Leviticus 17:10-14

Consuming blood forbidden

10 I will oppose the person who consumes blood—whether they are from Israel's house or from the immigrants who live with you—and I will cut them off from their people.

11 A creature's life is in the blood. I have provided you the blood to make reconciliation for your lives on the altar, because the blood reconciles by means of the life.

12 That is why I have told the Israelites: No one among you can consume blood, nor can the immigrant who lives with you consume blood.

13 Anyone who hunts any animal or bird that can be eaten—whether the hunter is an Israelite or an immigrant who lives with you—must drain its blood out and cover it with dirt.

14 Again: for every creature's life, its blood is its life. That is why I have told the Israelites: You must not consume any creature's blood because every creature's life is its blood. Anyone who consumes it will be cut off.

Leviticus 17:10-14 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or as life