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The Slaughtering of Animals

17 The Lord spoke to Moses:

“Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites and say to them: This is what the Lord has commanded. If anyone of the house of Israel slaughters an ox or a lamb or a goat in the camp or slaughters it outside the camp and does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, to present it as an offering to the Lord before the tabernacle of the Lord, he shall be held guilty of bloodshed; he has shed blood, and he shall be cut off from the people.(A) This is in order that the Israelites may bring their sacrifices that they offer in the open field, that they may bring them to the Lord, to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and offer them as sacrifices of well-being to the Lord. The priest shall dash the blood against the altar of the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting and turn the fat into smoke as a pleasing odor to the Lord,(B) so that they may no longer offer their sacrifices for goat-demons, to whom they prostitute themselves. This shall be a statute forever to them throughout their generations.(C)

“And say to them further: Anyone of the house of Israel or of the aliens who reside among them who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice and does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, to sacrifice it to the Lord, shall be cut off from the people.(D)

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Sacrifice at the sanctuary

17 The Lord said to Moses, Say to Aaron, to his sons, and to all the Israelites: This is what the Lord has commanded: Anyone from the house of Israel who slaughters an ox, sheep, or goat inside or outside the camp but does not bring it to the meeting tent’s entrance to present it as an offering to the Lord in front of the Lord’s dwelling[a] will be considered guilty of bloodshed; they have spilled blood. They will be cut off from their people. This will make the Israelites bring the communal sacrifices, which they are sacrificing in the countryside, to the Lord, to the priest at the meeting tent’s entrance, and sacrifice them as communal sacrifices of well-being to the Lord. The priest will toss the blood against the Lord’s altar at the meeting tent’s entrance and burn the fat completely as a soothing smell to the Lord. The Israelites must no longer sacrifice their communal sacrifices to the goat demons that they follow so faithlessly.[b] This will be a permanent rule for them throughout their future generations. You will also say to them: Anyone from Israel’s house or from the immigrants who live with you who offers up an entirely burned offering or communal sacrifice without bringing it to the meeting tent’s entrance in order to offer it to the Lord will be cut off from their people.

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Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 17:4 Or tabernacle
  2. Leviticus 17:7 Or promiscuously