Leviticus 17:5-15

5 This is to the end that the people of Israel may bring their sacrifices that they sacrifice ¹in 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 ²as sacrifices of peace offerings to the LORD.

6 And the priest shall ³throw the blood on the altar of the LORD at the entrance of the tent of meeting and burn the fat ⁴for a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

7 So they shall no more sacrifice their sacrifices to goat demons, after whom they ⁵whore. 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 ⁶offers a burnt offering or sacrifice

9 and ⁷does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting to offer it to the LORD, ⁸that 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 ⁹eats any blood, I will ¹⁰set my face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from among his people.

11 ¹¹For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar ¹²to make atonement for your souls, ¹³for 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 ¹⁴pour out its blood and ¹⁵cover it with earth.

14 For the life of every creature^[a] is its ¹⁶blood: 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 ¹⁷And every person who eats what dies of itself or what is torn by beasts, ¹⁸whether he is a native or a sojourner, ¹⁹shall wash his clothes and ²⁰bathe himself in water and be unclean until the evening; then he shall be clean.

Leviticus 17:5-15 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.

Cross References

• 1. Leviticus 14:7, 53
• 2. Leviticus 1:5
• 3. [See ver. 5 above]
• 4. See Genesis 8:21
• 5. See Exodus 34:15
• 6. Leviticus 1:2, 3
• 7. ver. 4
• 8. [See ver. 4 above]
• 9. See Leviticus 3:17
• 10. Leviticus 20:3, 6; Leviticus 26:17; Jeremiah 44:11; Ezekiel 14:8; Ezekiel 15:7; [Psalms 34:16]
• 11. ver. 14
• 12. [Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24; Romans 3:25; Romans 5:9; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14, 20; Hebrews 13:12; 1 John 1:7; Revelation 1:5]
• 13. Hebrews 9:22
• 14. Deuteronomy 12:16, 24; Deuteronomy 15:23
• 15. Ezekiel 24:7
• 16. ver. 11; See Genesis 9:4
• 17. See Leviticus 22:8
• 18. See Leviticus 16:29
• 19. See Leviticus 11:25
• 20. Leviticus 15:5

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew all flesh
• [b]. Hebrew it is in its life