Leviticus 17:4 kjv
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:
Leviticus 17:4 nkjv
and does not bring it to the door of the tabernacle of meeting to offer an offering to the LORD before the tabernacle of the LORD, the guilt of bloodshed shall be imputed to that man. He has shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people,
Leviticus 17:4 niv
instead of bringing it to the entrance to the tent of meeting to present it as an offering to the LORD in front of the tabernacle of the LORD?that person shall be considered guilty of bloodshed; they have shed blood and must be cut off from their people.
Leviticus 17:4 esv
and does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting to offer it as a gift to the LORD in front of the tabernacle of the LORD, bloodguilt shall be imputed to that man. He has shed blood, and that man shall be cut off from among his people.
Leviticus 17:4 nlt
instead of bringing it to the entrance of the Tabernacle to present it as an offering to the LORD, that person will be as guilty as a murderer. Such a person has shed blood and will be cut off from the community.
Leviticus 17 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 12:5 | But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose... unto his habitation... ye shall come... | God's chosen central place of worship. |
| Deut 12:6 | And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings... | Reinforces centralized sacrifices. |
| Deut 12:13-14 | Take heed... offer not thy burnt offerings in every place... but in the place which the LORD shall choose... | Prohibition of scattered worship sites. |
| Deut 12:17-18 | Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe... but thou must eat them before the LORD thy God in the place... | Emphasizes eating holy things at central place. |
| 1 Ki 8:29 | That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day... | Later, the Temple replaces the Tabernacle as central site. |
| Lev 1:3 | If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish at the door of the tabernacle... | Stipulates specific animal offering location. |
| Lev 3:2 | And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the tabernacle... | Direct instruction for slaughter at the door. |
| Lev 17:7 | And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a whoring... | Context of preventing pagan worship. |
| Lev 17:8-9 | Whatsoever man there be... that offereth a burnt offering or sacrifice, and bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle... | Reiteration of the rule for all offerings. |
| Num 18:4-7 | They shall keep thy charge... to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation... and a stranger shall not come nigh... | Importance of consecrated Tabernacle and priesthood. |
| Ex 34:15 | Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods... | Warning against spiritual adultery and idolatry. |
| Gen 17:14 | And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people... | Karet for covenant breach (circumcision). |
| Ex 12:15 | Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven... for whosoever eateth leavened bread... that soul shall be cut off from Israel. | Karet for severe Passover violation. |
| Ex 12:19 | Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened... that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel... | Further karet for Passover disobedience. |
| Lev 7:20-27 | If any soul eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings... having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from his people... | Karet for consuming holy things in impurity. |
| Num 9:13 | But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people... | Karet for neglecting a mandatory ordinance. |
| Ezek 14:8 | And I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people... | Prophetic reiteration of karet for idolatry. |
| Lev 17:11 | 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... | The theological basis for handling blood and sacrifices centrally. |
| Heb 9:22 | And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. | Reinforces the necessity and centrality of blood atonement. |
| Heb 10:1-4 | For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image... can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year... make the comers thereunto perfect. | The Old Testament sacrifices, while important, foreshadow Christ. |
Leviticus 17 verses
Leviticus 17 4 Meaning
Leviticus 17:4 stipulates a divine command regarding animal sacrifices. It mandates that any Israelite or sojourner who slaughters an ox, lamb, or goat—presumably with the intention of offering it as a sacrifice to the LORD—must bring the animal to the door of the Tabernacle of Meeting. Failure to present it at this designated sacred space for offering results in the severe divine judgment of being "cut off from among his people." This ordinance ensures the centralization of legitimate worship, prevents the practice of illicit sacrifices, and protects the unique relationship between Israel and Yahweh.
Leviticus 17 4 Context
Leviticus 17 begins a section known as the "Holiness Code" (chapters 17-27), emphasizing Israel's distinctive separation and dedication to God. The immediate context of verse 4, Leviticus 17:3-9, directly addresses the proper procedure for sacrificing animals. It prohibits the indiscriminate slaughtering of animals in the open field, particularly for offerings, redirecting all such activities to the door of the Tabernacle. This was crucial for several reasons:
- Preventing Paganism: The historical and cultural context for the original audience, recently freed from Egypt and poised to enter Canaan, was rife with pagan practices. Sacrificing in open fields or high places was a common practice among Canaanite peoples, often associated with fertility cults and demon worship (Lev 17:7 explicitly refers to "goat demons" - se'irim). This law was a direct polemic against syncretism and polytheism, aiming to eradicate any lingering Egyptian idolatry and to fortify Israel against future Canaanite influences.
