Chapter Fourteen
Holy to God, So Be Careful What You Eat
14:1 “You are the sons of the LORD your God. You shall not cut yourselves or make any baldness on your foreheads for the dead. 2 For you are a people holy to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
Moses informs the people of Israel that they are children of YHWH (this is the first time this phrase appears in Scripture, this is a reference to God’s name, it is different and more specific than the usual Hebrew phrase “benê hā ělō·hîm,” a reference to being the sons or children of God).[1] And as children of YHWH they are to be holy, being separated for God’s purpose.[2] Being holy also means being different from the world around them. There were some things they needed to avoid doing, such as, “Never cut yourselves or shave the hair above your foreheads in mourning for the dead” (Deuteronomy 14:1b, NLT, see also Leviticus 21:5) They were not to appear like or emulate the behavior of any pagan-worshiping group of people.[3] Moses reminds them that they have been chosen and are considered a valued possession by God, chosen out of all the nations and people groups on earth.
14:3 “You shall not eat any abomination. 4 These are the animals you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, 5 the deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep. 6 Every animal that parts the hoof and has the hoof cloven in two and chews the cud, among the animals, you may eat. 7 Yet of those that chew the cud or have the hoof cloven you shall not eat these: the camel, the hare, and the rock badger, because they chew the cud but do not part the hoof, are unclean for you. 8 And the pig, because it parts the hoof but does not chew the cud, is unclean for you. Their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch.
Being holy also required them to remain holy, including being careful what they ate. Beginning with verse 3 through to verse 21, Moses consolidates several elements regarding consumption restrictions together (compare with Exodus 22:30; 23:19; 34:20; Leviticus 11:1-47). No one was to eat anything that was abominable to God.
Moses begins with the animals from which they can eat the meat. He lists ox, sheep, goat (Hebrew ‘iz·zîm’,[4] female domestic goat), deer, gazelle (see Deuteronomy 12:15, 22), roebuck (Hebrew ‘yǎḥ·mûr’,[5] a small deer), wild goat, ibex (Hebrew ‘ḏî·šōn’,[6] most agree that this is an ibex, a form of wild goat with long curved horns, others believe it to be a reference to a bison or possibly an addax), antelope, and mountain sheep. He explains that any animal that have completely split hooves and chews the cud (see commentary under Leviticus 11:4-8) is acceptable to eat. But if the animal does not have both, the meat from those animals is considered unclean and unacceptable to eat, including the camel, hare, and the rock badger (see Leviticus 11:4-6). Any meat from a pig was also not allowed, even though they have split hooves, they do not chew the cud. Not only were they not allowed to eat these unclean animals, but they were also not allowed to touch them either.
14:9 “Of all that are in the waters you may eat these: whatever has fins and scales you may eat. 10 And whatever does not have fins and scales you shall not eat; it is unclean for you.
Moses then turns to animals found in the water using similar words to Leviticus 11:9-12, except more succinctly stated. The criteria for being acceptable was that the animal needed to have both fins and scales, which eliminates shellfish, eels, sharks, etc.
14:11 “You may eat all clean birds. 12 But these are the ones that you shall not eat: the eagle, the bearded vulture, the black vulture, 13 the kite, the falcon of any kind; 14 every raven of any kind; 15 the ostrich, the nighthawk, the sea gull, the hawk of any kind; 16 the little owl and the short-eared owl, the barn owl 17 and the tawny owl, the carrion vulture and the cormorant, 18 the stork, the heron of any kind; the hoopoe and the bat. 19 And all winged insects are unclean for you; they shall not be eaten. 20 All clean winged things you may eat.
Next were the birds and winged insects. This list of the birds is essentially identical to the Leviticus 11:13-19 list, although not in the same order.[7] Regarding insects, however, this text only summarizes the restrictions outlined in Leviticus 11:20-23 to a warning pointing out that all winged insects are unclean and are not to be eaten. Leviticus allows some winged insects to be eaten, including locusts, crickets, and grasshoppers.
14:21 “You shall not eat anything that has died naturally. You may give it to the sojourner who is within your towns, that he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner. For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. “You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.
This verse contains two restrictions, the first regulation stating that the people of Israel are not to eat anything that had already died, also offers acceptable methods on what to do with the already dead animal. They can give it to a non-Israelite living in town as it can be eaten by them, or they can sell it to a foreigner (Hebrew ‘nǒḵ·rî’,[8] strangers, not part of the family, often used to describe those who travel for trade). The difference between giving the dead animal to a resident or selling it to a foreigner, is considered a matter of affluence, a foreigner would probably be able to afford to support themselves.
The second regulation is a repeat from Exodus 23:19 and Exodus 34:26.[9] Many believe that since this regulation of not boiling the meat of a young goat in its mother’s milk is stated three times, that it may have been a practice associated with some form of pagan ritual.
