New Living Translation

New King James Version

Prohibitions against Eating Blood

Then the LORD said to Moses,

The Sanctity of Blood

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

“Give the following instructions to Aaron and his sons and all the people of Israel. This is what the LORD has commanded.

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“Speak to Aaron, to his sons, and to all the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘This is the thing which the Lord has commanded, saying:

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“If any native Israelite sacrifices a bulla or a lamb or a goat anywhere inside or outside the camp

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“Whatever man of the house of Israel who kills an ox or lamb or goat in the camp, or who kills it outside the camp,

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instead of bringing it to the entrance of the Tabernacleb to present it as an offering to the LORD, that person will be as guilty as a murderer.c Such a person has shed blood and will be cut off from the community.

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and does not bring it to the door of the tabernacle of meeting to offer an offering to the Lord before the tabernacle of the Lord, the guilt of bloodshed shall be imputed to that man. He has shed blood; and that man shall be [a]cut off from among his people,

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The purpose of this rule is to stop the Israelites from sacrificing animals in the open fields. It will ensure that they bring their sacrifices to the priest at the entrance of the Tabernacle, so he can present them to the LORD as peace offerings.

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to the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices which they offer in the open field, that they may bring them to the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, to the priest, and offer them as peace offerings to the Lord.

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Then the priest will be able to splatter the blood against the LORD’s altar at the entrance of the Tabernacle, and he will burn the fat as a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

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And the priest shall sprinkle the blood on the altar of the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and burn the fat for a sweet aroma to the Lord.

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The people must no longer be unfaithful to the LORD by offering sacrifices to the goat idols.d This is a permanent law for them, to be observed from generation to generation.

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They shall no more offer their sacrifices to [b]demons, after whom they have played the harlot. This shall be a statute forever for them throughout their generations.” ’

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“Give them this command as well. If any native Israelite or foreigner living among you offers a burnt offering or a sacrifice

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“Also you shall say to them: ‘Whatever man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell among you, who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice,

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but does not bring it to the entrance of the Tabernacle to offer it to the LORD, that person will be cut off from the community.

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and does not bring it to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, to offer it to the Lord, that man shall be [c]cut off from among his people.

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“And if any native Israelite or foreigner living among you eats or drinks blood in any form, I will turn against that person and cut him off from the community of your people,

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‘And whatever man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell among you, who eats any blood, I will set My face against that person who eats blood, and will cut him off from among his people.

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for the life of the body is in its blood. I have given you the blood on the altar to purify you, making you right with the LORD.e It is the blood, given in exchange for a life, that makes purification possible.

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

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That is why I have said to the people of Israel, ‘You must never eat or drink blood — neither you nor the foreigners living among you.’

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Therefore I said to the children of Israel, ‘No one among you shall eat blood, nor shall any stranger who dwells among you eat blood.’

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“And if any native Israelite or foreigner living among you goes hunting and kills an animal or bird that is approved for eating, he must drain its blood and cover it with earth.

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“Whatever man of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell among you, who hunts and catches any animal or bird that may be eaten, he shall pour out its blood and cover it with dust;

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The life of every creature is in its blood. That is why I have said to the people of Israel, ‘You must never eat or drink blood, for the life of any creature is in its blood.’ So whoever consumes blood will be cut off from the community.

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for it is the life of all flesh. Its blood sustains its life. Therefore I said to the children of Israel, ‘You shall not eat the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off.’

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“And if any native-born Israelites or foreigners eat the meat of an animal that died naturally or was torn up by wild animals, they must wash their clothes and bathe themselves in water. They will remain ceremonially unclean until evening, but then they will be clean.

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“And every person who eats what died naturally or what was torn by beasts, whether he is a native of your own country or a stranger, he shall both wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. Then he shall be clean.

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But if they do not wash their clothes and bathe themselves, they will be punished for their sin.”

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But if he does not wash them or bathe his body, then he shall bear his [d]guilt.”

Parallel

New Living Translation

New King James Version

Leviticus 17

Leviticus 17