Deuteronomy 15:22 — Word Study
WLCבִּשְׁעָרֶ֖יךָ תֹּאכֲלֶ֑נּוּ הַטָּמֵ֤א וְהַטָּהוֹר֙ יַחְדָּ֔ו כַּצְּבִ֖י וְכָאַיָּֽל׃
BSAEat itʼâkal▸ within your gatesshaʻar [at your homes, inside your city] bothyachad the ceremonially uncleanṭâmêʼ [spiritually impure, unacceptable to God] and clean [may eat it]ṭâhôwr [pure, morally upright] as [they would] a gazelletsᵉbîy [beauty, splendor; a gazelle] or a deerʼayâl [a male deer, hart]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| בִּשְׁעָרֶ֖יךָ | in gates your | Preposition, noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| תֹּאכֲלֶ֑נּוּ | you will eat it | Verb qal imperfect second person masculine singular, suffix |
| הַטָּמֵ֤א | the unclean | Particle |
| וְהַטָּהוֹר֙ | and the clean | Conjunction, particle |
| יַחְדָּ֔ו | alike | Adverb |
| כַּצְּבִ֖י | like gazelle | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| וְכָאַיָּֽל׃ | and like deer | Conjunction, preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Eat it within your gates; both the ceremonially unclean and clean may eat it as they would a gazelle or a deer. |
| KJV | Thou shalt eat it within thy gates: the unclean and the clean person shall eat it alike, as the roebuck, and as the hart. |
| ASV | Thou shalt eat it within thy gates: the unclean and the clean shall eat it alike, as the gazelle, and as the hart. |
| YLT | within thy gates thou dost eat it, the unclean and the clean alike, as the roe, and as the hart. |
| WEB | You shall eat it within your gates. The unclean and the clean shall eat it alike, as the gazelle and as the deer. |
| BBE | It may be used for food in your houses: the unclean and the clean may take of it, as of the gazelle and the roe. |
Where they part company is הַטָּמֵ֤א — see How Translations Differ.
The main action is clear, with a subject that emphasizes inclusivity, followed by a comparison that highlights the nature of the consumption.
3 commentators on this verse
Gill, Cambridge, Whedon & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Deuteronomy 15:22
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Instructions on Sacrificial Animalsgenerated
Deuteronomy 15:22 provides guidance on how to handle sacrificial animals, emphasizing that both the clean and unclean may eat within their own gates. This reflects God's inclusive approach to dietary laws, allowing all to partake in the blessings of His provisions. It connects to the broader theme of community and accessibility in the laws given to the Israelites.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deuteronomy 12:15–21 | But whenever you want, you may slaughter and eat meat within any of your gates, according to the blessing the LORD your God has given you. Both the ceremonially clean and unclean may eat it as they would a gazelle or deer, |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — בִּשְׁעָרֶ֖יךָ, bish.'a.Rei.khagenerated
The word שַׁ֫עַר (sha'ar) means 'gate' and signifies an entrance or threshold, often referring to city gates or temple doors. It is used in the Bible to denote significant locations, such as meeting places or marketplaces.
The parsing indicates this word is a preposition combined with a noun in the construct state, meaning 'in your gates.' This emphasizes the personal and communal aspect of the instruction, as it is directed to the households of the Israelites.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb of the verse is תֹּאכֲלֶ֑נּוּ, you will eat it, which governs the entire sentence. The structure includes a prepositional phrase indicating location, a noun phrase identifying the subjects, and a comparative phrase describing what they may eat.
The sentence's flow emphasizes the inclusivity of the command, allowing both the clean and unclean to partake, highlighting a communal aspect of the dietary laws.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the word used for בִּשְׁעָרֶ֖יךָ is σου (sou), which translates to 'your.' This choice maintains the personal address to the Israelites, similar to the Hebrew.
The Septuagint's rendering of הַטָּמֵ֤א as ἀκάθαρτος (akathartos) shows a consistent interpretation of 'unclean' in both texts, emphasizing the spiritual implications of purity.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Deuteronomy 15:22 tells us that you can eat the animal within your gates, whether you are ceremonially clean or unclean, just as you would eat a gazelle or a deer. This shows that God's laws allow for inclusivity in the community.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Being ceremonially unclean refers to a state of spiritual impurity, often due to certain actions or conditions that make a person unacceptable to God, as outlined in Levitical laws.
This instruction reflects God's desire for inclusivity, allowing all members of the community to partake in His provisions without exclusion.
Eating within your gates emphasizes the importance of community and family, as it is a practice done at home and signifies shared blessings.
This verse illustrates the broader theme of God's laws regarding purity and community, as seen in other passages like Deuteronomy 12:15-21, which discuss sacrificial practices.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How do I understand the concept of cleanliness and uncleanliness in my own life?
