Leviticus 17

Voluntary Sacrifices and Offerings

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Rules About Killing and Eating Animals

17 <1> The Lord said to Moses, <2> "Speak to Aaron and to his sons, and to all the Israelites. Tell them this is what the Lord has commanded: <3> Any one of you Israelites might kill a bull, a lamb, or a goat. You might be in the camp or outside the camp. <4> It doesn't matter, you must bring that animal to the entrance of the Meeting Tent.[196] You must give a part of that animal as a gift to the Lord. You spilled blood, so you must take a gift to the Lord's Holy Tent.[197] If you don't take part of the animal as a gift to the Lord, you must be separat ed from your people! <5> This rule is so that you will bring your fellowship offering[198] to the Lord. You must bring any animal that you kill in the field to the Lord at the entrance of the Meeting Tent. Bring those animals to the priest. <6> Then the priest will throw their blood onto the Lord's altar[199] near the entrance of the Meeting Tent. And the priest will burn the fat from those animals on the altar as a sweet-smelling gift to the Lord. <7> In this way you will stop being unfaithful to me by offering sacrifices[200] to your 'goat gods.' This law will continue forever.

<8> "Tell the people: Any citizen of Israel, traveler, or foreigner living among you might want to offer a burnt offering[201] or some other sacrifice. <9> They must take the sacrifice to the entrance of the Meeting Tent and offer it to the Lord. Whoever does not do this will be separated from their people.

<10> "I will turn against anyone who eats blood. It doesn't matter if they are a citizen of Israel or a foreigner living among you, I will separate them from their people. <11> This is because the life of the body is in the blood. I have told you that you must pour the blood on the altar to purify yourselves. Blood is what makes a person pure.[202] <12> That is why I am telling you Israelites and the foreigners living among you that you must not eat blood.

<13> "If any of you, whether Israelite or foreigner living among you, goes hunting and kills a wild animal or bird that you are allowed to eat, you must pour the blood of that animal on the ground and cover it with dirt. <14> This is because the life of every kind of animal is in its blood. So I give this command to the Israelites: Don't eat meat that still has blood in it! Whoever eats blood must be separated from their people.

<15> "If any of you, whether Israelite or foreigner living among you, eats an animal that died by itself or was killed by some other animal, you will be unclean[203] until evening. You must wash your clothes and bathe your whole body with water. <16> If you don't wash your clothes and bathe your whole body, you will be responsible for your guilt."