Leviticus 17

Eating Blood Forbidden

1 The Lord said to Moses,2 “Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites and say to them: ‘This is what the Lord has commanded:3 Any Israelite who sacrifices an ox, a lamb or a goat in the camp or outside of it4 instead of bringing it to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting to present it as an offering to the Lord in front of the tabernacle of the Lord—that man shall be considered guilty of bloodshed; he has shed blood and must be cut off from his people.5 This is so the Israelites will bring to the Lord the sacrifices they are now making in the open fields. They must bring them to the priest, that is, to the Lord, at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and sacrifice them as fellowship offerings.6 The priest is to sprinkle the blood against the altar of the Lord at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and burn the fat as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.

7 They must no longer offer any of their sacrifices to the goat idols to whom they prostitute themselves. This is to be a lasting ordinance for them and for the generations to come.’
8 “Say to them: ‘Any Israelite or any alien living among them who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice

9 and 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.
10 “ ‘Any Israelite or any alien living among them who eats any blood—I will set my face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from his people.11 For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.

12 Therefore I say to the Israelites, “None of you may eat blood, nor may an alien living among you eat blood.”
13 “ ‘Any Israelite or any alien living among you who hunts any animal or bird that may be eaten must drain out the blood and cover it with earth,

14 because the life of every creature is its blood. That is why I have said to the Israelites, “You must not eat the blood of any creature, because the life of every creature is its blood; anyone who eats it must be cut off.”
15 “ ‘Anyone, whether native-born or alien, who eats anything found dead or torn by wild animals must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be ceremonially unclean till evening; then he will be clean.

16 But if he does not wash his clothes and bathe himself, he will be held responsible.’ ”

LEVITICUS 17

Where To Offer Sacrifices

1 The [Lord] told Moses

2 to tell Aaron, his sons, and everyone else in Israel:
3-4 Whenever you kill any of your cattle, sheep, or goats as sacrifices to me, you must do it at the entrance to the sacred tent. If you don't, you will be guilty of pouring out blood, and you will no longer belong to the community of Israel. 5 And so, when you sacrifice an animal to ask my blessing, t it must not be done out in a field, 6 but in front of the sacred tent. Then a priest can splatter its blood against the bronze altar and send its fat up in smoke with a smell that pleases me.

7 Don't ever turn from me again and offer sacrifices to goat-demons. This law will never change.
8 Remember! No one in Israel, including foreigners, is to offer a sacrifice anywhere

9 except at the entrance to the sacred tent. If you do, you will no longer belong to my people.

Do Not Eat Blood

The [Lord] said:

13 Even if you should hunt and kill a bird or an animal, you must drain out the blood and cover it with soil.

14 The life of every living creature is in its blood. That's why I have forbidden you to eat blood and why I have warned you that anyone who does will no longer belong to my people.
15 If you happen to find a dead animal and eat it, you must take a bath and wash your clothes, but you are still unclean until evening. 16 If you don't take a bath, you will suffer for what you did wrong.