Bible Commentaries
Leviticus 17

Verse 2

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.

Verse 3

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.

Verse 4

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 Is 66:3.

Verse 5

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.

Verse 7

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.

Verse 10

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.

Verse 13

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.