Read & explore together
Sacrifice, Blood and Holy Living
Leviticus 17 to 22 gathers laws about sacrifice, blood, sexual boundaries, everyday holiness, priestly service and offerings. Across these chapters, Yahweh’s people are told to treat his worship, name and gifts as holy.
Understanding the passage
Understanding the setting
In this passage Yahweh speaks to Moses for Aaron, the priests and the children of Israel. The material moves from where sacrifices must be brought, to the meaning of blood, to forbidden practices, to holy community life, and then to priestly and offering rules about access, cleanness and what may be accepted.
Leviticus 17:1–22:33Main takeaway
These chapters teach that Israel was to honour Yahweh’s holiness in worship, conduct, community life and sacred service.
Explore the instructions
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01One place for sacrifice, and blood belongs to atonementLeviticus 17 begins with sacrifices being brought to the Tent of Meeting instead of being killed elsewhere.
Explanation
Leviticus 17 begins with sacrifices being brought to the Tent of Meeting instead of being killed elsewhere. The priest handles the blood and fat before Yahweh, and Israel must not sacrifice to goat idols. They must not eat blood, because the life is in the blood, and Yahweh gave it on the altar to make atonement.
02Israel must not copy the surrounding nationsLeviticus 18 says Israel must not live by the practices of Egypt or Canaan, but by Yahweh’s statutes.
Explanation
Leviticus 18 says Israel must not live by the practices of Egypt or Canaan, but by Yahweh’s statutes. The chapter lists forbidden sexual relations and forbids giving children to Molech. These acts are called defiling and abominable, and the land is pictured as vomiting out those who practise them.
03Holy living reaches family, truth, justice and careLeviticus 19 opens with, “You shall be holy; for I, Yahweh your God, am holy.” Holiness then reaches ordinary life: honour parents, keep Sabbaths, reject idols, leave produce for the poor and foreigner, tell the truth, pay workers fairly, judge justly, and love your neighbour as yourself.
Explanation
Leviticus 19 opens with, “You shall be holy; for I, Yahweh your God, am holy.” Holiness then reaches ordinary life: honour parents, keep Sabbaths, reject idols, leave produce for the poor and foreigner, tell the truth, pay workers fairly, judge justly, and love your neighbour as yourself.
04Serious penalties underline Yahweh’s holinessLeviticus 20 repeats several sins and gives penalties for them, including Molech worship, occult practices and sexual sins.
Explanation
Leviticus 20 repeats several sins and gives penalties for them, including Molech worship, occult practices and sexual sins. The chapter ties these penalties to holiness and separation. Israel must keep Yahweh’s statutes so the land will not vomit them out, because Yahweh has set them apart from the peoples to be his.
05Priests, holy food and offerings have ordered boundariesLeviticus 21 to 22 gives priestly rules. Priests are to be holy in their service. Aaron’s descendants with a defect may not approach the altar or veil to offer, yet may eat the holy food.
Explanation
Leviticus 21 to 22 gives priestly rules. Priests are to be holy in their service. Aaron’s descendants with a defect may not approach the altar or veil to offer, yet may eat the holy food. Holy portions are limited by priestly household rules, with repayment for accidental eating. Offered animals must be acceptable, and later verses also regulate timing, thanksgiving offerings, and not killing a mother animal and its young in one day.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01Why does Leviticus 17 give for not eating blood?
Look for the sentence that links blood with life and with atonement on the altar, not only with a food rule.
02How does Leviticus 19 show that holiness is about everyday life as well as worship?
Notice commands about family, harvest, honesty, workers, justice and neighbour love alongside Sabbaths and offerings.
03What repeated reason connects the laws in these chapters?
Watch for repeated words about Yahweh being holy, sanctifying his people, and his name not being profaned.
Read the Bible passages
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Leviticus 17:1–16
1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
2“Speak to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded:
3Whatever man there is of the house of Israel who kills a bull, or lamb, or goat in the camp, or who kills it outside the camp,
4and hasn’t brought it to the door of the Tent of Meeting to offer it as an offering to Yahweh before Yahweh’s tabernacle: blood shall be imputed to that man. He has shed blood. That man shall be cut off from among his people.
