Leviticus 17
17
Sacredness of Blood. 1The Lord said to Moses: 2Speak to Aaron and his sons, as well as to all the Israelites, and tell them: This is what the Lord has commanded: 3#Any animal slaughtered must be brought to the tent of meeting as an offering. This differs from Dt 12:15–28, which allows those living too far from the temple to slaughter an animal for food at home without offering it as a sacrifice. Any Israelite who slaughters an ox or a sheep or a goat, whether in the camp or outside of it, 4without first bringing it to the entrance of the tent of meeting to present it as an offering to the Lord in front of the Lord’s tabernacle, shall be judged guilty of bloodshed#Guilty of bloodshed: human beings and animals can incur blood guilt for killing human beings (cf. Gn 9:5–6); human beings can incur blood guilt for killing animals (see note on Lv 24:17–22). #Lv 24:18.—that individual has shed blood, and shall be cut off#Lv 7:20. from the people. 5This is so that such sacrifices as they used to offer in the open field the Israelites shall henceforth bring to the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting, to the priest, and sacrifice them there as communion sacrifices to the Lord.#Lv 3:1–2, 7–8, 13. 6The priest will splash the blood on the altar of the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting and burn the fat for an odor pleasing to the Lord. 7No longer shall they offer their sacrifices to the demons#Demons: for Hebrew śe‘îrîm, lit., “goats.” Like the demon Azazel (cf. 16:8, 10, 21–22), they dwell in the open country (17:5). Cf. Is 13:21; 34:14. with whom they prostituted themselves.#Ex 34:15; Dt 32:17; 2 Chr 11:15; 1 Cor 10:20. This shall be an everlasting statute for them and their descendants.
8Tell them, therefore: Anyone, whether of the house of Israel or of the aliens residing among them, who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice 9without bringing it to the entrance of the tent of meeting to offer it to the Lord, shall be cut off from the people. 10#Lv 3:17; 7:26–27; Gn 9:4; Dt 12:16, 23–24. As for anyone, whether of the house of Israel or of the aliens residing among them, who consumes any blood, I will set myself against that individual and will cut that person off from among the people, 11since the life of the flesh is in the blood,#Gn 9:4. and I have given it to you to make atonement#To make atonement: this is probably to be understood in the context of liability for shedding animal blood (cf. v. 4). Placing the blood on the altar exonerates the slaughterer from guilt for the killing. See note on 16:6. on the altar for yourselves, because it is the blood as life that makes atonement. 12That is why I have told the Israelites: No one among you, not even a resident alien, may consume blood.
13Anyone hunting,#Hunting: game animals are not permitted as offerings. One nonetheless has to treat the blood of these animals carefully by covering it with earth. Cf. Dt 12:16, 24. whether of the Israelites or of the aliens residing among them, who catches an animal or a bird that may be eaten, shall pour out its blood and cover it with earth,#Dt 12:15–16. 14since the life of all flesh is its blood. I have told the Israelites: You shall not consume the blood of any flesh. Since the life of all flesh is its blood, anyone who consumes it shall be cut off.
15Everyone, whether a native or an alien, who eats of an animal that died of itself or was killed by a wild beast, shall wash his garments, bathe in water, and be unclean until evening, and then become clean.#Lv 11:39–40; 22:8. 16If one does not wash his garments and bathe, that person shall bear the penalty.
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Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc
Leviticus 17
17
The Place of Sacrifice
1And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the people of Israel and say to them, This is the thing that the Lord has commanded. 3If any one of the house of Israel #[Deut. 12:5, 6, 13-15, 21]kills an ox or a lamb or a goat in the camp, or kills it outside the camp, 4and #ver. 9 does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting to offer it as a gift to the Lord in front of the tabernacle of the Lord, bloodguilt shall be imputed to that man. He has shed blood, and that man #[Ex. 30:33]shall be cut off from among his people. 5This is to the end that the people of Israel may bring their sacrifices that they sacrifice #ch. 14:7, 53 in the open field, that they may bring them to the Lord, to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and sacrifice them #ch. 1:5as sacrifices of peace offerings to the Lord. 6And the priest shall #[See ver. 5 above] throw the blood on the altar of the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting and burn the fat #See Gen. 8:21for a pleasing aroma to the Lord. 7So they shall no more sacrifice their sacrifices to goat demons, after whom they #See Ex. 34:15whore. This shall be a statute forever for them throughout their generations.
8“And you shall say to them, Any one of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn among them, who #ch. 1:2, 3offers a burnt offering or sacrifice 9and #ver. 4 does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting to offer it to the Lord, #[See ver. 4 above]that man shall be cut off from his people.
Laws Against Eating Blood
10“If any one of the house of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn among them #See ch. 3:17 eats any blood, I will #ch. 20:3, 6; 26:17; Jer. 44:11; Ezek. 14:8; 15:7; [Ps. 34:16]set my face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from among his people. 11#ver. 14 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar #[Matt. 26:28; Mark 14:24; Rom. 3:25; 5:9; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14, 20; Heb. 13:12; 1 John 1:7; Rev. 1:5] to make atonement for your souls, #Heb. 9:22for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life. 12Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, No person among you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger who sojourns among you eat blood.
13“Any one also of the people of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn among them, who takes in hunting any beast or bird that may be eaten shall #Deut. 12:16, 24; 15:23 pour out its blood and #Ezek. 24:7cover it with earth. 14For the life of every creature#17:14 Hebrew all flesh is its #ver. 11; See Gen. 9:4blood: its blood is its life.#17:14 Hebrew it is in its life Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, You shall not eat the blood of any creature, for the life of every creature is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off. 15#See ch. 22:8 And every person who eats what dies of itself or what is torn by beasts, #See ch. 16:29 whether he is a native or a sojourner, #See ch. 11:25 shall wash his clothes and #ch. 15:5bathe himself in water and be unclean until the evening; then he shall be clean. 16But if he does not wash them or bathe his flesh, #[Num. 19:20]; See ch. 5:1he shall bear his iniquity.”
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