Leviticus 17:10-16

Listen to Leviticus 17:10-16

Laws Against Eating Blood

10 “If any one of the house of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn among them 1eats any blood, I will 2set my face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from among his people.
11 3For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar 4to make atonement for your souls, 5for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.
12 Therefore 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 6pour out its blood and 7cover it with earth.
14 For the life of every creature[a] is its 8blood: its blood is its life. [b] 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 9And every person who eats what dies of itself or what is torn by beasts, 10whether he is a native or a sojourner, 11shall wash his clothes and 12bathe himself in water and be unclean until the evening; then he shall be clean.
16 But if he does not wash them or bathe his flesh, 13he shall bear his iniquity. ”

Leviticus 17:10-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 17

In this chapter a law is given, ordering all sorts of persons, Israelites and sojourners, to bring their sacrifices to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, on pain of being cut off, Le 17:1-9; and a special and particular prohibition of sacrificing to devils is delivered out, Le 17:7; and the eating of blood, and of everything that dies of itself, or is torn with beasts, is forbidden under the above penalty, Le 17:10-16.

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Cross References 13

  • 1. 17:10 See ch. 3:17
  • 2. 17:10 ch. 20:3, 6; 26:17; Jer. 44:11; Ezek. 14:8; 15:7; [Ps. 34:16]
  • 3. 17:11 ver. 14
  • 4. 17:11 [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]
  • 5. 17:11 Heb. 9:22
  • 6. 17:13 Deut. 12:16, 24; 15:23
  • 7. 17:13 Ezek. 24:7
  • 8. 17:14 ver. 11; See Gen. 9:4
  • 9. 17:15 See ch. 22:8
  • 10. 17:15 See ch. 16:29
  • 11. 17:15 See ch. 11:25
  • 12. 17:15 ch. 15:5
  • 13. 17:16 [Num. 19:20]; See ch. 5:1

Footnotes 2

  • [a] 17:14 Hebrew 'all flesh'
  • [b] 17:14 Hebrew 'it is in its life'
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025