5This is to the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices, which they sacrifice in the open field, that they may bring them to Yahweh, to the door of the Tent of Meeting, to the priest, and sacrifice them for sacrifices of peace offerings to Yahweh.
6The priest shall sprinkle the blood on Yahweh’s altar at the door of the Tent of Meeting, and burn the fat for a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.
7They shall no more sacrifice their sacrifices to the goat idols, after which they play the prostitute. This shall be a statute forever to them throughout their generations.’
8“You shall say to them, ‘Any man there is of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners among them, who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice,
9and doesn’t bring it to the door of the Tent of Meeting to sacrifice it to Yahweh, that man shall be cut off from his people.
10“ ‘Any man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners among them, who eats any kind of blood, I will set my face against that soul who eats blood, and will cut him off from among his people.
11For the life of the flesh is in the blood. I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement by reason of the life.
12Therefore I have said to the children of Israel, “No person among you may eat blood, nor may any stranger who lives as a foreigner among you eat blood.”
13“ ‘Whatever man there is of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners among them, who takes in hunting any animal or bird that may be eaten, he shall pour out its blood, and cover it with dust.
14For as to the life of all flesh, its blood is with its life. Therefore I said to the children of Israel, “You shall not eat the blood of any kind of flesh; for the life of all flesh is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off.”
15“ ‘Every person that eats what dies of itself, or that which is torn by animals, whether he is native-born or a foreigner, shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. Then he shall be clean.
16But if he doesn’t wash them, or bathe his flesh, then he shall bear his iniquity.’ ”
Leviticus 18:1–30
1Yahweh said to Moses,
2“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘I am Yahweh your God.
3You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived. You shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. You shall not follow their statutes.
4You shall do my ordinances. You shall keep my statutes and walk in them. I am Yahweh your God.
5You shall therefore keep my statutes and my ordinances, which if a man does, he shall live in them. I am Yahweh.
6“ ‘None of you shall approach any close relatives, to uncover their nakedness: I am Yahweh.
7“ ‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, nor the nakedness of your mother: she is your mother. You shall not uncover her nakedness.
8“ ‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife. It is your father’s nakedness.
9“ ‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your sister, the daughter of your father, or the daughter of your mother, whether born at home or born abroad.
10“ ‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your son’s daughter, or of your daughter’s daughter, even their nakedness; for theirs is your own nakedness.
11“ ‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife’s daughter, conceived by your father, since she is your sister.
12“ ‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s sister. She is your father’s near kinswoman.
13“ ‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, for she is your mother’s near kinswoman.
14“ ‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s brother. You shall not approach his wife. She is your aunt.
15“ ‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law. She is your son’s wife. You shall not uncover her nakedness.
16“ ‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife. It is your brother’s nakedness.
17“ ‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter. You shall not take her son’s daughter, or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness. They are near kinswomen. It is wickedness.
18“ ‘You shall not take a wife in addition to her sister, to be a rival, to uncover her nakedness, while her sister is still alive.
19“ ‘You shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is impure by her uncleanness.
20“ ‘You shall not lie carnally with your neighbor’s wife, and defile yourself with her.
21“ ‘You shall not give any of your children as a sacrifice to Molech. You shall not profane the name of your God. I am Yahweh.
22“ ‘You shall not lie with a man as with a woman. That is detestable.
23“ ‘You shall not lie with any animal to defile yourself with it. No woman may give herself to an animal, to lie down with it: it is a perversion.
24“ ‘Don’t defile yourselves in any of these things; for in all these the nations which I am casting out before you were defiled.
25The land was defiled. Therefore I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out her inhabitants.
26You therefore shall keep my statutes and my ordinances, and shall not do any of these abominations; neither the native-born, nor the stranger who lives as a foreigner among you
27(for the men of the land that were before you had done all these abominations, and the land became defiled),
28that the land not vomit you out also, when you defile it, as it vomited out the nation that was before you.
29“ ‘For whoever shall do any of these abominations, even the souls that do them shall be cut off from among their people.
30Therefore you shall keep my requirements, that you do not practice any of these abominable customs which were practiced before you, and that you do not defile yourselves with them. I am Yahweh your God.’ ”
Leviticus 19:1–37
1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
2“Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘You shall be holy; for I, Yahweh your God, am holy.
