Skip to main content
Psalmlog Logo

Leviticus 17

Leviticus 17 places sacrifice under God's command and reserves blood, which bears life, for his appointed purpose in atonement.

YHWH tells Moses to speak to Aaron, his sons, and all Israel about slaughter, sacrifice, and blood. Bulls, lambs, and goats killed in or outside the camp must be brought to the Tent of Meeting as offerings. This requirement addresses sacrifices made in open fields and to goat idols. The commands also forbid eating blood, explain its place in atonement, and prescribe cleansing after eating an animal found dead or torn by beasts.

sermon or Bible study notes
Read
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.
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.’”
World English BibleRead in NIV in Psalmlog →Highlighted verses are the most connected.
Key verses
Leviticus 17:11God identifies blood with life and gives it for atonement on the altar, explaining why Israel must not consume it.
Leviticus 17:10God himself opposes anyone who eats blood, extending the prohibition and its penalty to foreigners living among Israel.
Leviticus 17:7The ban on sacrifices to goat idols explains why offerings must be brought to YHWH at his sanctuary.
Where this chapter reaches

Genesis and Deuteronomy share the prohibition against eating blood and its connection with life; Deuteronomy also shares the requirement to bring sacrifices to God's chosen place. Hebrews develops the link between sacrificial blood and atonement through Christ's offering, while 1 John connects cleansing from sin with Jesus' blood.

Leviticus 17's chapter linksAll strongest linksHover or tap a book
Notice

After reading the whole chapter

What does God's gift of blood for atonement reveal about how this chapter understands forgiveness?

Write on this

How does the command against goat idols shape your reading of the rules about sacrifice?

Write on this

Questions people ask about Leviticus 17

Why does Leviticus 17 forbid eating blood?

Verse 11 explains that blood bears the life of the flesh and that God has given it on the altar for atonement. The prohibition applies to Israelites and foreigners living among them. Even blood from permitted game must be poured out and covered with dust.

Why did animals have to be killed at the tabernacle in Leviticus 17?

Verses 3–6 require bulls, lambs, and goats slaughtered in or outside Israel's camp to be brought as offerings at the Tent of Meeting. The priest handles the blood and fat. Verses 5–7 state the purpose: bringing open-field sacrifices to YHWH and ending sacrifices to goat idols.

What does being cut off mean in Leviticus 17?

Being cut off is a severe judgment separating an offender from the people of Israel. The chapter does not specify the exact form that judgment takes in each case. Verse 10 makes clear that God himself acts against the person who eats blood; the penalty carries more weight than ritual uncleanness.

Read it. Now write it.

Start an entry on Leviticus 17. Your words go beside the text, and you get one next step for the week.

Leviticus · 27 chapters
123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627

Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).