Leviticus Chapter 17 — The Sanctity of Blood and Sacrifice
Leviticus 17 establishes that all animal sacrifices must be brought to the Tent of Meeting and strictly prohibits the consumption of blood.
1The LORD 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 the LORD has commanded:
3Whatever 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,
4and hasn’t brought it to the door of the Tent of Meeting to offer it as an offering to the LORD before the LORD’s tabernacle: blood shall be imputed to that man. He has shed blood. That man shall be cut off from among his people.
5This 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 the LORD, to the door of the Tent of Meeting, to the priest, and sacrifice them for sacrifices of peace offerings to the LORD.
6The priest shall sprinkle the blood on the LORD’s altar at the door of the Tent of Meeting, and burn the fat for a pleasant aroma to the LORD.
7They 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,
9and doesn’t bring it to the door of the Tent of Meeting to sacrifice it to the LORD, 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.
11For 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.
12Therefore 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.
14For 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.
16But if he doesn’t wash them, or bathe his flesh, then he shall bear his iniquity.’ ”
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Leviticus 17:11
“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.”
This verse provides the biblical foundation for the sacrificial system and the specific spiritual significance of blood in the process of atonement.
Leviticus 17:7
“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.”
This verse highlights the transition from pagan wilderness practices to a centralized and exclusive worship of the LORD.
Chapter Summary
Leviticus 17 centers on the sanctity of life and the proper procedure for animal sacrifice. God instructs Moses that any Israelite who slaughters an ox, lamb, or goat must bring it to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting as an offering. This mandate ensures that sacrifices are offered correctly to the LORD rather than to goat idols in open fields. A significant portion of the chapter focuses on the prohibition of eating blood. God declares that the life of a creature is in its blood and that He has provided blood on the altar specifically for the purpose of making atonement for souls. This law applies to both Israelites and foreigners living among them. Hunters are required to pour out the blood of their catch and cover it with dust. The chapter concludes with regulations for those who consume animals that died naturally or were killed by other beasts, requiring ritual washing and a period of uncleanness.
Frequently Asked Questions
The text states that the life of the flesh is in the blood. God designated blood specifically for making atonement on the altar; because it represents the life of the creature, it was considered too sacred for human consumption.
According to this chapter, sacrifices performed outside the designated Tent of Meeting were considered unauthorized. The person responsible would be held guilty of shedding blood and would be cut off from the community.
Yes, the text explicitly mentions that these laws regarding the prohibition of eating blood and the requirements for sacrifices apply to both the house of Israel and the strangers who live as foreigners among them.
Study Note
The Hebrew term translated as 'goat idols' is 'se'irim', which literally means 'hairy ones' and refers to demons or satyr-like figures associated with wilderness worship in ancient Near Eastern cultures.
Related Chapters
Leviticus 16
The previous chapter details the Day of Atonement, providing the context for the blood rituals mentioned here.
Deuteronomy 12
This chapter further discusses the centralization of worship and repeats the prohibition of eating blood.
Hebrews 9
This New Testament chapter reflects on the necessity of blood for the forgiveness of sins, referencing the Mosaic law established in Leviticus.
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