3“ ‘Each one of you shall respect his mother and his father. You shall keep my Sabbaths. I am Yahweh your God.
4“ ‘Don’t turn to idols, nor make molten gods for yourselves. I am Yahweh your God.
5“ ‘When you offer a sacrifice of peace offerings to Yahweh, you shall offer it so that you may be accepted.
6It shall be eaten the same day you offer it, and on the next day. If anything remains until the third day, it shall be burned with fire.
7If it is eaten at all on the third day, it is an abomination. It will not be accepted;
8but everyone who eats it shall bear his iniquity, because he has profaned the holy thing of Yahweh, and that soul shall be cut off from his people.
9“ ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, neither shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest.
10You shall not glean your vineyard, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the foreigner. I am Yahweh your God.
11“ ‘You shall not steal. “ ‘You shall not lie. “ ‘You shall not deceive one another.
12“ ‘You shall not swear by my name falsely, and profane the name of your God. I am Yahweh.
13“ ‘You shall not oppress your neighbor, nor rob him. “ ‘The wages of a hired servant shall not remain with you all night until the morning.
14“ ‘You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind; but you shall fear your God. I am Yahweh.
15“ ‘You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor show favoritism to the great; but you shall judge your neighbor in righteousness.
16“ ‘You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people. “ ‘You shall not endanger the life of your neighbor. I am Yahweh.
17“ ‘You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him.
18“ ‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people; but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am Yahweh.
19“ ‘You shall keep my statutes. “ ‘You shall not cross-breed different kinds of animals. “ ‘You shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed; “ ‘Don’t wear a garment made of two kinds of material.
20“ ‘If a man lies carnally with a woman who is a slave girl, pledged to be married to another man, and not ransomed or given her freedom; they shall be punished. They shall not be put to death, because she was not free.
21He shall bring his trespass offering to Yahweh, to the door of the Tent of Meeting, even a ram for a trespass offering.
22The priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering before Yahweh for his sin which he has committed; and the sin which he has committed shall be forgiven him.
23“ ‘When you come into the land, and have planted all kinds of trees for food, then you shall count their fruit as forbidden. For three years it shall be forbidden to you. It shall not be eaten.
24But in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, for giving praise to Yahweh.
25In the fifth year you shall eat its fruit, that it may yield its increase to you. I am Yahweh your God.
26“ ‘You shall not eat any meat with the blood still in it. You shall not use enchantments, nor practice sorcery.
27“ ‘You shall not cut the hair on the sides of your head or clip off the edge of your beard.
28“ ‘You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you. I am Yahweh.
29“ ‘Don’t profane your daughter, to make her a prostitute; lest the land fall to prostitution, and the land become full of wickedness.
30“ ‘You shall keep my Sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary; I am Yahweh.
31“ ‘Don’t turn to those who are mediums, nor to the wizards. Don’t seek them out, to be defiled by them. I am Yahweh your God.
32“ ‘You shall rise up before the gray head and honor the face of the elderly; and you shall fear your God. I am Yahweh.
33“ ‘If a stranger lives as a foreigner with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong.
34The stranger who lives as a foreigner with you shall be to you as the native-born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you lived as foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am Yahweh your God.
35“ ‘You shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in measures of length, of weight, or of quantity.
36You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin. I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
37“ ‘You shall observe all my statutes and all my ordinances, and do them. I am Yahweh.’ ”
Leviticus 20:1–27
1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
2“Moreover, you shall tell the children of Israel, ‘Anyone of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners in Israel, who gives any of his offspring to Molech shall surely be put to death. The people of the land shall stone that person with stones.
3I also will set my face against that person, and will cut him off from among his people, because he has given of his offspring to Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name.
4If the people of the land all hide their eyes from that person when he gives of his offspring to Molech, and don’t put him to death,
5then I will set my face against that man and against his family, and will cut him off, and all who play the prostitute after him to play the prostitute with Molech, from among their people.
6“ ‘The person that turns to those who are mediums and wizards, to play the prostitute after them, I will even set my face against that person, and will cut him off from among his people.
7“ ‘Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy; for I am Yahweh your God.
