Leviticus 17

Blood for Atonement

¹Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

²“Speak to Aaron and to his sons and to all the sons of Israel, and say to them, ‘This is what the Lord has commanded, saying,

³“Anyone from the house of Israel who slaughters an ox, a lamb, or a goat in the camp, or slaughters it outside the camp,

⁴and has not brought it to the doorway of the tent of meeting to present it as an offering to the Lord in front of the tabernacle of the Lord , bloodshed is to be counted against that person. He has shed blood, and that person shall be cut off from among his people.[#17:4 Lit dwelling place]

⁵This shall be done so that the sons of Israel will bring their sacrifices which they were sacrificing in the open field—so that they will bring them to the Lord at the doorway of the tent of meeting to the priest, and sacrifice them as sacrifices of peace offerings to the Lord .[#17:5 Lit on the face of the field]

⁶The priest shall sprinkle the blood on the altar of the Lord at the doorway of the tent of meeting, and offer up the fat in smoke as a soothing aroma to the Lord .

⁷And they shall no longer offer their sacrifices to the goat demons with which they play the prostitute. This shall be a permanent statute to them throughout their generations.” ’[#17:7 Or goat idols]

⁸“Then you shall say to them, ‘Anyone from the house of Israel, or from the strangers who reside among them, who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice,

⁹and does not bring it to the doorway of the tent of meeting to offer it to the Lord , that person also shall be cut off from his people.[#17:9 Lit do]

¹⁰‘And anyone from the house of Israel, or from the strangers who reside among them, who eats any blood, I will set My face against that person who eats the 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 on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.’[#17:11 Lit soul; #17:11 Lit soul]

¹²Therefore I said to the sons of Israel, ‘No person among you may eat blood, nor may any stranger who resides among you eat blood.’

¹³So when anyone from the sons of Israel, or from the strangers who reside among them, while hunting catches an animal or a bird which may be eaten, he shall pour out its blood and cover it with dirt.[#17:13 Lit who hunts game, animal]

¹⁴“For as for the life of all flesh, its blood is identified with its life. Therefore I said to the sons of Israel, ‘You are not to eat the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood; whoever eats it shall be cut off.’[#17:14 Lit soul; #17:14 Lit soul; #17:14 Lit soul]

¹⁵And any person who eats an animal which dies or is torn by animals, whether he is a native or a stranger, shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and remain unclean until evening; then he will become clean.

¹⁶But if he does not wash his clothes and bathe his body, then he shall bear the responsibility for his guilt.”[#17:16 Or wrongdoing]