Exodus 22:29
Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.

Exodus 34:26
The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring unto the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk.

Leviticus 23:10-17
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: …

Thou shalt not seethe a kid.

Exodus 34:26
The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring unto the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk.

Deuteronomy 14:21
Ye shall not eat of any thing 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.

Proverbs 12:10
A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.

You must not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.
This prohibition is one of the more enigmatic commands in the Old Testament. It is repeated in Exodus 34:26 and Deuteronomy 14:21, indicating its importance. Historically, some scholars suggest this command was given to prevent Israelites from adopting pagan Canaanite rituals, as cooking a young goat in its mother's milk may have been a fertility rite. Culturally, this command underscores the principle of separation and holiness that God required of His people, distinguishing them from surrounding nations. Theologically, it reflects a sensitivity to the natural order and the nurturing relationship between a mother and her offspring, which should not be violated. This command has also been foundational in Jewish dietary laws, leading to the separation of meat and dairy in kosher practices. While the specific reason for this command is not explicitly stated, it serves as a reminder of the broader call to holiness and obedience to God's instructions.

“Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the LORD your God.” (Exodus 23:19a)

• God asks for “the best,” not leftovers, echoing Genesis 4:4 where Abel offered “fat portions” and pleased the Lord.

• Firstfruits acknowledge that every harvest is His gift; Proverbs 3:9-10 ties honoring God with first produce to promised abundance.

• By giving the very first yield, Israel exercised faith—trusting more harvest would follow, just as Elijah assured the widow in 1 Kings 17:13-16.

• Firstfruits supported the priests (Numbers 18:12-13), picturing later New-Testament teaching that “those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:14).

• Offerings were brought to the sanctuary, later centralized in Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 12:5-7), guarding against wandering worship and syncretism.

• Bringing gifts together fostered community: “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse so that there may be food in My house” (Malachi 3:10).

• Worship is relational; gifts express love for God, benefit His servants, and bless fellow worshipers (Acts 4:34-35).

• The same command appears in Exodus 34:26 and Deuteronomy 14:21, showing God’s emphasis.

• It forbids a cruel, contradictory act: using a life-giving substance to destroy the life it was meant to nourish (compare Deuteronomy 22:6-7, protecting a mother bird).

• The practice mirrored pagan fertility rituals; Israel was to avoid imitating the nations (Leviticus 18:3, Romans 12:2).

• Separating milk (life) from meat (death) illustrated the call to holiness—no mingling of what God keeps distinct, a principle still echoed in 2 Corinthians 6:17.

• Give God the first and finest portion of income, time, and talents, anticipating His faithful provision (Matthew 6:33).

• Prioritize gathered worship and generous support of those who teach the Word (Galatians 6:6).

• Practice compassion—never exploiting the weak—and reject cultural practices that conflict with God’s revealed will (Ephesians 5:11).

Exodus 23:19 joins two commands that together urge wholehearted devotion. Bringing the firstfruits declares God’s ownership of everything and trains hearts to trust Him. Refusing to boil a young goat in its mother’s milk rejects cruel or pagan customs and models a life set apart. Both commands call believers to honor the Lord with pure worship, generous giving, and uncompromised holiness.

The house of the Lord. Comp. Exodus 34:26 and Deuteronomy 23:18. It is known to Moses that the "place which God will choose to put his name there" is to be a "house," or "temple."

Thou shalt not seethe a kid.--A fanciful exegesis connects the four precepts of Exodus 23:18-19 with the three feasts--the two of Exodus 23:18 with the Paschal festival, that concerning firstfruits in Exodus 23:19 with the feast of ingathering, and this concerning kids with the feast of tabernacles. To support this theory it is suggested that the command has reference to a superstitious practice customary at the close of the harvest--a kid being then boiled in its mother's milk with magic rites, and the milk used to sprinkle plantations, fields, and gardens, in order to render them more productive the next year. But Deuteronomy 14:21, which attaches the precept to a list of unclean meats, is sufficient to show that the kid spoken of was boiled to be eaten. The best explanation of the passage is that of Bochart (Hierozoic. pt. 1, bk. 2, Exo. 52), that there was a sort of cruelty in making the milk of the mother, intended for the kid's sustenance, the means of its destruction. . . .

1. By its place here; and

2. By its being thrice repeated in the law of Moses (see Exodus 34:26; and Deuteronomy 14:21). Various explanations have been given of it; but none is saris-factory, except that which views it as "a protest against cruelty, and outraging the order of nature," more especially that peculiarly sacred portion of nature's order, the tender relation between parent and child, mother and suckling. No doubt the practice existed. Kids were thought to be most palatable when boiled in milk; and the mother's milk was frequently the readiest to obtain. But in this way the mother was made a sort of accomplice in the death of her child, which men were induced to kill on account of the flavour that her milk gave it. Reason has nothing to say against such a mode of preparing food, but feeling revolts from it; and the general sense of civilised mankind reechoes the precept, which is capable of a wide application - Thou shalt not seethe a kind in his mother's milk.

CHAPTER 23:20-31

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