Tithes
14:22 “You shall tithe all the yield of your seed that comes from the field year by year. 23 And before the LORD your God, in the place that he will choose, to make his name dwell there, you shall eat the tithe of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and flock, that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always. 24 And if the way is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, when the LORD your God blesses you, because the place is too far from you, which the LORD your God chooses, to set his name there, 25 then you shall turn it into money and bind up the money in your hand and go to the place that the LORD your God chooses 26 and spend the money for whatever you desire—oxen or sheep or wine or strong drink, whatever your appetite craves. And you shall eat there before the LORD your God and rejoice, you and your household. 27 And you shall not neglect the Levite who is within your towns, for he has no portion or inheritance with you.
Now through to Deuteronomy 16:7, Moses reviews the various periodic regulations. These would be the various duties that need to be done on a regular ongoing basis. The first duty listed is about tithing, but this instruction should not be considered a mere repeat of previous tithing instructions. In Leviticus 27:30-33 the tithes are to be given to the Levites (but can be redeemed for a price) and in Numbers 18:21-32 the tithes also go to the Levites. Here, however, the instructions are different, the tithe is to be brought before YHWH and then be eaten by the person offering the tithe. Some believe that the instructions given in Leviticus and Numbers were only voluntary since the text does not state the practice as being obligatory, while the text here in Deuteronomy does require compliance (with the wording, “You shall tithe…”). The common Halakhic understanding (Jewish regulations)[10] is that there are three tithes, which are part of a single system of mandatory tithing.[11]
Numbers refers to a “first tithe” of produce given to the Levites, who give a tithe of that to the priests. Deuteronomy 14:21–27 and Leviticus 27:30–31 refer to a “second tithe,” taken from the remaining ninety percent of produce, which is to be eaten by the owners at sacral feasts in Jerusalem, as is the tithe on cattle (Lev. 27:32–33). The “second tithe” on produce is replaced, in the third and sixth years of each sabbatical cycle (see 15:1), by a “third tithe” or “tithe for the poor,” to which Deuteronomy 14:28–29 refers. It is given to the poor and Levites in the farmers’ hometowns.[12]
The tithe was to include the firstborn of the herd and flock, the crops of grain, the fruit of the vine through the wine produced, and the olives grown offered as oil. The tithes were to be presented at the place where He chose, the location of the Tabernacle. If the distance to that location was too far away to bring these items, they were to be sold and the money used to buy whatever they want to eat and drink after arriving at the designated location. Then they and their family are to eat and rejoice before YHWH. Moses reminds them again not to forget to include inviting the local Levites that live in their communities.
Since the text does not specifically state a date on which this giving of tithes was to occur, many believe it would be more practical for most families to plan near one of the three mandatory pilgrimages per year to the Tabernacle (after the Temple was built later to Jerusalem). Moses gives the reason as being, “that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always.” (Verse 23b) The word translated as ‘fear’ is the Hebrew word ‘yir·’ā(h)’,[13] which in addition to meaning ‘fear’, it also means to revere. Through this joyful celebration the people are reminded that God is their provider and source of prosperity. It also allows them to enjoy the fellowship of God.
14:28 “At the end of every three years you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in the same year and lay it up within your towns. 29 And the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your towns, shall come and eat and be filled, that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands that you do.
At the end of every third year, they are to bring a tithe of all of their produce (Hebrew ‘teḇû·’āt’,[14] indicating a crop, a harvest, an increase or a revenue, in context of this verse the combined total of what they grew and produced) and bring to their local storehouses, to store food for the local people in need, including the Levites, sojourners, fatherless, and widows. Moses connects this effort to their prosperity, if they continue to give the tithe to the community food bank, they will continue to be blessed.
Some believe that this tithe is an addition to the annual tithe listed above (verses 22-27) as it was to occur only at the end of the year. Others believe that this procedure was followed every three years in lieu of the annual tithe and celebration, as reflected in this translation: “Every third year, instead of using the ten percent of your harvest for a big celebration, bring it into town and put it in a community storehouse.” (CEV) [15]
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[1] See commentary under Genesis 6:1-2.
[2] See commentary under Genesis 2:1-3.
[3] See commentary under Leviticus 21:5-6.
[4] Strong’s Hebrew 5795.
[5] Strong’s Hebrew 3180.
[6] Strong’s Hebrew 1788.
[7] See commentary under Leviticus 11:13-19 for further description of these birds along with a discussion as to what birds are considered clean.
[8] Strong’s Hebrew 5237.
[9] See commentary under Exodus 23:19.
[10] See Considerations under Genesis 10:19-20 regarding Rabbinic Literature and the Considerations under A Brief Introduction of the Law subheading A Jewish Perspective.
[11] See Considerations under Genesis 28:16-22.
[12] Tigay, J. H. (1996). Deuteronomy (p. 141). Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society.
[13] Strong’s Hebrew 3372.
[14] Strong’s Hebrew 8393.
[15] The Holy Bible: The Contemporary English Version. (1995). (Dt 14:28). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.