Leviticus 17:1-16

The Life Is in the Blood

Read the passage

1Then the LORD said to Moses,

2“Speak to Aaron, his sons, and all the Israelites and tell them this is what the LORD has commanded:

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

4instead of bringing it to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting to present it as an offering to the LORD before His tabernacle—that man shall incur bloodguilt. He has shed blood and must be cut off from among his people.

5For this reason the Israelites will bring to the LORD the sacrifices they have been offering in the open fields. They are to bring them to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and offer them as sacrifices of peace offerings to the LORD.

6The priest will then splatter the blood on the altar of the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and burn the fat as a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

7They must no longer offer their sacrifices to the goat demons to which they have prostituted themselves. This will be a permanent statute for them for the generations to come.’

8Tell them that if anyone from the house of Israel or any foreigner living among them offers a burnt offering or a sacrifice

9but does not bring it to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting to sacrifice it to the LORD, that man must be cut off from his people.

10If anyone from the house of Israel or a foreigner living among them eats any blood, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from among his people.

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

12Therefore I say to the Israelites, ‘None of you may eat blood, nor may any foreigner living among you eat blood.’

13And if any Israelite or foreigner living among them hunts down a wild animal or bird that may be eaten, he must drain its blood and cover it with dirt.

14For the life of all flesh is its blood. Therefore I have told the Israelites, ‘You must not eat the blood of any living thing, because the life of all flesh is its blood; whoever eats it must be cut off.’

15And any person, whether native or foreigner, who eats anything found dead or mauled by wild beasts must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening; then he will be clean.

16But if he does not wash his clothes and bathe himself, then he shall bear his iniquity.”

Berean Standard Bible

Read aloud

The LORD commands Moses to speak to Aaron, his sons, and all Israel. Any ox, lamb, or goat slaughtered inside or outside the camp must be brought to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting as an offering to the LORD.

The purpose is to stop Israel from sacrificing in the open fields to goat demons. The people have been offering sacrifices to them, and this statute is to remain in force throughout their generations. Worship is gathered around the LORD rather than scattered among rival powers.

Anyone who eats blood is cut off from his people. The reason is stated plainly: the life of the flesh is in the blood, and God has given it on the altar to make atonement. Blood is not ordinary food in Israel's worship because life belongs to God.

The law also covers an Israelite or foreigner who hunts an animal or bird that may be eaten. The blood must be drained and covered with earth. If someone eats an animal that died naturally or was torn by wild beasts, the person washes clothes, bathes, and remains unclean until evening.

How We Know

Genesis 9:4–6 also forbids eating lifeblood and connects bloodshed with accountability to God. In Acts 15:19–20, the apostles include abstaining from blood in their instructions to Gentile believers. These passages show that the concern appears beyond Leviticus; they are biblical connections, not claims about modern medicine.

Questions

1 Where was a slaughtered ox, lamb, or goat to be brought?

AnswerIt was to be brought to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting as an offering to the LORD.

2 Why were sacrifices not to be offered in open fields?

AnswerThe rule prevented Israel from sacrificing to goat demons and directed worship to the LORD.

3 Why was blood not to be eaten?

AnswerThe life of the flesh is in the blood, and God had given it on the altar for atonement. Israel was to honor what He had reserved for that purpose.

4 What happened to blood from a hunted animal?

AnswerThe blood was drained out and covered with earth before the meat was eaten.

What This Means for Us

God says that He has given the blood on the altar for atonement. Forgiveness begins with His provision, not with people inventing a sacrifice powerful enough to make Him merciful.

Let that shape the way you come to God. Confess what you have done without bargaining that you will become worthy of mercy first. Thank Him for the life He gives and for the way of forgiveness He provides through Christ.

Prayer

Creator God, thank you for the gift of life. Make us reverent with what you have made, careful with power, and grateful rather than entitled when we receive food and provision. Amen.

Your reading

Keep your place.

Save this passage to your private reading history.