John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 14:5
The hart, the roebuck, and the fallow deer ,.... All of the deer kind, and very agreeable food; harts were very common in the land of Canaan and parts adjacent; Aelianus says F21 Hist. Animal. l. 5. c. 56. harts are bred in the great mountains in Syria, Amanus, Lebanon, and Carmel: the roebuck, or "dorcas", from whence a good woman had her name, Acts 9:36 is spoken of by Martial F23 "Delicium parvo", &c.; Epigram. l. 13. 93. as very delicious food, and so are fallow deer;... read more
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 14:1-21
Moses here tells the people of Israel, I. How God had dignified them, as a peculiar people, with three distinguishing privileges, which were their honour, and figures of those spiritual blessings in heavenly things with which God has in Christ blessed us. 1. Here is election: The Lord hath chosen thee, Deut. 14:2. Not for their own merit, nor for any good works foreseen, but because he would magnify the riches of his power and grace among them. He did not choose them because they were by their... read more