Deep Dive

Leviticus 17:4

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instead of bringing it to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting to present it as an offering to the LORD before His tabernacle—that man shall incur bloodguilt. He has shed blood and must be cut off from among his people.

Commentaries

Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.

Keil-Delitzsch Old Testament Commentaryv. 4

II. Laws for the Sanctification of Israel in the Covenant - Fellowship of Its God - Leviticus 17-25 Holiness of Conduct on the Part of the Israelites - Leviticus 17-20 The contents of these four chapters have been very fittingly summed up by Baumgarten in the following heading: "Israel is not to walk in the way of the heathen and of the Canaanites, but in the ordinances of Jehovah," as all the commandments contained in them relate to holiness of life. Holiness of Food. - The Israelites were not to slaughter domestic animals as food either within or outside the camp, but before the door of the tabernacle, and as slain-offerings, that the blood and fat might be offered to Jehovah. They were not to sacrifice any more to field-devils (Lev 17:3-7), and were to offer all their burnt-offerings or slain-offerings before the door of the tabernacle (Lev 17:8,_ 9); and they were not to eat either blood or carrion (Lev 17:10-16). These laws are not intended simply as supplements to the food laws in ch. 11; but they place the eating of food on the part of the Israelites in the closest relation with their calling as the holy nation of Jehovah, on the one hand to oppose an effectual barrier to the inclination of the people to idolatrous sacrificial meals, on the other hand to give a consecrated character to the food of the people in harmony with their calling, that it might be received with thanksgiving and sanctified with prayer (Ti1 4:4-5).

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Matthew Henry Bible Commentaryv. 4

After the law concerning the atonement to be made for all Israel by the high priest, at the tabernacle, with the blood of bulls and goats, in this chapter we have two prohibitions necessary for the preservation of the honour of that atonement. I. That no sacrifice should be offered by any other than the priests, nor any where but at the door of the tabernacle, and this upon pain of death (Lev 17:1-9). II. That no blood should be eaten, and this under the same penalty (Lev 17:10, etc.).

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Tyndale Open Study Notesv. 4

17:4 will be as guilty as a murderer: The person had shed an animal’s blood in an unlawful manner. The life of the animal had been given by God; it had to be returned to him in the blood of the sacrificed animal. • cut off: See study note on 7:20-21.

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Original language

The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).

Strong's Concordancev. 4

בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) פֶּתַח (pethach, H6607) — an opening (literally), i.e. door (gate) or entrance way אֹהֶל (ʼôhel, H168) — a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a distance) מוֹעֵד (môwʻêd, H4150) — properly, an appointment, i.e. a fixed time or season; specifically, a festival;… קָרַב (qârab, H7126) — to approach (causatively, bring near) for whatever purpose קׇרְבָּן (qorbân, H7133) — something brought near the altar, i.e. a sacrificial present יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God פָּנִים (pânîym, H6440) — the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and… מִשְׁכָּן (mishkân, H4908) — a residence (including a shepherd's hut, the lair of animals, figuratively, the grave;… דָּם (dâm, H1818) — blood (as that which when shed causes death) of man or an animal; by analogy, the juice… חָשַׁב (châshab, H2803) — properly, to plait or interpenetrate, i.e. (literally) to weave or (generally) to… אִישׁ (ʼîysh, H376) — a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term… שָׁפַךְ (shâphak, H8210) — to spill forth (blood, a libation, liquid metal; or even a solid, i.e. to mound up); also… כָּרַת (kârath, H3772) — to cut (off, down or asunder); by implication, to destroy or consume; specifically, to…

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Cross-references

Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.

John 10:9rank 3

I am the gate. If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved. He will come in and go out and find pasture.

Ezekiel 20:40rank 3

For on My holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, declares the Lord GOD, there the whole house of Israel, all of them, will serve Me in the land. There I will accept them and will require your offerings and choice gifts, along with all your holy sacrifices.

Isaiah 66:3rank 3

Whoever slaughters an ox is like one who slays a man; whoever sacrifices a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever presents a grain offering is like one who offers pig’s blood; whoever offers frankincense is like one who blesses an idol. Indeed, they have chosen their own ways and delighted in their abominations.

John 14:6rank 3

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

John 10:7rank 3

So He said to them again, “Truly, truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.

Genesis 17:14rank 3

But if any male is not circumcised, he will be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”

Psalms 32:2rank 2

Blessed is the man whose iniquity the LORD does not count against him, in whose spirit there is no deceit.

Romans 5:13rank 2

For sin was in the world before the law was given; but sin is not taken into account when there is no law.

Leviticus 20:16rank 2

If a woman approaches any animal to mate with it, you must kill both the woman and the animal. They must surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.

Leviticus 7:18rank 2

If any of the meat from his peace offering is eaten on the third day, it will not be accepted. It will not be credited to the one who presented it; it shall be an abomination, and the one who eats of it shall bear his iniquity.

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