Leviticus 17
World English Bible
17 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded: 3 Whatever man there is of the house of Israel who kills a bull, or lamb, or goat in the camp, or who kills it outside the camp, 4 and hasn’t brought it to the door of the Tent of Meeting to offer it as an offering to Yahweh before Yahweh’s tabernacle: blood shall be imputed to that man. He has shed blood. That man shall be cut off from among his people. 5 This is to the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices, which they sacrifice in the open field, that they may bring them to Yahweh, to the door of the Tent of Meeting, to the priest, and sacrifice them for sacrifices of peace offerings to Yahweh. 6 The priest shall sprinkle the blood on Yahweh’s altar at the door of the Tent of Meeting, and burn the fat for a pleasant aroma to Yahweh. 7 They shall no more sacrifice their sacrifices to the goat idols, after which they play the prostitute. This shall be a statute forever to them throughout their generations.’
8 “You shall say to them, ‘Any man there is of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners among them, who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice, 9 and doesn’t bring it to the door of the Tent of Meeting to sacrifice it to Yahweh, that man shall be cut off from his people.
10 “‘Any man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners among them, who eats any kind of blood, I will set my face against that soul who eats blood, and will cut him off from among his people. 11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood. I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement by reason of the life. 12 Therefore I have said to the children of Israel, “No person among you may eat blood, nor may any stranger who lives as a foreigner among you eat blood.”
13 “‘Whatever man there is of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners among them, who takes in hunting any animal or bird that may be eaten, he shall pour out its blood, and cover it with dust. 14 For as to the life of all flesh, its blood is with its life. Therefore I said to the children of Israel, “You shall not eat the blood of any kind of flesh; for the life of all flesh is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off.”
15 “‘Every person that eats what dies of itself, or that which is torn by animals, whether he is native-born or a foreigner, shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. Then he shall be clean. 16 But if he doesn’t wash them, or bathe his flesh, then he shall bear his iniquity.’”
Leviticus 17
International Standard Version
Ritual Animal Slaughter
17 The Lord told Moses, 2 “Speak to Aaron, his sons, and all the Israelis and tell them that this is what the Lord has commanded: 3 When a person from the house of Israel slaughters an ox, a lamb, or a goat (whether in the camp or outside the camp), 4 but fails to bring it to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting as an offering in the presence of the tent of the Lord, that person will incur bloodguilt. Because he has shed blood, that person is to be eliminated from contact with[a] his people.”
Centralized Sacrificial Slaughter
5 “This statute is required so that[b] the Israelis may bring their sacrifices that they have been sacrificing to the Lord in the open field to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, where they are to slaughter their peace offering to the Lord. 6 The priest is to sprinkle the blood on the Lord’s altar at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and incinerate the fat, making a pleasing aroma to the Lord. 7 They are no longer to slaughter their sacrifices to the goat demons, with whom they have been committing prostitution. This will be a perpetual statute for you throughout your generations. 8 Tell them that if a person from the house of Israel or a resident alien who lives among you brings a whole burnt offering or a sacrifice 9 to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, but fails to bring it to offer[c] it to the Lord, that person[d] is to be eliminated from contact with[e] his people.”
Prohibitions against Eating Blood
10 “If anyone from the house of Israel or a resident alien who lives among you eats any form of blood, I’ll oppose[f] that person who ate the blood and eliminate him from his people, 11 because the life of the flesh is in the blood itself, and I myself have given it to you all so that atonement may be made for your souls on the altar, since the blood itself makes atonement through the life that is in it. 12 This is why I’ve told the Israelis that no person[g] among you is to eat blood. Even the resident alien who lives among you is not to eat blood.
13 “If a person from the house of Israel or a resident alien who lives among you has hunted live game or a bird that may be eaten, he is to extract its blood and cover it with soil, 14 because the life of any flesh is the blood itself. Therefore, I’m saying to the Israelis that the blood of any flesh is not to be eaten, because the life of any flesh is in its blood. Anyone who eats of it is to be eliminated from contact with his people.[h]
15 “Any person who eats a carcass or an animal that was torn by beasts (whether that person is native born or is a resident alien), is to wash his clothes and bathe himself with water, and he will remain unclean until evening, and then he’ll become clean. 16 But if he doesn’t wash or bathe his body, then he is to bear the punishment of his iniquity.”
Footnotes
- Leviticus 17:4 The Heb. lacks from contact with
- Leviticus 17:5 Lit. For the sake of
- Leviticus 17:9 Lit. to do
- Leviticus 17:9 Lit. man
- Leviticus 17:9 The Heb. lacks from contact with
- Leviticus 17:10 Lit. I’ll set my face against
- Leviticus 17:12 Lit. soul
- Leviticus 17:14 The Heb. lacks from contact with his people
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