The Place of Sacrifice

17 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the people of Israel and say to them, This is the thing that the Lord has commanded. If any one of the house of Israel (A)kills an ox or a lamb or a goat in the camp, or kills it outside the camp, and (B)does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting to offer it as a gift to the Lord in front of the tabernacle of the Lord, bloodguilt shall be imputed to that man. He has shed blood, and that man (C)shall be cut off from among his people. This is to the end that the people of Israel may bring their sacrifices that they sacrifice (D)in 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 (E)as sacrifices of peace offerings to the Lord. And the priest shall (F)throw the blood on the altar of the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting and burn the fat (G)for a pleasing aroma to the Lord. So they shall no more sacrifice their sacrifices to goat demons, after whom they (H)whore. This shall be a statute forever for them throughout their generations.

“And you shall say to them, Any one of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn among them, who (I)offers a burnt offering or sacrifice and (J)does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting to offer it to the Lord, (K)that man shall be cut off from his people.

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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