Book of Leviticus · Chapter 17 of 27
16 verses · 5 video commentaries from 2 courses · Berean Standard Bible
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.”
Lev 17:1-16
The Holiness Code, found in Leviticus 17-26, also likely stems from the P Source but from a distinct tradition. Its laws are particularly focused on preserving the unique identity of the Israelites, covering ethical conduct, ritual practices, and religious observances.
Summarized by AI · Finding Moses: What Scholars Know About the Exodus and the Jewish Law · Lecture 6: The Jewish Law | A Closer Look · watch the clip
Leviticus 17 prohibits the profane slaughter of domestic animals, equating it with murder if not performed as a sacrifice at the Tabernacle. Eating blood is also forbidden because the 'life of the flesh is in the blood,' and blood is reserved for making expiation on the altar. If an animal is killed, its blood must be poured out and covered with earth to prevent consumption, reinforcing its sacred ritual purpose.
Summarized by AI · The Hebrew Bible: Exploring the Literature of Ancient Israel · Lecture 9: Leviticus | The Best of All Books · watch the clip
Lev 17:3-4
Laws concerning meat consumption are contradictory. Deuteronomy 12:20-22 allows for the slaughter and consumption of meat anywhere, while Leviticus 17:3-4 requires animals to be brought to the sanctuary and ritually sacrificed before their meat can be eaten.
Summarized by AI · The Hebrew Bible: Exploring the Literature of Ancient Israel · Lecture 5: The Composition of the Pentateuch · watch the clip
Lev 17:3
The law of centralization directly impacts other practices, such as the allowance for profane slaughter. Unlike earlier laws (e.g., in Leviticus), Deuteronomy permits the slaughter and consumption of meat anywhere in Israelite settlements, not just at the central sanctuary. This adjustment acknowledges the impracticality of bringing animals to a single distant temple for every meal once the population is spread across the land.
Summarized by AI · The Hebrew Bible: Exploring the Literature of Ancient Israel · Lecture 10: Deuteronomy | Let's Run That Back · watch the clip
Lev 17:15
Israelites are prohibited from eating blood because 'the life of the flesh is in the blood,' and it is assigned for making expiation on the altar. Since every animal killed is considered sacrificial, its blood has a sacred ritual purpose in cleansing the sanctuary. Therefore, blood must be drained and covered with earth to prevent consumption, though a carcass from which blood no longer flows can be eaten, albeit causing impurity.
Summarized by AI · The Hebrew Bible: Exploring the Literature of Ancient Israel · Lecture 9: Leviticus | The Best of All Books · watch the clip