Leviticus 17 10

Leviticus 17:10 kjv

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.

Leviticus 17:10 nkjv

'And whatever man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell among you, who eats any blood, I will set My face against that person who eats blood, and will cut him off from among his people.

Leviticus 17:10 niv

"?'I will set my face against any Israelite or any foreigner residing among them who eats blood, and I will cut them off from the people.

Leviticus 17:10 esv

"If any one of the house of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn among them eats any blood, I will set my face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from among his people.

Leviticus 17:10 nlt

"And if any native Israelite or foreigner living among you eats or drinks blood in any form, I will turn against that person and cut him off from the community of your people,

Leviticus 17 verses

Leviticus 17 10 Meaning

Leviticus 17:10 declares a divine prohibition against the consumption of blood by any individual within the covenant community of Israel, including native-born Israelites and resident strangers. This decree reveals God's active opposition and severe judgment, culminating in the individual being "cut off" from their people. The command highlights the sacredness of life and foreshadows the exclusive role of blood in God's redemptive plan for atonement.

Leviticus 17 10 Context

Leviticus chapter 17 initiates the "Holiness Code" (Leviticus 17-27) by addressing the proper location for animal slaughter and the sacredness of blood. Preceding chapters detail specific sacrificial rituals; chapter 17 ensures that any killing of animals, even for personal consumption outside the sacrificial context, adheres to divine law regarding the treatment of blood. Verse 17:10, along with 17:11-12, undergirds this by establishing the exclusive purpose of blood: for atonement upon the altar. Historically, this law served as a clear distinction from prevalent pagan practices, common among surrounding Canaanite nations, which often involved consuming blood in idolatrous rituals. God's directive ensured Israel's holiness and separation from the corrupt practices of their neighbors, enforcing His sovereignty over life.

Leviticus 17 10 Word analysis

• If any one of the house of Israel (אִ֣ישׁ אִישׁ֮ מִבֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ - ish ish mibêt yiśrāʾēl):

  • "אִ֣ישׁ אִישׁ֮" (ish ish): Literally "a man, a man," which is an emphatic Hebrew idiom meaning "anyone," "every single person," or "whoever." It underscores the universal application of the law within the community and stresses individual accountability.
  • "house of Israel": Refers collectively to all the descendants of Jacob and members of the covenant nation, encompassing all native Israelites.

• or of the strangers who sojourn among them (וּמִן־הַגֵּר֙ הַגָּ֣ר בְּתֹוכָ֔ם - u-min ha-ger ha-gar b'tokham):

  • "strangers" (הַגֵּר֙ - ha-ger): Designates a "resident alien" or "sojourner," a non-Israelite who lives permanently or for extended periods within the territory of Israel. This implies their commitment to abide by core Israelite laws.
  • "who sojourn among them": Explicitly indicates that the law extends to anyone residing within the community's geographical and spiritual bounds, emphasizing God's universal claim over life and purity within His dwelling place.

• eats any blood (מִכֹּ֣ל דָּ֔ם יֹאכַ֣ל - mikol dam yokhal):

  • "eats" (יֹאכַ֣ל - yokhal): To consume, ingest, specifically referring to the act of eating. It directly prohibits the physical consumption.
  • "any blood" (מִכֹּ֣ל דָּ֔ם - mikol dam): Emphasizes that the prohibition is absolute—no amount or type of blood is permissible for consumption. Blood (דָּ֔ם - dam) in biblical thought fundamentally represents life itself (Lev 17:11; Deut 12:23), making its sanctity paramount.

• I will set my face against that person (וְנָתַתִּ֨י אֶת־פָּנַי֙ בַּנֶּ֣פֶשׁ - v'natatti et-panai ba-nephesh):

  • "I will set my face against": A powerful anthropomorphic expression signifying direct, personal, and active divine opposition, severe disapproval, and a declaration of judgment. It conveys that God Himself will personally deal with the transgressor.
  • "that person" (הַהִוא֙ - ha-hiv'): Though the Hebrew here literally is "the soul, that one," referring to the very being or individual (nephesh means soul/life/person), the demonstrative pronoun "that one" highlights the specific target of God's direct, personal wrath.

• and will cut him off (וְהִכְרַתִּ֛י אֹתֹ֖ו - v'hikh'ratti oto):

  • "cut him off" (karet, כָּרַת - karat): This is a severe and often divinely executed penalty in the Torah. While sometimes leading to premature physical death by God's hand, its primary meaning denotes exclusion, expulsion, or excision from the covenant community. It implies loss of communal privileges, blessings, spiritual identity, and potentially the covenant relationship with God.

• from among his people (מִקֶּ֥רֶב עַמֹּֽו - mik'qerev ammo):

  • Clarifies the nature of the karet penalty. It signifies expulsion from the collective body of Israel, indicating a separation from the benefits and protection of being God's chosen people.

Leviticus 17 10 Bonus section

The inclusion of "strangers who sojourn among them" (גֵּרִ֛ים - gerim) highlights that fundamental aspects of God's holiness and the sanctity of life extended beyond ethnic Israelites to all who chose to reside within His covenanted community. This illustrates the universal scope of certain divine expectations, reflecting an inherent moral order rather than merely an ethnic particularity. Furthermore, the persistent ban on blood in the New Testament Apostolic Decree (Acts 15:20, 29) is a nuanced continuation. While not for sacrificial atonement (which was fulfilled in Christ), it likely served to facilitate unity between Jewish and Gentile believers by accommodating Jewish sensitivities stemming from this ancient command and to distance the early church from common pagan rituals that often involved the consumption of blood, thus preventing scandal and maintaining a pure witness. This showcases a continuous thread of reverence for life and avoiding pagan defilement from the Old Testament to the New.

Leviticus 17 10 Commentary

Leviticus 17:10 is a pivotal command within the Mosaic Law, emphasizing the profound sacredness of blood and life itself. God strictly prohibits the consumption of blood by anyone under His covenant, Israelite or sojourner, due to the unique theological significance He places upon it: blood embodies life and is singularly designated by God for atonement upon the altar (Lev 17:11). This law underscores God's absolute sovereignty over life and death and serves as a powerful theological prefigurement of the sacrificial system. Consuming blood, therefore, not only disregards divine ordinance but usurps a sacred function uniquely appointed for reconciliation with God. The declared consequence, "I will set my face against that person... and will cut him off," reveals the gravity of such an act, demonstrating God's intense displeasure and signifying a profound rupture in the covenant relationship. This Old Testament truth culminates in the New Testament reality, where the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus Christ, whose own blood was shed, brings ultimate redemption and true forgiveness, rendering the dietary law regarding blood no longer applicable for literal atonement, but still respected for its symbolic link to the preciousness of life and purity (Acts 15:20).