Deuteronomy 12:15-21
12:15 a butcher your animals ... whenever you want: This instruction refers to animals for eating, not for a ritual sacrifice.• ceremonially clean or unclean: The slaughter of animals for food could take place without the slayer undergoing the purification rituals necessary when sacrificial animals were slain.
12:16 b The prohibition against consuming blood pertained both to sacrificial animals and to those slain for meat. Because it represented life, blood was sacred and was to be rendered only to God. This principle is inherent in creation and preceded the law (Gen 4:10-11 c; 9:4-6 d; Lev 17:11 e). See also study note on Lev 7:26-27.
12:18 f The place he will choose was the central sanctuary—first the Tabernacle and then the Temple.
12:21 g you may butcher: Because an animal’s blood was considered sacred (see Gen 9:4-6 h), even meat intended for human consumption was to be slaughtered at the central designated place of worship if that was at all practical (cp. Lev 17:8-9 i); if not, the animal could be sacrificed locally, but the blood still had to be disposed of in a ritually appropriate manner (Deut 12:23-25 j; cp. Lev 17:10-12 k).
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