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The Torah · Old Testament

Leviticus 17

Sacrifice, blood and the life of the flesh

General context

The Lord tells Moses to address Aaron, his sons and Israel. Slaughtering an ox, lamb or goat without bringing it to the tabernacle entrance as an offering incurs bloodguilt and the penalty of being cut off. The stated purpose is to bring open-field sacrifices to the Lord and end sacrifices to other beings. Further rules include resident foreigners and prohibit offerings away from the tabernacle and the eating of blood. The Lord gives the blood upon the altar for atonement and identifies it with the life of the flesh. A hunter who catches an edible animal or bird must pour out its blood and cover it with dust. Someone who eats an animal that died naturally or was torn by beasts must wash their clothes, bathe and remain unclean until evening.

Cited passages: Leviticus 17:1, Leviticus 17:2, Leviticus 17:3, Leviticus 17:4, Leviticus 17:5, Leviticus 17:6, Leviticus 17:7, Leviticus 17:8, Leviticus 17:9, Leviticus 17:10, Leviticus 17:11, Leviticus 17:12, Leviticus 17:13, Leviticus 17:14, Leviticus 17:15, Leviticus 17:16

Leviticus 17 (KJV)

1And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

2Speak unto Aaron, and unto his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them; This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, saying,

3What man soever there be of the house of Israel, that killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or that killeth it out of the camp,

4And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer an offering unto the Lord before the tabernacle of the Lord; blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people:

5To the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices, which they offer in the open field, even that they may bring them unto the Lord, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest, and offer them for peace offerings unto the Lord.

6And the priest shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar of the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and burn the fat for a sweet savour unto the Lord.

7And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a whoring. This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout their generations.

8And thou shalt say unto them, Whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers which sojourn among you, that offereth a burnt offering or sacrifice,

9And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer it unto the Lord; even that man shall be cut off from among his people.

10And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people.

11For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

12Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood.

13And whatsoever man there be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, which hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust.

14For 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.

15And every soul that eateth that which died of itself, or that which was torn with 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 even: then shall he be clean.

16But if he wash them not, nor bathe his flesh; then he shall bear his iniquity.

This page shows the King James Version. In the app, reading opens in the Berean Standard Bible unless you have chosen another translation. The reader includes five translations: the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), the King James Version (KJV), the World English Bible (WEB), the Bible in Basic English (BBE), and the American Standard Version (ASV). Search covers three of them: Berean Standard, King James, and World English. Basic English and American Standard readers search the King James words.

Historical context

The setting is Israel's camp and its tabernacle. The opening rule names oxen, lambs and goats, while the later hunting rule addresses hunted edible creatures separately. In verse 7 the KJV says 'devils', the ASV 'he-goats' and the BBE 'evil spirits'; the guide preserves that translation difference without assigning the beings a further identity. The blood prohibition applies to Israelites and resident foreigners. The final case distinguishes the required washing from a failure to wash, which leaves the person bearing iniquity.

Cited passages: Leviticus 17:2, Leviticus 17:3, Leviticus 17:4, Leviticus 17:5, Leviticus 17:6, Leviticus 17:7, Leviticus 17:8, Leviticus 17:9, Leviticus 17:10, Leviticus 17:11, Leviticus 17:12, Leviticus 17:13, Leviticus 17:14, Leviticus 17:15, Leviticus 17:16

Literary context

The chapter connects the place of sacrifice with the handling of blood. Its statement that the life of the flesh is in the blood links the altar's atoning use of blood to the prohibition on eating it. The hunting case then gives a different prescribed treatment of blood, pouring it out and covering it, while the closing case addresses eating a carcass.

Cited passages: Leviticus 17:3, Leviticus 17:4, Leviticus 17:5, Leviticus 17:6, Leviticus 17:10, Leviticus 17:11, Leviticus 17:12, Leviticus 17:13, Leviticus 17:14, Leviticus 17:15, Leviticus 17:16

Key moments

  1. Sacrifices brought to the tabernacle (Leviticus 17:5). Israel's open-field sacrifices are to be brought to the Lord as peace offerings.
  2. Blood given for atonement (Leviticus 17:11). The Lord connects the blood's atoning use on the altar with the life of the flesh.
  3. The hunter covers the blood (Leviticus 17:13). The hunter must pour out the edible creature's blood and cover it with dust.

For reflection

How do the altar rule and the hunting rule give different expressions to the chapter's concern with blood?

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