Leviticus 17:1-16
Do Not Eat Meat With Blood in It
The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to Aaron and his sons. Speak to all the Israelites. Tell them, ‘Here is what the Lord has commanded. He has said, “Suppose someone sacrifices an ox, a lamb or a goat. They sacrifice it in the camp or outside of it. They do it instead of bringing the animal to the entrance to the tent of meeting. They sacrifice it instead of giving it as an offering to me in front of my holy tent. Then they will be thought of as guilty of spilling blood. Because they have done that, they must be separated from their people. The Israelites are now making sacrifices in the open fields. But they must bring their sacrifices to the priest. They must bring them to me at the entrance to the tent of meeting. There they must sacrifice them as friendship offerings. The priest must splash the blood against my altar. It is the altar at the entrance to the tent of meeting. He must burn the fat. Its smell will please me. The Israelites must stop offering any of their sacrifices to statues of gods that look like goats. When they offer sacrifices to those statues, they are not faithful to me. This is a law for them that will last for all time to come.” ’
“Tell them, ‘Suppose someone offers a burnt offering or sacrifice. It does not matter whether they are an Israelite or an outsider. And suppose they do not bring it to the entrance to the tent of meeting to sacrifice it to me. Then they must be separated from their people.
“ ‘Suppose someone eats meat that still has blood in it. It does not matter whether they are an Israelite or an outsider. I will turn against them if they eat it. I will separate them from their people. The life of each creature is in its blood. So I have given you the blood of animals to pay for your sin on the altar. Blood is life. That is why blood pays for your sin. So I say to the Israelites, “You must not eat meat that still has blood in it. And an outsider who lives among you must not eat it either.”
“ ‘Suppose any of you hunts any animal or bird that can be eaten. It does not matter whether you are an Israelite or an outsider. You must let the blood flow out of the animal or bird. You must cover the blood with dirt. That is because every creature’s life is its blood. And that is why I have said to the Israelites, “You must not eat any creature’s meat that still has blood in it. Every creature’s life is its blood. Anyone who eats that kind of meat must be separated from the community of Israel.”
“ ‘Suppose someone eats anything found dead or torn apart by wild animals. It does not matter whether they are an Israelite or an outsider. They must wash their clothes. They must take a bath. They will be “unclean” until evening. After that, they will be “clean.” But suppose they do not wash their clothes. And suppose they do not take a bath. Then they will be held responsible for what they have done.’ ”
Leviticus 18:1-30
Do Not Commit Sexual Sins
The Lord spoke to Moses. He said, “Speak to the Israelites. Tell them, ‘I am the Lord your God. Do not do what the people of Egypt do. You used to live there. And do not do what the people of Canaan do. I am bringing you into their land. Do not follow their practices. Obey my laws. Be careful to follow my rules. I am the Lord your God. Keep my rules and laws. The one who obeys them will benefit from living by them. I am the Lord.
“ ‘Do not have sex with any of your close relatives. I am the Lord.
“ ‘Do not bring shame on your father by having sex with your mother. Do not have sex with her. She is your mother.
“ ‘Do not have sex with any other wife of your father. That would bring shame on your father.
“ ‘Do not have sex with your sister. It does not matter whether she is your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter. It does not matter whether she was born in the same home as you were or somewhere else.
“ ‘Do not have sex with your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter. That would bring shame on you.
“ ‘Do not have sex with the daughter of your father’s wife. She was born to your father. She is your sister.
“ ‘Do not have sex with your father’s sister. She is a close relative on your father’s side.
“ ‘Do not have sex with your mother’s sister. She is a close relative on your mother’s side.
“ ‘Do not bring shame on your father’s brother by having sex with his wife. She is your aunt.
“ ‘Do not have sex with your daughter-in-law. She is your son’s wife. Do not have sex with her.
“ ‘Do not have sex with your brother’s wife. That would bring shame on your brother.
“ ‘Do not have sex with both a woman and her daughter. Do not have sex with either her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter. They are close relatives on her side. Having sex with them is an evil thing.
“ ‘Do not take your wife’s sister as another wife and have sex with her. Do not do it while your wife is still living.
“ ‘Do not have sex with a woman during her monthly period. She is “unclean” at that time.
“ ‘Do not have sex with your neighbor’s wife. That would make you “unclean.”
“ ‘Do not hand over any of your children to be sacrificed to the god Molek. That would be treating my name as if it were not holy. I am the Lord your God.
“ ‘Do not have sex with a man as you would have sex with a woman. I hate that.
“ ‘Do not have sex with an animal. Do not make yourself “unclean” by doing that. A woman must not offer herself to an animal to have sex with it. That is a wrong use of sex.
“ ‘Do not make yourselves “unclean” in any of these ways. That is how other nations became “unclean.” So I am going to drive those nations out of the land to make room for you. Even their land was not “clean.” So I punished it because of its sin. The land itself threw out the people who lived there. But you must keep my rules and my laws. You must not do any of the things I hate. It does not matter whether you are Israelites or outsiders. All these things were done by the people who lived in the land before you. That is how the land became “unclean.” If you make the land “unclean,” it will throw you out. It will get rid of you just as it got rid of the nations there before you.
“ ‘Suppose you do any of the things I hate. Then you must be separated from your people. Do exactly what I require. When you arrive in Canaan, do not follow any of the practices of its people. I hate the things they do. Do not make yourselves “unclean” by doing them. I am the Lord your God.’ ”