8You shall keep my statutes, and do them. I am Yahweh who sanctifies you.
9“ ‘For everyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death. He has cursed his father or his mother. His blood shall be upon himself.
10“ ‘The man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, even he who commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
11“ ‘The man who lies with his father’s wife has uncovered his father’s nakedness. Both of them shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon themselves.
12“ ‘If a man lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death. They have committed a perversion. Their blood shall be upon themselves.
13“ ‘If a man lies with a male, as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon themselves.
14“ ‘If a man takes a wife and her mother, it is wickedness. They shall be burned with fire, both he and they, that there may be no wickedness among you.
15“ ‘If a man lies with an animal, he shall surely be put to death; and you shall kill the animal.
16“ ‘If a woman approaches any animal and lies with it, you shall kill the woman and the animal. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them.
17“ ‘If a man takes his sister—his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter—and sees her nakedness, and she sees his nakedness, it is a shameful thing. They shall be cut off in the sight of the children of their people. He has uncovered his sister’s nakedness. He shall bear his iniquity.
18“ ‘If a man lies with a woman having her monthly period, and uncovers her nakedness, he has made her fountain naked, and she has uncovered the fountain of her blood. Both of them shall be cut off from among their people.
19“ ‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, nor of your father’s sister, for he has made his close relative naked. They shall bear their iniquity.
20If a man lies with his uncle’s wife, he has uncovered his uncle’s nakedness. They shall bear their sin. They shall die childless.
21“ ‘If a man takes his brother’s wife, it is an impurity. He has uncovered his brother’s nakedness. They shall be childless.
22“ ‘You shall therefore keep all my statutes and all my ordinances, and do them, that the land where I am bringing you to dwell may not vomit you out.
23You shall not walk in the customs of the nation which I am casting out before you; for they did all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.
24But I have said to you, “You shall inherit their land, and I will give it to you to possess it, a land flowing with milk and honey.” I am Yahweh your God, who has separated you from the peoples.
25“ ‘You shall therefore make a distinction between the clean animal and the unclean, and between the unclean fowl and the clean. You shall not make yourselves abominable by animal, or by bird, or by anything with which the ground teems, which I have separated from you as unclean for you.
26You shall be holy to me, for I, Yahweh, am holy, and have set you apart from the peoples, that you should be mine.
27“ ‘A man or a woman that is a medium or is a wizard shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones. Their blood shall be upon themselves.’ ”
Leviticus 21:1–24
1Yahweh said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them, ‘A priest shall not defile himself for the dead among his people,
2except for his relatives that are near to him: for his mother, for his father, for his son, for his daughter, for his brother,
3and for his virgin sister who is near to him, who has had no husband; for her he may defile himself.
4He shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.
5“ ‘They shall not shave their heads or shave off the corners of their beards or make any cuttings in their flesh.
6They shall be holy to their God, and not profane the name of their God, for they offer the offerings of Yahweh made by fire, the bread of their God. Therefore they shall be holy.
7“ ‘They shall not marry a woman who is a prostitute, or profane. A priest shall not marry a woman divorced from her husband; for he is holy to his God.
8Therefore you shall sanctify him, for he offers the bread of your God. He shall be holy to you, for I Yahweh, who sanctify you, am holy.
9“ ‘The daughter of any priest, if she profanes herself by playing the prostitute, she profanes her father. She shall be burned with fire.
10“ ‘He who is the high priest among his brothers, upon whose head the anointing oil is poured, and who is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not let the hair of his head hang loose, or tear his clothes.
11He must not go in to any dead body, or defile himself for his father or for his mother.
12He shall not go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him. I am Yahweh.
13“ ‘He shall take a wife in her virginity.
14He shall not marry a widow, or one divorced, or a woman who has been defiled, or a prostitute. He shall take a virgin of his own people as a wife.
15He shall not profane his offspring among his people, for I am Yahweh who sanctifies him.’ ”
16Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
17“Say to Aaron, ‘None of your offspring throughout their generations who has a defect may approach to offer the bread of his God.
