Add parallel Print Page Options

Blood Must Not Be Eaten

17 The Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron and his sons and to all the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord has told us to do. If any man of the house of Israel kills a bull, lamb or goat, among the tents or away from the tents, and has not brought it to the door of the meeting tent to give it to the Lord, he will be guilty for that blood, and will not be among God’s people. The reason is so that the people of Israel may bring their gifts which were killed in the open field to the Lord, to the religious leader at the door of the meeting tent. Then they can be given as peace gifts to the Lord. The religious leader will put the blood on the altar of the Lord at the door of the meeting tent. And he will burn the fat for a pleasing smell to the Lord. So they will no longer give their gifts to the goat-like gods to whom they sell themselves. This will be a Law to them for all their people forever.’

“Then say to them, ‘Any man of the house of Israel, or visiting from another land, who gives a burnt gift or other gift, and does not bring it to the door of the meeting tent to give it to the Lord, will be cut off from his people.

10 ‘If any man of the house of Israel, or visiting from another land, eats any blood, I will turn against that person who eats blood, and he will not be among God’s people. 11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood. I have given it to you on the altar to make your souls free from sin. For the blood makes you free from sin because of the life in it.’ 12 So I have said to the people of Israel, ‘None of you should eat blood. And the man who visits you from another land should not eat blood.’ 13 If any man from the people of Israel, or from other people living among them, catches an animal or bird which may be eaten, he should pour out its blood and cover it with dust.

14 “For blood is the life of every living thing. So I said to the people of Israel, ‘Do not eat the blood of any living thing. For the life of every living thing is its blood. Whoever eats it will be cut off.’ 15 Every person, both living in the land or one who has come from another land, who eats an animal that dies or is killed by wild animals, must wash his clothes and wash himself in water. He will be unclean until evening. Then he will be clean. 16 But if he does not wash them or wash his body, he will suffer for his own sin.”

Eating Blood Forbidden

17 The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to Aaron and his sons(A) and to all the Israelites and say to them: ‘This is what the Lord has commanded: Any Israelite who sacrifices an ox,[a] a lamb(B) or a goat(C) in the camp or outside of it instead of bringing it to the entrance to the tent of meeting(D) to present it as an offering to the Lord in front of the tabernacle of the Lord(E)—that person shall be considered guilty of bloodshed; they have shed blood and must be cut off from their people.(F) This is so the Israelites will bring to the Lord the sacrifices they are now making in the open fields. They must bring them to the priest, that is, to the Lord, at the entrance to the tent of meeting and sacrifice them as fellowship offerings.(G) The priest is to splash the blood against the altar(H) of the Lord(I) at the entrance to the tent of meeting and burn the fat as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(J) They must no longer offer any of their sacrifices to the goat idols[b](K) to whom they prostitute themselves.(L) This is to be a lasting ordinance(M) for them and for the generations to come.’(N)

“Say to them: ‘Any Israelite or any foreigner residing among them who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice and does not bring it to the entrance to the tent(O) of meeting(P) to sacrifice it to the Lord(Q) must be cut off from the people of Israel.

10 “‘I will set my face against any Israelite or any foreigner residing among them who eats blood,(R) and I will cut them off from the people. 11 For the life of a creature is in the blood,(S) and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.[c](T) 12 Therefore I say to the Israelites, “None of you may eat blood, nor may any foreigner residing among you eat blood.”

13 “‘Any Israelite or any foreigner residing among you who hunts any animal or bird that may be eaten must drain out the blood and cover it with earth,(U) 14 because the life of every creature is its blood. That is why I have said to the Israelites, “You must not eat the blood of any creature, because the life of every creature is its blood; anyone who eats it must be cut off.”(V)

15 “‘Anyone, whether native-born or foreigner, who eats anything(W) found dead or torn by wild animals(X) must wash their clothes and bathe with water,(Y) and they will be ceremonially unclean till evening;(Z) then they will be clean. 16 But if they do not wash their clothes and bathe themselves, they will be held responsible.(AA)’”

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 17:3 The Hebrew word can refer to either male or female.
  2. Leviticus 17:7 Or the demons
  3. Leviticus 17:11 Or atonement by the life in the blood