Leviticus

On Blood

The Lord said to Moses:

“Speak to Aaron, his sons, and all the Israelites and say to them: This is what the Lord has commanded:

Any man from the house of Israel who kills an ox, a lamb or a goat in the camp or outside the camp

and does not bring it to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting to make an offering of it to the Lord before the tabernacle of the Lord—that man shall be considered guilty of bloodshed. He has shed blood, and he shall be cut off from among his people.

For the blood of every creature contains its life, and I have therefore said to the people of Israel: You are not to eat the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is within its blood; whoever eats it must be cut off.

This ordinance allows the sons of Israel to bring the sacrifices they used to slaughter in the fields to the Lord at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting for the priests and offer them as peace offerings to the Lord.

The priest will sprinkle the blood on the altar of the Lord at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting and burn the fat as a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

In this way, they will no longer sacrifice to the goat idols to whom they prostituted themselves.

This will be a lasting ordinance for them in the coming generations.

Then you shall give them this ordinance: Any man from the house of Israel or any alien living among them who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice

and does not bring it to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting to sacrifice it to the Lord shall be cut off from his people.

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

For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you to redeem your life on the altar. Offered blood makes atonement because of the life within it. That is why I said to the sons of Israel: No one among you shall eat blood, nor may any foreigner who lives among you eat blood.

If any Israelite or any alien living among you snares any beast or bird that may be eaten during hunting,

he must pour out its blood and cover it with dust.

And any person who eats an animal that dies or has been torn by wild beasts, whether they are a native or a foreigner, must wash their clothes and bathe in water and remain unclean until evening; then they will be purified.

But if they do not wash their clothes or bathe their body, they will bear their guilt.