18For whatever man he is that has a defect, he shall not draw near: a blind man, or a lame, or he who has a flat nose, or any deformity,
19or a man who has an injured foot, or an injured hand,
20or hunchbacked, or a dwarf, or one who has a defect in his eye, or an itching disease, or scabs, or who has damaged testicles.
21No man of the offspring of Aaron the priest who has a defect shall come near to offer the offerings of Yahweh made by fire. Since he has a defect, he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God.
22He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy.
23He shall not come near to the veil, nor come near to the altar, because he has a defect; that he may not profane my sanctuaries, for I am Yahweh who sanctifies them.’ ”
24So Moses spoke to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the children of Israel.
Leviticus 22:1–33
1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
2“Tell Aaron and his sons to separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, which they make holy to me, and that they not profane my holy name. I am Yahweh.
3“Tell them, ‘If anyone of all your offspring throughout your generations approaches the holy things which the children of Israel make holy to Yahweh, having his uncleanness on him, that soul shall be cut off from before me. I am Yahweh.
4“ ‘Whoever of the offspring of Aaron is a leper or has a discharge shall not eat of the holy things until he is clean. Whoever touches anything that is unclean by the dead, or a man who has a seminal emission,
5or whoever touches any creeping thing by which he may be made unclean, or a man from whom he may become unclean, whatever uncleanness he has—
6the person that touches any such shall be unclean until the evening, and shall not eat of the holy things unless he bathes his body in water.
7When the sun is down, he shall be clean; and afterward he shall eat of the holy things, because it is his bread.
8He shall not eat that which dies of itself or is torn by animals, defiling himself by it. I am Yahweh.
9“ ‘They shall therefore follow my commandment, lest they bear sin for it and die in it, if they profane it. I am Yahweh who sanctifies them.
10“ ‘No stranger shall eat of the holy thing: a foreigner living with the priests, or a hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing.
11But if a priest buys a slave, purchased by his money, he shall eat of it; and those who are born in his house shall eat of his bread.
12If a priest’s daughter is married to an outsider, she shall not eat of the heave offering of the holy things.
13But if a priest’s daughter is a widow, or divorced, and has no child, and has returned to her father’s house as in her youth, she may eat of her father’s bread; but no stranger shall eat any of it.
14“ ‘If a man eats something holy unwittingly, then he shall add the fifth part of its value to it, and shall give the holy thing to the priest.
15The priests shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, which they offer to Yahweh,
16and so cause them to bear the iniquity that brings guilt when they eat their holy things; for I am Yahweh who sanctifies them.’ ”
17Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
18“Speak to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘Whoever is of the house of Israel, or of the foreigners in Israel, who offers his offering, whether it is any of their vows or any of their free will offerings, which they offer to Yahweh for a burnt offering:
19that you may be accepted, you shall offer a male without defect, of the bulls, of the sheep, or of the goats.
20But you shall not offer whatever has a defect, for it shall not be acceptable for you.
21Whoever offers a sacrifice of peace offerings to Yahweh to accomplish a vow, or for a free will offering of the herd or of the flock, it shall be perfect to be accepted. It shall have no defect.
22You shall not offer what is blind, is injured, is maimed, has a wart, is festering, or has a running sore to Yahweh, nor make an offering by fire of them on the altar to Yahweh.
23Either a bull or a lamb that has any deformity or lacking in his parts, that you may offer for a free will offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted.
24You must not offer to Yahweh that which has its testicles bruised, crushed, broken, or cut. You must not do this in your land.
25You must not offer any of these as the bread of your God from the hand of a foreigner, because their corruption is in them. There is a defect in them. They shall not be accepted for you.’ ”
26Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
27“When a bull, a sheep, or a goat is born, it shall remain seven days with its mother. From the eighth day on it shall be accepted for the offering of an offering made by fire to Yahweh.
28Whether it is a cow or ewe, you shall not kill it and its young both in one day.
29“When you sacrifice a sacrifice of thanksgiving to Yahweh, you shall sacrifice it so that you may be accepted.
30It shall be eaten on the same day; you shall leave none of it until the morning. I am Yahweh.
31“Therefore you shall keep my commandments, and do them. I am Yahweh.
32You shall not profane my holy name, but I will be made holy among the children of Israel. I am Yahweh who makes you holy,
33who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. I am Yahweh.”