Leviticus 17

1 AND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

Yahweh also said to Moses/me,

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 commanded, saying,

“Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the other Israeli people, and say this to them: ‘This is what Yahweh has commanded:

3 What 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,

If you sacrifice an ox or a lamb or a goat, you must bring it [to the priest] at the entrance of the Sacred Tent [area], to present/offer it to me there.

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

If you slaughter it to be a sacrifice anywhere else in the camp or outside the camp, you will be guilty of killing an animal [in an unacceptable place]. As a result you will no longer be allowed to be/associate with my people.

5 To 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.

That rule is in order that you Israeli people, instead of offering sacrifices in the open fields, will offer them to me by taking them to the priest at the entrance of the Sacred Tent [area], to be offerings to maintain fellowship [with me].

6 And 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.

[After the animal is slaughtered], the priest must sprinkle some of its blood against the altar at the entrance of the Sacred Tent, and burn its fat to be an aroma that is pleasing to me.

7 And 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.

You people must no longer give sacrifices to the demons that resemble goats which you are worshiping. You people must obey this command forever.’

8 And 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,

“And tell this to the people: ‘If any Israeli or any foreigner who is living among them brings an offering that is to be completely burned [on the altar], or any other sacrifice,

9 And 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.

and does not bring it to the entrance of the Sacred Tent [area] to be a sacrifice to me, that person will no longer be allowed to associate with my people.

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

‘I will reject [IDM] any Israeli or any foreigner who is living among you who eats any blood, and I [will command that he] no longer be allowed to associate with my people.

11 For 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.

That is because the life of every creature is in its blood; I have declared that it is blood that is to be offered on the altar to enable people to be forgiven for their sins.

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

That is why I say that you Israelis must not eat blood, and the foreigners who live among you must also not eat blood.

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

‘Any Israeli or any foreigner who is living among you who hunts any animal or bird that is permitted for you to eat, must drain out the blood [of the animal or bird that he kills], and cover the blood with dirt.

14 For 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.

This is because the life of every creature is in its blood. And that is why I have said [DOU] to you Israelis that anyone who eats blood must no longer [be allowed to associate with my people].

15 And 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.

‘Anyone in Israel, including foreigners, who eats any of the meat of any creature that is found dead, or that had been killed by wild animals, must wash his clothes and bathe. Then he must not touch anyone until that evening.

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

If he does not do those things, he will be punished for what he did.’”