- In what ways can I promote inclusivity in my community, similar to how God included both clean and unclean?
- What does sharing a meal with others signify in terms of community and fellowship?
- How can I apply the principles of God's dietary laws to my understanding of spiritual purity today?
Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Deuteronomy 15:22 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThou shalt eat it within thy gates,.... Though it might not be sacrificed, nor eaten as an eucharistic feast at Jerusalem, it might be eaten as common food in their own houses: the unclean and the
Read John Gill on Deuteronomy 15 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges22. Thou shalt eat it within thy gates] as an ordinary meal without rites; see on Deuteronomy 12:21.
Read Cambridge on Deuteronomy 15 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible19-23. The firstling males — The firstborn of the herd and flock, if males, were to be set apart — not used for ordinary purposes — to be devoted to the service of Jehovah.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Deuteronomy 15 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Eat it within your gates; both the ceremonially unclean and clean may eat it as they would a gazelle or a deer.
You shall eat it within your gates. The unclean and the clean shall eat it alike, as the gazelle and as the deer.
Eat it within your gates; both the ceremonially unclean and clean may eat it as they would a gazelle or a deer.
You may eat it in your villages, whether you are ritually impure or clean, just as you would eat a gazelle or an ibex.
Tyndale line
Thou shalt eat it within thy gates: the unclean and the clean person shall eat it alike, as the roebuck, and as the hart.
Thou shalt eat it within thy gates: the unclean and the clean shall eat it alike, as the gazelle, and as the hart.
Thou shalt eat it within thy gates: the unclean and the clean shall eat it alike, as the gazelle, and as the hart.
Thou shalt eat it within thy gates: the unclean and the clean person shall eat it alike, as the roebuck, and as the hart.
But shalt eate it within thy gates: the vncleane, and the cleane shall eate it alike, as the roe bucke, and as the hart.
Strictly literal
In thy gates shalt thou eat it; the unclean and the clean [shall eat it] alike, as the gazelle and as the hart.
within thy gates thou dost eat it, the unclean and the clean alike, as the roe, and as the hart.
you eat it within your gates, the unclean and the clean alike, as the roe and as the deer.
Within thy gates shalt thou eat it, the unclean and the clean together, as the roebuck, and as the hart.
You will eat it within your gates; the unclean and the clean persons alike must eat it, as you would eat a gazelle or a deer.
From the Latin
But thou shalt eat it within the gates of thy city: the clean and the unclean shall eat them alike, as the roe and as the hart.
Simplified
Eat it at home. All of you, whether you're ceremonially clean or not, can eat it just like you would eat a gazelle or a deer,
It may be used for food in your houses: the unclean and the clean may take of it, as of the gazelle and the roe.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text is supported by the Samaritan Pentateuch, which agrees word for word with the Hebrew. The Septuagint also aligns closely, with all seven words matched, indicating a strong consistency across these ancient witnesses.
בִּשְׁעָרֶ֖יךָ תֹּאכֲלֶ֑נּוּ הַטָּמֵ֤א וְהַטָּהוֹר֙ יַחְדָּ֔ו כַּצְּבִ֖י וְכָאַיָּֽל׃
7 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
בשׁעריך תאכלנו הטמא והטהור יחדו כצבי וכאיל
Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Deuteronomy 15:22
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
שַׁ֫עַר (sha'ar) means 'gate' and is derived from a root that signifies an opening. It encompasses various types of gates, including those of cities, palaces, and temples, as well as metaphorical uses like 'gate of heaven.' The entries consistently highlight its role as an entrance or threshold.
שַׁ֫עַר 373 n.m. gate
base
H8179 שַׁ֫עַר gate
8179 sha`ar shah'-ar
from 8176 in its original sense; an opening, i.e. door or
gate:--city, door, gate, port (X -er).
see HEBREW for 08176
שַׁ֫עַר (sha.ar) — gate.
: gate
1) gate
1a) gate (of entrance)
1b) gate (of space inside gate, i.e. marketplace, public meeting place)
1b1) city, town
1c) gate (of palace, royal castle, temple, court of tabernacle)
1d) heaven
שַׁ֫עַר (sha.ar) — gate: town.
: town
1) gate
1a) gate (of entrance)
1b) gate (of space inside gate, i.e. marketplace, public meeting place)
1b1) city, town
1c) gate (of palace, royal castle, temple, court of tabernacle)
1d) heaven
Prep | N-mp | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHR/Ncmpc/Sp2ms
אָכַל (akal) means 'to eat' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including literal consumption by humans and animals, as well as figurative uses like devouring by fire or destruction. It can describe actions such as feeding or causing to eat, and it also appears in contexts of oppression and destruction. The verb has various forms, indicating different subjects and nuances.
