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Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents
17:1-16 The Handling and Meaning of Blood. Chapter 17 deals with the handling of animals, beginning with a reminder that the blood of slain animals should be brought to the sanctuary (vv. 3-4). As the chapter progresses, deeper rationales for the instructions are gradually revealed: they are intended to prevent ongoing idolatry (v. 7), and the blood of a sacrificial animal is the "life" that takes the place of the offerer's death (vv. 11-14). Animal blood is not to be used by Israel indiscriminately as it was used among the pagans of the time.
17:1-9 If a person slaughters an animal either in the camp or outside the camp (v. 3) and does not bring the blood to the sanctuary (v. 4), that act is tantamount to human murder (though not identical to it). The immediate purpose for the prohibition is to prevent the people's idolatry in worshiping the goat demons (v. 7). Anyone who violates the prohibition is to be cut off from his people (v. 9).
17:10-12 These verses provide key insight into the understanding of sacrifice and atonement by explaining the meaning and significance of animal blood.
17:10 eats any blood. This probably refers to eating meat that still has the blood in it (cf. Gen. 9:4; Deut. 12:23).
17:11 The blood is here described as the life of the animal. The Hebrew reads literally: "And I, I have given it. . . ." This underscores the action of the Lord himself in granting the means of atonement; it is his gracious gift. makes atonement by the life. That is, by means of the life of the animal, which ransoms the life of the offerer from the deserved judgment of the Lord.
17:12 Therefore. Because the Lord has set aside the blood for the unique role of atonement (v. 11), the Israelites and all sojourners are prohibited from partaking of it.
17:13-14 These verses describe how to handle the blood of animals killed in the hunt (vv. 13-14), with v. 14 emphasizing the prohibition against consuming blood (cf. vv. 10-12).
17:15-16 A person who eats from these animals is unclean, probably because the animals that have died in these ways have not had their blood drained properly. Therefore, one who eats them becomes unclean and must be purified.
