Deuteronomy 12:15

Ver. 15. Notwithstanding, thou mayest kill and eat flesh, &c.— During their encampments and travels in the wilderness, it was enacted, that all the beasts that were to be slain by any Israelite, for the use of his family, should be first presented to God at the tabernacle, by way of peace-offering, and there slain; Leviticus 22:1; Leviticus 22:33 which was no inconvenience to them, as the tabernacle was very near: but it is here allowed, that, after their settlement in Canaan, every householder may kill provision for his family at home, and in any place, without being obliged to bring any part of it to the altar; for, when their border was enlarged, the tabernacle must have been at so great a distance from some of them, that it would have been too heavy a burden to oblige them to kill every thing they ate at the tabernacle. They are, therefore, permitted to kill and eat flesh as they please, according to the blessing of the Lord: i.e. in a manner suitable to their state, and to the blessings which God had given them.

As of the roe-buck, and as of the hart— Why not as of an ox, or a lamb, for they were of more familiar use? The reason is plain; because, (Leviticus 12.) to prevent idolatry, in offering of the blood to other gods, they were commanded to kill all the cattle they ate, at the door of the tabernacle, as a peace-offering, and sprinkle the blood on the altar. But wild beasts which were clean might be eaten, though their blood was not offered to God, ver. 13 because, being commonly killed before they were taken, their blood could not be sprinkled on the altar; and therefore it sufficed, in such cases, to pour out their blood wherever they were killed, and cover it with dust. And, for the same reason, when the camp was broken up, wherein all the people were in the neighbourhood of the tabernacle, and when they were scattered in their habitations through all the land of Canaan, those who were too far off from the temple were excused from killing their tame cattle at Jerusalem, and sprinkling their blood on the altar: no more was required of them than was required in killing a roe-buck, or any other clean wild beast.