1 The Lord told Moses, 2 “Tell Aaron, his sons, and all the Israelites that this is what the Lord commands: 3 Any Israelite who kills a bull, a lamb, or a goat, whether inside the camp or outside of it, 4 instead of bringing it to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting to present it as an offering to the Lord there, that person shall be held guilty of illegal killing.* “Illegal killing”: literally simply “blood,” the idea of bloodguilt being implied. They have shed blood and must be expelled from their people.

5 This is why the Israelites have to bring to the Lord the sacrifices they currently offer out in the fields. They must bring them to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and offer them as peace offerings to the Lord. 6 The priest will sprinkle the blood on the altar of the Lord at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, and burn the fat to be accepted by the Lord.

7 They must not continue to offer their sacrifices to the goat devils† Clearly some form of pagan worship. with whom they have acted like prostitutes. This is a regulation for all time and for all future generations.

8 Warn them that any Israelite or any foreigner living among them who offers a burnt offering or a sacrifice 9 without bringing it to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting to sacrifice it to the Lord must be expelled from their people. 10 I will disown any Israelite or any foreigner living among them who eats any blood and I will expel them from their people. 11 Life is in the body's blood. I have given it to you so that by putting it on the altar your lives can be made right, for it is the lifeblood that makes people's lives right. 12 That's why I'm warning the Israelites: None of you is allowed to eat blood, and no foreigner living among you is allowed to eat blood.

13 Any Israelite or foreigner living among them who hunts and kills a wild animal or a bird which are allowed be eaten must drain the blood from its body and cover it with earth, 14 for life is in the body's blood. That's why I have warned the Israelites: You are not allowed to eat the blood of anything living, for life is in the body's blood. Anyone who eats it must be expelled.

15 Anyone, Israelite or foreigner, who eats anything found dead or killed by wild animals must wash their clothes and wash with water, and they will be unclean until the evening. Then they will be clean. 16 But if they don't wash their clothes and wash themselves with water, then they bear responsibility for their guilt.”