אָכַל 806 vb. eat
Qal
eat, human subject
of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour
fig. of fire, devour, consume
of sword, devour, slay
in genl., devour, consume, destroy
fig. of oppression, devour the poor
Niph.
be eaten by man
be devoured by fire, consumed
be wasted, destroyed, of flesh
Pu. be consumed
Hiph.
cause to eat, feed with
cause to devoure, obj. sword
base
H398 אָכַל eat .. eat, human subject
. of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour
. fig. of fire, devour, consume
. of sword, devour, slay
. in genl., devour, consume, destroy
. fig. of oppression, devour the poor
. . be eaten by man
. be devoured by fire, consumed
. be wasted, destroyed, of flesh
. be consumed
. . cause to eat, feed with
. cause to devoure, obj. sword
398 'akal aw-kal'
a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively):--X at
all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up),
feed (with), food, X freely, X in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay)
meat, X quite.
אָכַל (a.khal) — to eat.
1) to eat, devour, burn up, feed
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to eat (human subject)
1a2) to eat, devour (of beasts and birds)
1a3) to devour, consume (of fire)
1a4) to devour, slay (of sword)
1a5) to devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subjects - ie, pestilence, drought)
1a6) to devour (of oppression)
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be eaten (by men)
1b2) to be devoured, consumed (of fire)
1b3) to be wasted, destroyed (of flesh)
1c) (Pual)
1c1) to cause to eat, feed with
1c2) to cause to devour
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to feed
1d2) to cause to eat
1e) (Piel)
1e1) consume
Aramaic equivalent: a.khal (אֲכַל "to devour" H0399)
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms | Suff — Verb qal imperfect second person masculine singular · suffixHVqi2ms/Sp3ms
טָמֵא (tame') means 'unclean' and is derived from a root that conveys a sense of defilement or pollution, particularly in a religious context. It covers ethical, religious, and ritual impurity, and can refer to both people and places.
טָמֵא adj. unclean
base
H2931 טָמֵא unclean
2931 tame' taw-may'
from 2930; foul in a relig. sense:--defiled, + infamous,
polluted(-tion), unclean.
see HEBREW for 02930
טָמֵא (ta.me) — unclean.
1) unclean, impure
1a) ethically and religiously
1b) ritually
1c) of places
Art | Adj — ParticleHTd/Aamsa
See CLEAN.
→ (Ceremonially speaking)
Creatures designated as such Le 11; De 14
→ See UNCLEANNESS
טָהוֹר (tahor) means clean or pure, covering physical, ceremonial, and moral senses. It is derived from the root word associated with H2891. The entries emphasize its application in various contexts, including animals and ethical purity.
טָהוֹר adj. clean, pure
base
H2889 טָהוֹר clean, pure
2889 tahowr taw-hore'
or tahor {taw-hore'}; from 2891; pure (in a physical,
chemical, ceremonial or moral sense):--clean, fair,
pure(-ness).
see HEBREW for 02891
טָהוֹר (ta.hor) — pure.
1) pure, clean
1a) clean (ceremonially-of animals)
1b) pure (physically)
1c) pure, clean (morally, ethically)
Conj | Art | Adj — Conjunction · particleHC/Td/Aamsa
klen (Anglo-Saxon cloene, "clear," "pure"): Rendering four Hebrew roots: bar, etc., "purify," "select," "make shining"; zakh, etc., "bright," "clean" "pure"; naqi, "free from," "exempt"; Taher, "clean," "pure," "empty," "bright" (?) the principal root, rendered "clean" 80 times (the King James Version); occurring in all its forms in various renderings about 200 times; also one Greek root, katharos, etc., akin to castus, "chaste," "free from admixture or adhesion of anything that soils, adulterates, corrupts" (Thayer's Lexicon). The physical, ritual, ethical, spiritual, figurative uses continually overlap, especially the last four.
1. Physical:
The physical use is infrequent: "Wash .... with snow water, and make my hands never so clean" (zakhakh, Job 9:30; figurative also); "clean provender" (hamits, the Revised Version (British and…
Clean
The various forms of uncleanness according to the Mosaic law are enumerated in Lev. 11-15; Num. 19. The division of animals into clean and unclean was probably founded on the practice of sacrifice. It existed before the Flood (Gen. 7:2). The regulations regarding such animals are recorded in Lev. 11 and Deut. 14:1-21.
The Hebrews were prohibited from using as food certain animal substances, such as (1) blood; (2) the fat covering the intestines, termed the caul; (3) the fat on the intestines, called the mesentery; (4) the fat of the kidneys; and (5) the fat tail of certain sheep (Ex. 29:13, 22; Lev. 3:4-9; 9:19; 17:10; 19:26).
