with fins and scales are also permitted. The dietary laws serve as a daily reminder of Israel's distinctiveness and commitment to holiness.
Prohibition Against Eating Blood: The Israelites are reminded not to eat blood, as blood is considered the life of the creature. Instead, they are to pour it on the ground like water, respecting the sanctity of life.
Tithing Instructions: Moses instructs the Israelites to set aside a tenth of all their produce each year. This tithe is to be eaten in the presence of the LORD in a place He will choose, fostering a sense of community and shared worship.
Provision for Levites, Foreigners, Orphans, and Widows: If the place chosen by God is too far, the Israelites may sell their tithe and use the money to buy whatever they like to eat in God’s presence. Every third year, the tithe is to be stored within their towns and used to feed the Levites, who have no allotment of land, as well as foreigners, orphans, and widows, ensuring care and justice within the community.
Living as a Holy People: The chapter reinforces the concept of Israel as a holy people, set apart to the LORD, and underscores the importance of living out this holiness in everyday practices, including what they eat and how they support their religious and communal life.
Deuteronomy 14 serves to remind the Israelites of their unique identity and relationship with God. The dietary laws and tithing instructions are practical expressions of their covenant with God, reflecting their commitment to living a life that is distinct and dedicated to His service. The chapter emphasizes the integration of spiritual principles in daily life and the collective responsibility towards the community’s welfare.
Dietary Laws: The chapter begins with a list of clean and unclean animals, detailing which animals the Israelites may eat and which they must consider unclean. The clean animals include those that chew the cud and have split hooves. Certain birds and all sea creatures with fins and scales are also permitted. The dietary laws serve as a daily reminder of Israel's distinctiveness and commitment to holiness.
Prohibition Against Eating Blood: The Israelites are reminded not to eat blood, as blood is considered the life of the creature. Instead, they are to pour it on the ground like water, respecting the sanctity of life.
Tithing Instructions: Moses instructs the Israelites to set aside a tenth of all their produce each year. This tithe is to be eaten in the presence of the LORD in a place He will choose, fostering a sense of community and shared worship.
Provision for Levites, Foreigners, Orphans, and Widows: If the place chosen by God is too far, the Israelites may sell their tithe and use the money to buy whatever they like to eat in God’s presence. Every third year, the tithe is to be stored within their towns and used to feed the Levites, who have no allotment of land, as well as foreigners, orphans, and widows, ensuring care and justice within the community.
Living as a Holy People: The chapter reinforces the concept of Israel as a holy people, set apart to the LORD, and underscores the importance of living out this holiness in everyday practices, including what they eat and how they support their religious and communal life.
Deuteronomy 14 serves to remind the Israelites of their unique identity and relationship with God. The dietary laws and tithing instructions are practical expressions of their covenant with God, reflecting their commitment to living a life that is distinct and dedicated to His service. The chapter emphasizes the integration of spiritual principles in daily life and the collective responsibility towards the community’s welfare.
Deuteronomy 14
1 Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.
2 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.
3 Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing.
4 These are the beasts which ye shall eat: the ox, the sheep, and the goat,
5 The hart, and the roebuck, and the fallow deer, and the wild goat, and the pygarg, and the wild ox, and the chamois.
6 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.
7 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.
8 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.
9 These ye shall eat of all that are in the waters: all that have fins and scales shall ye eat:
10 And whatsoever hath not fins and scales ye may not eat; it is unclean unto you.
11 Of all clean birds ye shall eat.
12 But these are they of which ye shall not eat: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray,
13 And the glede, and the kite, and the vulture after his kind,
14 And every raven after his kind,
15 And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind,
16 The little owl, and the great owl, and the swan,
17 And the pelican, and the gier eagle, and the cormorant,
18 And the stork, and the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.
19 And every creeping thing that flieth is unclean unto you: they shall not be eaten.
20 But of all clean fowls ye may eat.
21 Ye shall not eat of any thing 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.
22 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.
23 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.
24 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:
25 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:
26 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,
27 And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee.
28 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:
29 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.
End of Deuteronomy 14
1 Year Plan: Mar 20 - Deut 14, Deut 15, Luk 12
2 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.
3 Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing.
4 These are the beasts which ye shall eat: the ox, the sheep, and the goat,
5 The hart, and the roebuck, and the fallow deer, and the wild goat, and the pygarg, and the wild ox, and the chamois.
6 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.
7 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.
8 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.
9 These ye shall eat of all that are in the waters: all that have fins and scales shall ye eat:
10 And whatsoever hath not fins and scales ye may not eat; it is unclean unto you.
11 Of all clean birds ye shall eat.
12 But these are they of which ye shall not eat: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray,
13 And the glede, and the kite, and the vulture after his kind,
14 And every raven after his kind,
15 And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind,
16 The little owl, and the great owl, and the swan,
17 And the pelican, and the gier eagle, and the cormorant,
18 And the stork, and the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.
19 And every creeping thing that flieth is unclean unto you: they shall not be eaten.
20 But of all clean fowls ye may eat.
21 Ye shall not eat of any thing 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.
22 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.
23 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.
24 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:
25 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:
26 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,
27 And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee.
28 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:
29 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.
End of Deuteronomy 14
1 Year Plan: Mar 20 - Deut 14, Deut 15, Luk 12
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