Levítico 17

¹ Jehovah commanded Moses:

² »Give Aaron and his sons and all the people of Israel the following regulations.

³ »Any Israelite who slaughters a bull, sheep, or goat inside or outside the camp

⁴ is guilty of bloodshed. He has shed blood and must be excluded from the people. Bring the animal to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. Offer it to Jehovah in front of the Jehovah’s Tent.

⁵ »This means that the people of Israel must take the sacrifices they have been making in the open fields and bring them to Jehovah. They must bring them to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. The people will sacrifice them as peace offerings to Jehovah.

⁶ »The priest will pour the blood against Jehovah’s altar at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. He will burn the fat as a soothing aroma to Jehovah.

⁷ »The people must stop sacrificing to goat idols demons and chasing after them as though they were prostitutes. This is a long lasting law for the people and for future generations.

⁸ »Tell them: ‘If Israelites or foreigners make burnt offerings or sacrifices,

⁹ but do not bring them to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting to offer them to Jehovah. They must be excluded from the people.

¹⁰ »‘If Israelites or foreigners eat any blood, I will condemn them and exclude them from the people.

¹¹ »‘This is because life of every living thing is in the blood. I have given this blood to you to pay compensation for wrongdoing and make peace with me on the altar. Blood is needed to pay compensation for wrongdoing and make peace with me.’«

¹² »That is why I have said to the people of Israel: ‘Neither you nor foreigners should ever eat blood.’«

¹³ »If Israelites or foreigners hunt any animal or bird that may be eaten, they must pour out the animal's blood and cover it with dirt.

¹⁴ »This is because the life of any creature is in its blood. So I have said to the people of Israel: ‘Never eat any blood, because the life of any creature is in its blood. Whoever eats blood must be excluded from the people.’«

¹⁵ »Native Israelites or foreigners who eat the body of an animal that dies naturally or is killed by another animal must wash their clothes and their bodies. They will be unclean until evening. Then they will be clean.

¹⁶ »If they do not wash their clothes and their bodies, they will be guilty of sin.«