Leviticus 17 13

Leviticus 17:13

ESV: "Any one also of the people of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn among them, who takes in hunting any beast or bird that may be eaten shall pour out its blood and cover it with earth.

KJV: 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 eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust.

NIV: "?'Any Israelite or any foreigner residing among you who hunts any animal or bird that may be eaten must drain out the blood and cover it with earth,

NKJV: "Whatever man of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell among you, who hunts and catches any animal or bird that may be eaten, he shall pour out its blood and cover it with dust;

NLT: "And if any native Israelite or foreigner living among you goes hunting and kills an animal or bird that is approved for eating, he must drain its blood and cover it with earth.

Meaning

Leviticus 17:13 mandates that any person among the Israelites or foreign residents who hunts and kills a clean wild animal or bird for food must drain its blood onto the ground and cover it with dust. This command underscores the sacredness of life, represented by blood, asserting that blood belongs to God and should not be consumed, even from non-sacrificial game. It emphasizes reverence for life and a clean separation from pagan practices.

Cross References

Context

Leviticus 17 serves as a pivotal chapter that bridges the laws of sacrifice (Lev 1-16) with daily purity and moral regulations (Lev 18-27). Its central theme is the sanctity of blood, proclaiming that "the life of the flesh is in the blood" (Lev 17:11). The chapter first forbids unauthorized sacrifices (Lev 17:1-9), confining all ritual slaughter to the Tabernacle door. This ensured proper ritual and priestly oversight, preventing pagan sacrifices. Leviticus 17:13 then extends this principle of blood's sanctity to animals hunted in the wild, clarifying that even common game, though not sacrificed, must have its blood properly drained and returned to the ground, reinforcing that life belongs to God and should not be consumed. This command aimed to prevent Israelites from participating in ancient Near Eastern pagan rites that often involved the consumption of blood for mystical purposes or the indiscriminate spilling of blood without reverence for life. It further distinguishes God's people as those who respect life, given and sustained by the Creator.

Word analysis

• whatsoever man: This emphasizes the universal application of the law, not just for specific groups.
• children of Israel: Refers to the native-born members of the Israelite community, indicating primary recipients of the covenant laws.
• strangers that sojourn among you: Hebrew: ger (גֵּר). These were non-Israelites who lived permanently or semi-permanently within Israelite society. Their inclusion highlights God's law extends to all within the community, reinforcing justice and the non-discriminatory nature of fundamental ethical laws under the covenant.
• hunteth and catcheth: Distinguishes this from animals ritually slaughtered at the tabernacle. It pertains to animals acquired through hunting, common in daily life. This is צוד (tsud), meaning 'to hunt', and לכד (lakad), meaning 'to seize' or 'capture'.
• any beast or fowl that may be eaten: This refers specifically to clean animals and birds (as defined in Lev 11), ensuring the dietary laws were consistent. It excludes animals forbidden for consumption.
• pour out: Hebrew: שׁפךְ (shapakh). To shed or pour out, signifying complete draining, ensuring no blood is retained in the meat. This act removes the "life" essence from the meat, making it fit for human consumption without defilement.
• the blood thereof: Hebrew: dam (דָּם). The term for blood, a potent symbol representing life itself throughout the Bible. Its sanctity is paramount.
• cover it: Hebrew: kasah (כָּסָה). To conceal or hide. This is not mere disposal but an act of respectful interment.
• with dust: Hebrew: ʿaphar (עָפָר). Earth or ground. Covering blood with dust connects it back to the ground from which life came and where it returns, symbolizing reverence for God as the Giver of life. It also ensures the blood is not misused or inadvertently consumed by humans or animals. It is also an act of covering or concealing, indicating that blood, particularly innocent blood, has a "cry" that rises to God (Gen 4:10). This ritual act returns the blood, the life force, to God, essentially 'silencing' its cry by acknowledging His claim over life.

• "hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten": This phrase distinctly targets wild game permissible for consumption, separating it from domestic livestock (which was ideally to be slaughtered at the Tabernacle) or unclean animals. It extends the principle of blood sanctity beyond formal sacrifices to everyday food acquisition.
• "he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust": This is the prescriptive action. Draining the blood emphasizes its separation from the flesh intended for food, respecting the principle that life belongs to God. Covering it with dust signifies returning the sacred life essence to the earth, from which all life derives, acknowledging God's sovereignty over it. It prevents sacrilege, as unaddressed blood on the surface could be considered an affront, symbolically crying out.

Commentary

Leviticus 17:13 is a succinct but profound command that extends the high regard for blood—and thus for life—from ritual sacrifices to the practicalities of daily living and food consumption. It reiterates that life (in the blood) belongs to God, making it unsuitable for human ingestion, whether through ritual or casual consumption. The act of draining and covering the blood with dust is a visible sign of obedience, expressing reverence for life and its divine Giver. This law not only instilled deep theological principles but also served to keep the Israelites distinct from pagan nations who often drank blood or treated it as ordinary. The inclusion of "strangers" signifies that core covenant principles of holiness and life-sanctity applied universally within the covenant community, demonstrating God's consistent demand for all to respect His law. It served as a spiritual fence against defilement and paganism.

Bonus section

• Polemics Against Pagan Beliefs: The instruction to drain and cover blood was a direct counter-practice to widespread Canaanite and Mesopotamian customs where blood was often consumed in pagan rituals for divination, strength, or communing with deities. The Yahwistic prohibition actively resisted syncretism and established a unique theology for Israel centered on God's exclusive claim over life.
• Medical and Hygienic Benefits (Incidental): While primarily theological, the practice of thoroughly draining blood also had the incidental benefit of enhancing food safety, as stagnant blood can be a rapid breeding ground for bacteria. This demonstrates the wisdom embedded in God's commands.
• Application of "Life is in the Blood": This verse demonstrates the practical implications of the theological statement found in verses 11 and 14. The same principle applied to atonement for sin at the altar (Lev 17:11) also applies to mundane aspects of eating hunted game, showing consistency in God's law.
• Symbolism of "Dust": Covering with dust connects to the Genesis account of creation (man from dust) and the eventual return to dust (Gen 3:19), reinforcing mortality and God's dominion over life and death. It ensures the blood's proper 'burial' back to its source.

Explore leviticus 17 images, wallpapers, art, audio, video, maps, infographics and timelines