Leviticus 17

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

1The LORD spoke to Moses. He said:

2Speak 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 commanded, saying,

2"Tell Aaron, his sons, and all the people of Israel this. Say to them: here is what the LORD has commanded.

3What man soever there be of the house of Israel, that killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or that killeth it out of the camp,

3Any man of Israel may kill an ox, a lamb, or a goat. He might kill it inside the camp or outside the camp.

4And 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; blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people:

4He must bring it to the door of the tent where God meets his people. There he must offer it to the LORD in front of God's tent. If he does not, he is guilty as if he spilled human blood. That man must be cut off from his people.

Note"Cut off from his people" means put out of the group. The person no longer belongs with Israel.

5To the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices, which they offer in the 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.

5This rule is so the people bring their sacrifices to the LORD. They used to kill them out in the open fields. Now they must bring them to the priest at the tent door. There they will offer them as peace offerings to the LORD.

6And the priest shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar of the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and burn the fat for a sweet savour unto the LORD.

6The priest will sprinkle the blood on the LORD's altar by the tent door. Then he will burn the fat. Its smell pleases the LORD.

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

7The people must stop offering sacrifices to goat idols. They have chased after those idols and left God. This rule will last forever, for all their children after them.

NoteThe KJV says the people "have gone a whoring" after devils. This means they had been unfaithful to God by worshiping goat idols.

8And thou shalt say unto them, Whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers which sojourn among you, that offereth a burnt offering or sacrifice,

8"Say this to them too. Any man of Israel may offer a burnt offering or a sacrifice. So may any foreigner living among you.

9And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer it unto the LORD; even that man shall be cut off from among his people.

9But he must bring it to the door of the tent where God meets his people. He must offer it there to the LORD. If he does not, he must be cut off from his people.

10And 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 my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people.

10No one may eat blood of any kind. This is true for Israelites and for foreigners living among you. I will turn against anyone who eats blood. I will cut him off from his people.

11For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

11The life of a body is in its blood. I have given you the blood to use on the altar. It is what covers your sin and makes you right with me. Blood is what makes things right for a person's life.

Note"Atonement" is the old word here. It means covering over wrong so a person can be right with God again.

12Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood.

12That is why I told the people of Israel this. None of you may eat blood. No foreigner living among you may eat blood either.

13And 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 eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust.

13An Israelite or a foreigner among you might hunt an animal or bird. If it is one that may be eaten, he must pour out its blood. Then he must cover the blood with dirt.

14For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.

14The life of every creature is in its blood. That is why I told Israel: do not eat the blood of any creature. The life of every creature is its blood. Anyone who eats it must be cut off.

15And every soul that eateth that which died of itself, or that which was torn with beasts, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger, he shall both wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even: then shall he be clean.

15Someone might eat an animal that died on its own. Or one that wild animals killed. This is true for Israelites and for foreigners. That person must wash his clothes and wash himself with water. He stays unclean until evening. Then he is clean again.

16But if he wash them not, nor bathe his flesh; then he shall bear his iniquity.

16But he might not wash his clothes or wash his body. Then he must carry the guilt of what he did himself.