Leviticus 17

Chapter 17

17:2 Speak unto Aaron, and unto his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them; This [is] the thing which the LORD hath ^a commanded, saying,

(a) Lest they should practice the idolatry they had learned among the Egyptians.

17:3 What man soever [there be] of the house of Israel, that ^b killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or that killeth [it] out of the camp,

(b) To make a sacrifice of offering of it.

17:4 And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer an offering unto the LORD before the tabernacle of the LORD; ^c blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people:

(c) I abhor it as much as if he had killed a man as in ( 66:3 ).

17:5 To the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices, which they offer in the ^d open field, even that they may bring them unto the LORD, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest, and offer them [for] peace offerings unto the LORD.

(d) In that they were moved with foolish devotion to offer it.

17:7 And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto ^e devils, after whom they have gone a ^f whoring. This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout their generations.

(e) Meaning, whatever is not the true God, ( 1 Corinthians 10:10 ; Psalms 95:5 ).
(f) For idolatry is spiritual whoredom, because faith toward God is broken.

17:10 And whatsoever man [there be] of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set ^g my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people.

(g) I will declare my wrath by taking vengeance on him as in ( Leviticus 20:3 ).

17:13 And whatsoever man [there be] of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, which hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be ^h eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust.

(h) Which the law permits to be eaten, because it is clean.