LEB LEV Chapter 17

The Place of Sacrifice

17 Then[fn] Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to Aaron and to his sons and to all the Israelites,[fn] and you shall say to them, ‘This is the word that Yahweh has commanded, saying, 3 “Any man[fn] from the house of Israel who slaughters an ox or a sheep or a goat in the camp or who slaughters it outside the camp[fn] 4 and he does not bring it to the tent of assembly’s entrance to present an offering to Yahweh before[fn] Yahweh’s tabernacle, then[fn] that man shall be accounted bloodguilty—he has poured out blood, and that man shall be cut off from the midst of his people. 5 This is so that the Israelites[fn] may bring their sacrifices that they are sacrificing in the open field[fn] and bring[fn] them for Yahweh to the tent of assembly’s entrance to the priest, and they shall sacrifice fellowship offerings for Yahweh with them. 6 And the priest shall sprinkle the blood on Yahweh’s altar at the tent of assembly’s entrance, and he shall burn[fn] the fat as an appeasing fragrance for Yahweh. 7 And they may no longer sacrifice[fn] their sacrifices to the goat-idols after which they were prostituting. This is a lasting statute[fn] for them throughout[fn] their generations.” ’

Instructions Against Eating Blood

8 “And you shall say to them, ‘if there is anyone[fn] from the house of Israel or[fn] from the alien who dwells in their midst who offers a burnt offering or a sacrifice 9 and he does not bring it to the tent of assembly’s entrance to sacrifice[fn] it for Yahweh, then[fn] that man shall be cut off from his people. 10 And if there is anyone[fn] from the house of Israel or[fn] from the alien who is dwelling in their midst who eats any blood, then[fn] I will set my face against the person who eats the blood, and I will cut him off from among his people. 11 Indeed[fn] the flesh’s life is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your lives, because it is the blood with the life that makes atonement. 12 Therefore[fn] I said to the Israelites,[fn] ‘None of you[fn] may eat blood, nor[fn] may the alien who is dwelling in your midst eat blood.’

13 “And if there is anyone[fn] from the Israelites[fn] or[fn] from the alien who is dwelling in their midst who hunts a wild game animal or a bird that may be eaten, then[fn] he shall pour out its blood, and he shall cover it with the soil. 14 Indeed,[fn] the life of all flesh, its blood, is in its life, so[fn] I said to the Israelites,[fn] ‘You may not eat the blood of any flesh, because the life of all flesh is its blood; anyone who eats it must be cut off.’

15 “And if there is any person who eats a dead body or[fn] a mangled carcass, whether among the native or[fn] among the alien, then[fn] he shall wash his garments, and he shall wash himself[fn] with water, and he shall be unclean until the evening, and he shall be clean. 16 But[fn] if he does not wash his garments[fn] and he does not wash his body, then[fn] he shall bear his guilt.”