Leviticus 17:14
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The verse emphasizes that the blood is the life, not just that it sustains life, powerfully linking it to the very essence of existence. This repetition highlights that eating blood wasn't just about hygiene or digestion, but a direct violation of the sanctity of life itself, which belonged solely to God.
For the life of every creature is its blood: its blood is its life. Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, You shall not eat the blood of any creature, for the life of every creature is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage is part of God's instructions to the Israelites concerning holiness and proper worship, focusing on how to handle the blood of animals that are hunted for food. Just before this, God commanded that all blood, whether from sacrificial animals or hunted game, must be poured out and covered with dust, emphasizing its sacredness. This verse then explains the foundational principle behind that command: blood represents life itself and was uniquely designated for atonement on the altar, making its consumption a grave offense.
Why did God place such a strict prohibition on eating blood? It wasn't just a random rule – it pointed to something fundamental about life itself.
God declares in Leviticus 17:14, 'For the life of every creature is its blood: its blood is its life.' This statement is profound. It’s not just saying blood is essential for life; it's identifying blood as the very essence of life. Think of it as the life-force, the animating principle of every living being.
The Vital Principle
Ancient commentators recognized this. They understood blood to be the seat of life, the medium through which life is sustained and expressed. This wasn't just a biological observation; it was a theological one. Because blood represented life, it was uniquely set apart.
A Divine Connection
God chose the blood, the very symbol of life, to be used on the altar for atonement (Leviticus 17:11). This action profoundly elevated the significance of blood, associating it directly with God's provision for sin and reconciliation. To consume it would be to defile this sacred connection.
God’s commands often come with serious warnings. What did it mean for the people of Israel—and even strangers among them—to be 'cut off'?
The consequence for eating blood was severe: 'Whoever eats it shall be cut off.' This wasn't a minor infraction; it was a capital offense in the eyes of God.
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Divine Vengeance
Commentators like Calvin noted that God declared He would personally set His face against those who ate blood and cut them off. This implies that judgment would come from God Himself, regardless of human oversight. It underscores the seriousness with which God viewed this prohibition.
For Israelites and Strangers Alike
Significantly, this prohibition applied not only to the people of Israel but also to 'the strangers that sojourn among you.' This shows that the covenant community, as established by God, had shared responsibilities and boundaries, and that living within God's order was expected of all who lived among them and desired to follow God.
A Shadow of Things to Come
While the ceremonial law, including this blood prohibition, was eventually superseded by Christ's ultimate sacrifice, the principle of respecting life and its sacredness remains. The 'cutting off' served as a potent, earthly representation of the eternal separation from God that sin brings.
Understand the original words
karath · Hebrew Verb
A legal or spiritual penalty resulting in exclusion from the covenant community. It implies being separated from the blessings of God’s people and, in some contexts, signifies the threat of divine judgment or death.
This passage also prohibits eating blood, highlighting its sacredness as the life principle given by God shortly after the flood.
Acts 15:20The early church council reaffirmed the prohibition against eating blood, showing the continued relevance of this Old Testament principle for new believers in Christ, even after the ceremonial law was fulfilled.
Deuteronomy 12:23This verse echoes the command in Leviticus, reinforcing that the blood shall not be eaten because the blood is the life, emphasizing its vital significance.
1 Corinthians 10:25Paul addresses the issue of eating food offered to idols, implying a broader freedom regarding food in the New Testament era, though the context of Acts 15 shows abstaining from blood was still encouraged for unity.
calvinLeviticus 17:10-14: "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, 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.
10.…
pooleLeviticus 17:14: "For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off."
No text from Poole on this verse.
The verse emphasizes that the blood is the life, not just that it sustains life, powerfully linking it to the very essence of existence. This repetition highlights that eating blood wasn't just about hygiene or digestion, but a direct violation of the sanctity of life itself, which belonged solely to God.
This passage is part of God's instructions to the Israelites concerning holiness and proper worship, focusing on how to handle the blood of animals that are hunted for food. Just before this, God commanded that all blood, whether from sacrificial animals or hunted game, must be poured out and covered with dust, emphasizing its sacredness. This verse then explains the foundational principle behind that command: blood represents life itself and was uniquely designated for atonement on the altar, making its consumption a grave offense.
This passage is part of God's instructions to the Israelites concerning holiness and proper worship, focusing on how to handle the blood of animals that are hunted for food. Just before this, God commanded that all blood, whether from sacrificial animals or hunted game, must be poured out and covered with dust, emphasizing its sacredness. This verse then explains the foundational principle behind that command: blood represents life itself and was uniquely designated for atonement on the altar, making its consumption a grave offense.
"For the life of every creature is its blood: its blood is its life. Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, You shall not eat the blood of any creature, for the life of every creature is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off." — The verse emphasizes that the blood is the life, not just that it sustains life, powerfully linking it to the very essence of existence. This repetition highlights that eating blood wasn't just a…
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Last reviewed October 2026
