The
Lord spoke
to Moses:
“Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the people of Israel and say to them:
'This is what the Lord has commanded. If anyone of the house of Israel slaughters an ox or a lamb or a goat in the camp, or slaughters it outside the camp,1 and does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, to present it as an offering to the Lord before the tabernacle of the Lord, he shall be held guilty of bloodshed;2 he has shed blood, and he shall be cut off from the people.3 This is in order that the people of Israel may bring their sacrifices that they offer in the open field,4 that they may bring them to the Lord, to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and offer them as sacrifices of well-being to the Lord.'
'The priest shall dash the blood against the altar of the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and turn the fat into smoke as a pleasing odour to the Lord, so that they may no longer offer their sacrifices for goat-demons,5 to whom they prostitute themselves. This shall be a statute for ever to them throughout their generations.'”
“And say to them further: 'Anyone of the house of Israel or of the aliens6 who reside among them who offers a burnt-offering or sacrifice, and does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, to sacrifice it to the Lord, shall be cut off from the people.'”7
1 In other words, “If any Israelite slaughters an ox/lamb/goat ANYWHERE!”
“Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the people of Israel and say to them:
'This is what the Lord has commanded. If anyone of the house of Israel slaughters an ox or a lamb or a goat in the camp, or slaughters it outside the camp,1 and does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, to present it as an offering to the Lord before the tabernacle of the Lord, he shall be held guilty of bloodshed;2 he has shed blood, and he shall be cut off from the people.3 This is in order that the people of Israel may bring their sacrifices that they offer in the open field,4 that they may bring them to the Lord, to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and offer them as sacrifices of well-being to the Lord.'
'The priest shall dash the blood against the altar of the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and turn the fat into smoke as a pleasing odour to the Lord, so that they may no longer offer their sacrifices for goat-demons,5 to whom they prostitute themselves. This shall be a statute for ever to them throughout their generations.'”
“And say to them further: 'Anyone of the house of Israel or of the aliens6 who reside among them who offers a burnt-offering or sacrifice, and does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, to sacrifice it to the Lord, shall be cut off from the people.'”7
1 In other words, “If any Israelite slaughters an ox/lamb/goat ANYWHERE!”
2
This is surprising, and it comes out of nowhere. Since when has
someone been “guilty of bloodshed” simply from slaughtering a
clean animal without bringing it to the temple? Leviticus 3:1-17,
7:11-21, and especially Deuteronomy 12:15-23 make it appear that not
all animals need to be sacrificed in the temple.
3
Strong punishment.
4
This verse might suggest that the verse is meant to apply to animals
that are being sacrificed in other places, not simply all animals
that are butchered for meat.
5
This verse seems to make clear that the earlier statement was meant
to apply specifically to animals that were being sacrificed outside
the temple.
6
Even foreigners must follow this law.
7
Sums up the regulation, but restricts the statement to sacrifices,
not all slaughtering.
Take-home: It is made abundantly clear that all sacrifice is to be made in the temple, and to the LORD alone.
Take-home: It is made abundantly clear that all sacrifice is to be made in the temple, and to the LORD alone.
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