Deuteronomy

Moses gives speeches about laws and the importance of following God before the Israelites enter the Promised Land.

Chapter 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.

*You are God's children; don't hurt yourselves or shave your heads in honor of the deceased.

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.

*You are a holy people belonging to the Lord God, and he has chosen you to be special for him, more than any other nations on Earth.

3 Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing.

*Do not eat anything disgusting.

4 These are the beasts which ye shall eat: the ox, the sheep, and the goat,

*These are the animals you can eat: cows, sheep, and goats.

5 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, antelope, brown deer, mountain goat, pigmy deer, big ox, and rock goat.

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.

*And any animal with a split hoof and cloven hooves that can chew its food like cows, you may 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.

*However, don't eat animals that both chew their food and have a split hoof, like camels, rabbits, and deer. They chew their food, but their hooves aren't divided, so they are unclean for you to eat.

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.

*Pigs split their hoof but don't chew cud, making them unclean. Don't eat their meat or touch their dead body.

9 These ye shall eat of all that are in the waters: all that have fins and scales shall ye eat:

*Eat these from the water: those with fins and scales are safe to eat.

10 And whatsoever hath not fins and scales ye may not eat; it is unclean unto you.

*If it doesn't have fins and scales, you can't eat it; it's not clean for you.

11 Of all clean birds ye shall eat.

*You can eat any clean bird.

12 But these are they of which ye shall not eat: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray,

*But do not eat these: eagles, ossifrages, and ospreys.

13 And the glede, and the kite, and the vulture after his kind,

*And the eagle, the hawk, and the vulture each according to their type,

14 And every raven after his kind,

*And every crow, according to its type,

15 And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind,

*And the owl, the night hawk, the cuckoo, and the hawk, each according to their type.

16 The little owl, and the great owl, and the swan,

*The small owl, the big owl, and the swan.

17 And the pelican, and the gier eagle, and the cormorant,

*And the pelican, the strong eagle, and the black cormorant.

18 And the stork, and the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.

*And the stork, the heron, the lapwing, and the bat - all in their own groups.

19 And every creeping thing that flieth is unclean unto you: they shall not be eaten.

*Any crawling or flying creature is not to be eaten, as it's unclean.

20 But of all clean fowls ye may eat.

*But you can eat any clean birds.

21 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.

*Don't eat meat from animals that die on their own. Give it to someone new in your town so they can eat it, or sell it to someone from another place. You are a special people belonging to God. Don't cook a young goat in its mother's milk.

22 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.

*You must really give 10% of your crops each year to make sure the land keeps producing more.

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.

*You should eat the tithe of your grain, wine, and oil, as well as the firstborn of your animals and sheep, in the place where God chooses to put his name. This is so you can always remember to be afraid of and respect God.

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:

*If the journey is too long for you and you can't carry it, or if the place chosen by God is too far away and God has not yet blessed you, then what?

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:

*Then you will change it into money and hold the money in your hand, and go to the place where the Lord your God chooses.

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,

*And you should spend that money on whatever your heart desires, like cows, sheep, wine, or anything else you want; then you can enjoy it with your family in front of the Lord God, and be happy.

27 And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee.

*Don't forget the Levite living in your town, as they don't have a share or inheritance like you.

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:

*After three years, you must give all the tithe, or 10% of your increase that year, and store it near where you live.

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.

*The Levite, who doesn't have a share or inheritance, along with strangers, childless people, and widows living in your town, will come to eat and be full. This is so that the Lord God will bless all your work and efforts.

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