Deuteronomy 12:20

¹⁸ Instead, you must eat them in the presence of the LORD your God at the place the LORD your God will choose—you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levite within your gates. Rejoice before the LORD your God in all you do,

¹⁹ and be careful not to neglect the Levites as long as you live in your land.

When the LORD your God expands your territory as He has promised, and you crave meat and say, “I want to eat meat,” you may eat it whenever you want.

²¹ If the place where the LORD your God chooses to put His Name is too far from you, then you may slaughter any of the herd or flock He has given you, as I have commanded you, and you may eat it within your gates whenever you want.

²² Indeed, you may eat it as you would eat a gazelle or deer; both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat it.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: When the LORD your God expands your territory as He has promised, and you crave meat and say, “I want to eat meat,” you may eat it whenever you want.
KJV: When the LORD thy God shall enlarge thy border, as he hath promised thee, and thou shalt say, I will eat flesh, because thy soul longeth to eat flesh; thou mayest eat flesh, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after.
WEB: When the LORD your God enlarges your border, as he has promised you, and you say, “I want to eat meat,” because your soul desires to eat meat, you may eat meat, after all the desire of your soul.
ASV: When Jehovah thy God shall enlarge thy border, as he hath promised thee, and thou shalt say, I will eat flesh, because thy soul desireth to eat flesh; thou mayest eat flesh, after all the desire of thy soul.
DARBY: When Jehovah thy God shall enlarge thy border, as he promised thee, and thou say, I will eat flesh, because thy soul longeth to eat flesh, thou mayest eat flesh, according to all the desire of thy soul.
BLB: When YHWH your God enlarges your border as He has promised you, and you say, “Let me eat flesh,” because you long to eat flesh, you may eat flesh of all the desire of your soul.

ÅB: Når Herren din Gud utvider dine landemerker, slik som han har tilsagt deg, og du sier: Jeg ville gjerne spise kjøtt, fordi du har lyst til å spise kjøtt, da kan du spise kjøtt etter ditt hjertes lyst.
OTB: Når Herren deres Gud utvider deres territorium som han har lovet, og dere ønsker kjøtt og sier: "Jeg vil ha litt kjøtt," da kan dere spise så mye av det som dere ønsker.
B1930: Når Herren din Gud utvider dine landemerker, således som han har tilsagt dig, og du sier: Jeg vilde gjerne ete kjøtt, fordi du har lyst til å ete kjøtt, da kan du ete kjøtt efter ditt hjertes lyst.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Deuteronomy 19:8
And if the LORD your God enlarges your territory, as He swore to your fathers, and gives you all the land He promised them,
Read in context
Deuteronomy 11:24
Every place where the sole of your foot treads will be yours. Your territory will extend from the wilderness to Lebanon, and from the Euphrates River to the Western Sea.
Read in context
Exodus 34:24
For I will drive out the nations before you and enlarge your borders, and no one will covet your land when you go up three times a year to appear before the LORD your God.
Read in context
Genesis 28:14
Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and east and north and south. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.
Read in context
1 Chronicles 4:10
And Jabez called out to the God of Israel, “If only You would bless me and enlarge my territory! May Your hand be with me and keep me from harm, so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted the request of Jabez.
Read in context
Psalms 63:1
O God, You are my God. Earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You. My body yearns for You in a dry and weary land without water.
Read in context
Psalms 107:9
For He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
Read in context
Exodus 23:31
And I will establish your borders from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, and from the desert to the Euphrates. For I will deliver the inhabitants into your hand, and you will drive them out before you.
Read in context