יַ֫חַד (yachad) refers to the concept of unitedness or being together. It can function as a noun meaning 'unitedness' and as an adverb meaning 'together.' The word is built from a root that emphasizes unity and is used in various contexts in the Old Testament.
יַ֫חַד 45 n.[m.] unitedness
as subst.
elsewhere always in acc. as adv. in union, together
base
יָחְדָּו 92 adv. together
base
H3162a יַ֫חַד unitedness . as subst.
. elsewhere always in acc. as adv. in union, together
H3162b יָחְדָּו adv. together
3162 yachad yakh'-ad
from 3161; properly, a unit, i.e. (adverb) unitedly:--alike,
at all (once), both, likewise, only, (al-)together, withal.
see HEBREW for 03161
יַ֫חַד (ya.chad) — unitedness.
1) union, unitedness
יָחְדָּו (yach.dav) — together.
adv
together
Adv — AdverbHD
צְבִי (tsbiy) has two primary meanings: beauty or honor, and gazelle. It is derived from a root meaning prominence or splendor. The word encompasses concepts of beauty and glory, as well as referring to the gazelle, known for its gracefulness. The lexicons do not indicate any significant disagreement regarding its meanings.
צְבִי n.m. beauty, honour
base
צְבִי n.m. gazelle
base
H6643a צְבִי beauty, honour H6643b צְבִי gazelle
6643 tsbiy tseb-ee'
from 6638 in the sense of prominence; splendor (as
conspicuous); also a gazelle (as beautiful):--beautiful(-ty),
glorious (-ry), goodly, pleasant, roe(-buck).
see HEBREW for 06638
צְבִי (tse.vi) — beauty.
1) beauty, glory, honour
1a) beauty, decoration
1b) honour
צְבִי (tse.vi) — gazelle.
1) roebuck, gazelle
1a) perhaps an extinct animal, exact meaning unknown
Also means: tse.viy.yah (צְבִיָּה "gazelle" H6646)
Prep | N-cs — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHRd/Ncmsa
ga-zel' (tsebhi, and feminine tsebhiyah; compare Tabeitha (Ac 9:36), and Arabic zabi; also Arabic ghazal; Dorkas (Ac 9:36); modern Greek zarkadi):
The word "gazelle" does not occur in the King James Version, where tsebhi and tsebhiyah, in the 16 passages where they occur, are uniformly translated "roe" or "roebuck." In the Revised Version (British and American) the treatment is not uniform. We find "gazelle" without comment in De 12:15,22; 14:5; 15:22; 1Ki 4:23. We find "roe," with marginal note "or gazelle," in Pr 6:5; So 2:7,9,17; 4:5; 8:14;
See ROE.
אַיָּל (ayal) refers to a male deer, specifically a hart or stag. The word is derived from an intensive form related to another term for ram. It appears in contexts such as Psalm 42:2.
אַיָּל n.[m.] (f. ψ 42:2) hart, stag, deer
base
H354 אַיָּל hart, stag, deer
354 'ayal ah-yawl'
an intensive form of 352 (in the sense of ram); a stag or
male deer:--hart.
see HEBREW for 0352
אַיָּל (ay.yal) — deer.
stag, deer, hart
Conj | Prep | N-cs — Conjunction · preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Rd/Ncmsa
der ('ayyal, feminine 'ayyalah, and 'ayyeleth (compare Arabic, 'ayyal and 'iyal, "deer" and 'ayil, "ram," and Latin caper and capra, "goat," caprea, capreolus, "wild goat," "chamois," or "roe deer")); yachmur (compare Arabic, yachmur, "deer"); ya`alah, feminine of ya`el (compare Arabic, wa`l, "Pers wild goat"); tsebhi, and feminine tsebhiyah (compare Arabic, zabi and feminine zabiyah, "gazelle"); `opher (compare Arabic, ghafr and ghufr, "young of the mountain goat"):
Of the words in the preceding list, the writer believes that only the first two, i.e. 'ayyal (with its feminine forms) and yachmur should be translated "deer," 'ayyal for the roe deer and yachmur for the fallow deer. Further, he believes that ya`el (including ya`alah) should be translated "ibex," and tsebhi, "gazelle." `Opher is the young of a roe deer or of a gazelle.
[FALLOW-DEER]
A wild quadruped, of a middle size between the stag and the roebuck; its horns turn inward, and are large and flat. The fallow deer is naturally very timorous: it was reputed clean, and good for food, De 14:5. Young deer are noticed in Proverbs, Songs, and Isaiah, as beautiful creatures, and very swift, Pr 5:19. See HIND.