Leviticus 17:1-9

Blood for Atonement

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

2 "Speak to Aaron and to his sons and to all the sons of Israel and say to them, 'This is what * the LORD has commanded, saying,

3 "Any man from the house of Israel who slaughters an ox or a lamb or a goat in the camp, or who slaughters it outside * the camp,

4 and ¹has not brought it to the doorway of the tent of meeting to present it as an offering to the LORD before the tabernacle of the LORD, bloodguiltiness is to be reckoned to that man. He has shed blood and that man shall be cut off from among his people.

5 "The reason is so that the sons of Israel may bring their sacrifices which they were sacrificing in the open field, that they may bring them in to the LORD, at the doorway of the tent of meeting to the priest, and sacrifice them as sacrifices of peace offerings to the LORD.

6 "The priest shall sprinkle the blood on the altar of the LORD at the doorway of the tent of meeting, and ²offer up the fat in smoke as a soothing aroma to the LORD.

7 "³They shall no longer sacrifice their sacrifices to the goat demons with which they play the harlot. This shall be a permanent statute to them throughout their generations."'

8 "Then you shall say to them, 'Any man from the house of Israel, or from the aliens who sojourn among them, who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice,

9 and ⁴does not bring it to the doorway of the tent of meeting to offer it to the LORD, that man also shall be cut off from his people.

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Leviticus 17:1-9 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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 4

1. Deuteronomy 12:5-21
2. Numbers 18:17
3. Exodus 22:20; Exodus 32:8; Exodus 34:15; Deuteronomy 32:17; 2 Chronicles 11:15; Psalms 106:37; 1 Corinthians 10:20
4. Exodus 20:24; Leviticus 17:4

Footnotes 4

[a]. Lit "dwelling place"
[b]. Lit "In order that"
[c]. Or "goat-idols"
[d]. Lit "do"