Leviticus 17:10
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The phrase "I will set my face against that person" isn't just about a penalty; it signifies God personally turning away in anger from someone who consumes blood. This intense divine displeasure highlights that the prohibition isn't merely a dietary rule, but a profound rejection of a practice that usurped the sacredness God assigned to blood for atonement.
“If any one of the house of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn among them eats any blood, I will set my face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from among his people.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage comes right after instructions about where and how to slaughter animals for food, emphasizing that all blood must be brought to the altar. God then issues a stern warning: anyone, whether an Israelite or a foreigner living among them, who eats any blood will face divine opposition and be cut off from the community. This prohibition is deeply rooted in the understanding that the life of the flesh is in the blood, and God has consecrated it for atonement on the altar.
When God says He's 'set His face' against someone, it's a powerful declaration of His intent. What makes eating blood so offensive to Him that it warrants such a severe response?
In Leviticus 17:10, God uses intense language to describe His reaction to eating blood: 'I will set my face against that person... and will cut him off from among his people.'
Divine Anger
'Setting His face against' signifies God's active opposition and judgment. It's not a passive disapproval, but a determined stance of hostility and vengeance. This is a declaration that the offender will face God's wrath.
Ultimate Separation
'Cutting him off from his people' points to exclusion and removal. This could mean physical death, expulsion from the community, or even spiritual separation from God's presence. It signifies a complete severing of relationship and belonging.
A Solemn Warning
This stern warning underscores the sacredness of life and blood in God's eyes. It wasn't just a dietary rule; it was a fundamental principle tied to life itself and the purity of His people.
The verse reveals a deep theological reason behind the prohibition: 'the life of the flesh is in the blood.' Why is blood so significant that its misuse carries such grave consequences?
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Leviticus 17:11 states the foundational principle: 'For the life of the flesh is in the blood.' This isn't just a biological observation; it's a profound theological truth.
Blood Equals Life
In ancient Near Eastern thought, and certainly within the biblical framework, blood was understood as the very essence of life. It was not merely a fluid, but the locus of vitality, the carrier of the animating principle.
A Sacred Trust
Because blood represented life, it was under God's sovereign ownership. He, as the Creator and Giver of life, determined its proper use and sacredness. Therefore, consuming blood was seen as usurping God's prerogative over life itself.
Consecrated for Atonement
This verse further explains that God gave the blood to them upon the altar to make atonement. The blood's ultimate purpose was sacrificial, a divinely appointed means for covering sin and restoring relationship with Him. To consume it would be to misuse something set apart for this holy purpose.
The prohibition extends beyond Israelites to 'strangers who sojourn among them.' What does this inclusivity tell us about God's law and its connection to surrounding pagan practices?
Leviticus 17:10 explicitly includes 'the strangers that sojourn among you' in the prohibition against eating blood.
Universal Application
This shows that God's commands were not just for the ethnic descendants of Abraham, but also for those living within the covenant community. The laws concerning the sanctity of life and worship were meant to shape the behavior of everyone dwelling among them, demonstrating God's universal standards.
Distinguishing from Paganism
Many surrounding cultures practiced blood consumption as part of their idolatrous worship. They believed consuming blood could bring them closer to their gods or grant them power. This prohibition served to clearly distinguish Israel's worship and way of life from these detestable practices.
A Mark of Separation
By abstaining from blood, Israel was set apart. It was a visible sign that they belonged to Yahweh, the God of life, and not to the false gods of the nations who might demand blood in their rituals. This was a crucial aspect of maintaining covenant faithfulness and purity.
Understand the original words
panim · Hebrew Noun
A posture of God’s determined opposition and judgment against someone, signifying that the individual has incurred divine wrath through disobedience.
This passage is often seen as the earliest prohibition against eating blood, establishing it as a foundational principle even before the Mosaic Law.
1 Samuel 14:33This narrative shows the immediate and severe consequences of eating blood, even in a moment of haste and exhaustion for Saul's army, highlighting its gravity.
Ezekiel 33:25-26This prophetic passage reiterates the prohibition and links it directly to Israel's abominations and idolatry, showing how eating blood was associated with pagan practices.
Acts 15:20The early church leaders specifically reaffirmed this prohibition for Gentile believers, demonstrating its enduring importance beyond the ceremonial laws.
1 Corinthians 10:20-21Paul connects eating sacrifices offered to idols with eating 'with demons,' drawing a parallel to the spiritual implications of participating in forbidden practices, similar to eating blood.
bensonLeviticus 17:10: "And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people."
Leviticus 17:10 . I will set my face — I will be an enemy to him, and execute vengeance upon him immediately; because such persons probably would do this in private, so that the magistrate could not know nor punish it. Write that man undone, for…
gillLeviticus 17:10: "And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people."
And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel,.... That is by birth an Israelite, of every age, sex, or condition, as before: or of the strangers that sojourn among you; proselytes of righteousness, for the following law was only obligatory…
The phrase "I will set my face against that person" isn't just about a penalty; it signifies God personally turning away in anger from someone who consumes blood. This intense divine displeasure highlights that the prohibition isn't merely a dietary rule, but a profound rejection of a practice that usurped the sacredness God assigned to blood for atonement.
This passage comes right after instructions about where and how to slaughter animals for food, emphasizing that all blood must be brought to the altar. God then issues a stern warning: anyone, whether an Israelite or a foreigner living among them, who eats any blood will face divine opposition and be cut off from the community. This prohibition is deeply rooted in the understanding that the life of the flesh is in the blood, and God has consecrated it for atonement on the altar.
This passage comes right after instructions about where and how to slaughter animals for food, emphasizing that all blood must be brought to the altar. God then issues a stern warning: anyone, whether an Israelite or a foreigner living among them, who eats any blood will face divine opposition and be cut off from the community. This prohibition is deeply rooted in the understanding that the life of the flesh is in the blood, and God has consecrated it for atonement on the altar.
"“If any one of the house of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn among them eats any blood, I will set my face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from among his people." — The phrase "I will set my face against that person" isn't just about a penalty; it signifies God personally turning away in anger from someone who consumes blood. This intense divine displeasure high…
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Last reviewed October 2026
