Deuteronomy 12:15-32 - Slaughtering Animals To Eat

¹⁵ Notwithstanding, thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy cities, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee both the unclean and the clean mayest thou eat, even as the roe and the hart: ¹⁶ only eat not the blood, but pour it upon the earth as water. ¹⁷ Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine and of thy oil, either the firstborn of thine oxen or of thy sheep, neither any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill offerings or heave offerings of thine hands: ¹⁸ but thou must eat them before the LORD thy God, in the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen: both thou, thy son and thy daughter, thy servant and thy maid and the Levite that is within thy gates: and thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God, in all that thou puttest thine hand to. ¹⁹ And beware that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth.

²⁰ If, when the LORD thy God hath enlarged thy coasts as he hath promised thee, thou say, 'I will eat flesh, because thy soul longeth to eat flesh': then thou shalt eat flesh, whatsoever thy soul lusteth. ²¹ If the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to put his name there be too far from thee, then thou mayest kill of thy oxen and of thy sheep which the LORD hath given thee as I have commanded thee, and thou mayest eat in thine own city whatsoever thy soul lusteth. ²² Neverthelater, as the roe and the hart is eaten, even so thou shalt eat it: the unclean and the clean indifferently thou shalt eat. ²³ But be strong that thou eat not the blood. For the blood, that is the life: and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh: ²⁴ thou mayest not eat it, but must pour it upon the earth as water. ²⁵ See thou eat it not, therefore, that it may go well with thee and with thy children after thee, when thou shalt have done that which is right in the sight of the LORD.

²⁶ But thy holy things which thou hast, and thy vows, thou shalt take and go unto the place which the LORD hath chosen, ²⁷ and thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, both flesh and blood upon the altar of the LORD thy God, and the blood of thine offerings thou shalt pour out upon the altar of the LORD thy God, and shalt eat the flesh. ²⁸ Take heed and hear all these words which I command thee that it may go well with thee and with thy children after thee forever, when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the LORD thy God.

²⁹ When the LORD thy God hath destroyed the nations before thee, whither thou goest to conquer them, and when thou hast conquered them, and dwelt in their lands: ³⁰ Beware that thou be not taken in a snare after them, after that they be destroyed before thee, and that thou ask not after their gods saying, 'How did these nations serve their gods, that I may do so likewise?' ³¹ Nay, thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for all abominations which the LORD hated did they unto their gods. For they burnt both their sons and their daughters with fire unto their gods. ³² But whatsoever I command you, that take heed ye do: and put nought thereto, nor take ought therefrom.