The Place of Sacrifice

1 ThenYahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

2 “Speak to Aaron and to his sons and to all the Israelites,and you shall say to them, ‘This is the word that Yahweh has commanded, saying,

3 “Any manfrom the house of Israel who slaughters an ox or a sheep or a goat in the camp or who slaughters it outside the camp

4 and he does not bring it to the tent of assembly’s entrance to present an offering to Yahweh beforeYahweh’s tabernacle, thenthat man shall be accounted bloodguilty—he has poured out blood, and that man shall be cut off from the midst of his people.

5 This is so that the Israelitesmay bring their sacrifices that they are sacrificing in the open fieldand bringthem for Yahweh to the tent of assembly’s entrance to the priest, and they shall sacrifice fellowship offerings for Yahweh with them.

6 And the priest shall sprinkle the blood on Yahweh’s altar at the tent of assembly’s entrance, and he shall burnthe fat as an appeasing fragrance for Yahweh.

7 And they may no longer sacrificetheir sacrifices to the goat-idols after which they were prostituting. This is a lasting statutefor them throughouttheir generations.” ’

Instructions Against Eating Blood

8 “And you shall say to them, ‘if there is anyonefrom the house of Israel orfrom the alien who dwells in their midst who offers a burnt offering or a sacrifice

9 and he does not bring it to the tent of assembly’s entrance to sacrificeit for Yahweh, thenthat man shall be cut off from his people.

10 And if there is anyonefrom the house of Israel orfrom the alien who is dwelling in their midst who eats any blood, thenI will set my face against the person who eats the blood, and I will cut him off from among his people.

11 Indeedthe flesh’s life is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your lives, because it is the blood with the life that makes atonement.

12 ThereforeI said to the Israelites,‘None of youmay eat blood, normay the alien who is dwelling in your midst eat blood.’

13 “And if there is anyonefrom the Israelitesorfrom the alien who is dwelling in their midst who hunts a wild game animal or a bird that may be eaten, thenhe shall pour out its blood, and he shall cover it with the soil.

14 Indeed,the life of all flesh, its blood, is in its life, soI said to the Israelites,‘You may not eat the blood of any flesh, because the life of all flesh is its blood; anyone who eats it must be cut off.’

15 “And if there is any person who eats a dead body ora mangled carcass, whether among the native oramong the alien, thenhe shall wash his garments, and he shall wash himselfwith water, and he shall be unclean until the evening, and he shall be clean.

16 Butif he does not wash his garmentsand he does not wash his body, thenhe shall bear his guilt.”