- Centralization of Worship: By consolidating all legitimate sacrifices at a single, divinely appointed location (the Tabernacle), God established a unified religious system. This ensured that sacrifices were offered to the LORD alone, under the supervision of the authorized priesthood, thus maintaining the purity of Israelite worship and preventing the fragmentation of religious practices.
- Sanctity of Blood: The deeper theological reason, elaborated in Lev 17:11, is the sanctity of life inherent in the blood, which God designates for atonement. The centralization ensured that blood was properly handled and applied to the altar for its expiatory purpose, avoiding desecration.
Leviticus 17 4 Word analysis
- And bringeth it not: This phrase indicates a strong prohibition. The expected action is bringing the animal; the absence of this action incurs severe judgment. It assumes an animal is being killed with the intent of offering, or at least a killing that encroaches upon the domain of offerings.
- unto the door: (Hebrew: petaḥ). Specifies the exact entry point. Not merely near the Tabernacle, but precisely at its entrance. This detail underscores the meticulousness of God's requirements and the strictness of access to His sacred space for worship.
- of the tabernacle: (Hebrew: mishkan - dwelling place). Refers to the portable sanctuary where God's presence resided among Israel. It symbolizes God's accessibility yet also His holy separateness.
- of the congregation: (Hebrew: mo'ed - meeting, appointed time/place). The full phrase is ohel mo'ed ("Tent of Meeting"). This emphasizes the Tabernacle as the designated place where God met with His people and where the community assembled for worship and specific religious rites.
- to offer an offering: (Hebrew: laqrib qorban - literally, "to bring near a gift/sacrifice"). This clarifies the purpose of the slaughtering. It's not general butchering for food but an act intended as a presentation or sacrifice to God. This phrase removes ambiguity regarding the scope of the prohibition; it targets sacrificial acts performed illicitly.
- unto the LORD: (Hebrew: Yahweh). Identifies the sole legitimate recipient of Israelite sacrifices. This is fundamental to Israelite monotheism, explicitly ruling out sacrifices to any other deity or entity.
- even that man: (Hebrew: hu' ha'ish - lit. "he, the man"). Emphasizes the individual's personal responsibility and accountability for their actions regarding sacred matters. The judgment is precise and directed.
- shall be cut off: (Hebrew: wĕnikrat - passive form of karat). This is the term for the most severe non-capital penalty in the Pentateuch, known as karet. It implies exclusion from the community, either through excommunication, divine premature death, or cessation of one's lineage within Israel.
- from among his people: (Hebrew: me'ammeha - from among her people/kin). Specifies the effect of karet—removal from the covenant community. This highlights that covenant relationship entails privileges and severe consequences for foundational violations.
Leviticus 17 4 Bonus section
The penalty of "cut off" (karet) in the Mosaic Law typically applied to violations that undermined the very fabric of the covenant between God and Israel, particularly those offenses which were deemed 'high-handed' or intentionally contemptuous of God's commands. While it did not always entail immediate physical death by human execution, it was a divinely ordained consequence, often involving premature death, inability to produce offspring within the community, or spiritual excommunication leading to separation from God's blessings and promises for Israel. The insistence on "blood for atonement" (Lev 17:11) as permissible only at the Tabernacle door highlights that straying from this central ritual path was an implicit rejection of God's appointed means of cleansing and reconciliation, making the transgression in Lev 17:4 not just a procedural error but a fundamental rejection of divine provision.
Leviticus 17 4 Commentary
Leviticus 17:4 represents a foundational statute for Israelite worship, centralizing all animal sacrifices at the Tabernacle. This decree served as a powerful bulwark against the pervasive idolatry of the surrounding nations and the tendency towards syncretism. By insisting on offerings solely at the Tabernacle, God ensured the purity of worship and established an exclusive channel for atonement through His ordained priests. The severity of the "cutting off" penalty (karet) underscores the grave nature of unauthorized sacrifices; such an act was not merely a breach of ritual law but an affront to Yahweh's exclusive sovereignty and the integrity of the covenant community, blurring the lines between pure worship and pagan practices. It was an existential threat to Israel's identity as a holy nation set apart for God.