# What does Deuteronomy 14:21 mean?

> Deuteronomy 14:21 in plain, modern English from the Modern Text Bible.

> Don't eat anything you find dead on its own. You can give it to a foreigner living among you, or sell it to someone from outside your community, but you belong to the Lord your God. Also, don't cook a young goat in its mother's milk.
>
> — Deuteronomy 14:21, Modern Text Bible

## Commentary

Israelites are told not to eat animals that died naturally, but they can give or sell them to outsiders. The last line is a separate command, likely about avoiding pagan rituals or cruel practices.