Leviticus 17:14

14 For it is the life of all flesh: the blood of it is for the life thereof. Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, "Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh, for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof. Whosoever eateth it shall be cut off."

Leviticus 17:14 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 17:14

For [it is] the life of all flesh
Of every animal:

the blood of it [is] for the life thereof;
for the production, preservation, and continuance of life; that on which life depends, as Jarchi observes:

therefore I said unto the children of Israel, ye shall eat the blood
of no manner of flesh;
of beasts or birds, whose flesh was fit for food; but their blood was not to be eaten, for the reasons before given:

for the life of all flesh [is] the blood thereof;
which is repeated, that it might be observed and taken notice of, as that in which the force of the reason lay for giving this law:

whosoever eateth it shall be cut off;
by death, whether he be an Israelite or a proselyte of righteousness; wherefore if this law was now in force, its penalty also would be continued, whereas it is not, and which shows the abrogation of it. Also (See Gill on Leviticus 17:4).

Leviticus 17:14 In-Context

12 Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, "No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood."
13 And whatsoever man there be of the children of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn among you, who hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten, he shall even pour out the blood thereof and cover it with dust.
14 For it is the life of all flesh: the blood of it is for the life thereof. Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, "Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh, for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof. Whosoever eateth it shall be cut off."
15 And every soul that eateth that which died of itself or that which was torn by beasts, whether it be one of your own country or a stranger, he shall both wash his clothes and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening; then shall he be clean.
16 But if he wash them not nor bathe his flesh, then he shall bear his iniquity.'"
Third Millennium Bible (TMB), New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved.