1 And the LORD {YHWH, Divine Lawgiver} spoke to Moses, saying {lemor: direct speech marker},
2 Speak to Aaron and to his sons and to all the sons of Israel, and you shall say to them: “This is the word {davar: authoritative instruction} that the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Lawgiver} has commanded, saying,”
3 Any man from the house of Israel who slaughters {yishchat: kills for slaughter} an ox, a sheep, or a goat in the camp {machaneh: community enclosure}, or who slaughters one outside the camp.
4 If he does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting in order to offer a sacrifice to the LORD {YHWH, Righteous Judge} before the tabernacle of the LORD, bloodguilt shall be imputed to that man {ish: legal individual}; he has shed blood, and that man shall be cut off from among his people.
5 So that the sons of Israel may bring the sacrifices they offer in the open field to the LORD {YHWH, Recipient of Worship} at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting to the priest, and sacrifice peace offerings {zivchei shelamim: offerings for well-being} to the LORD.
6 And the priest shall throw the blood on the altar of the LORD {YHWH, Worship Recipient} at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and shall burn the fat as a pleasing aroma {nikhoakh: soothing fragrance} to the LORD.
7 And they shall no longer offer their sacrifices to the goat-demons {se'irim: idol-spirits}, after whom they are prostituting themselves {zonim: spiritually unfaithful}. This shall be a statute forever for them and for their generations.
8 And to them you shall say: “Any man from the house of Israel or from the sojourner {ger: resident alien} who dwells among them, who offers up a burnt offering {olah: ascension sacrifice} or a sacrifice,
9 If someone fails to carry it to the entrance of the tent of meeting for presentation before the LORD {YHWH, Sacrifice Recipient}, that individual shall be cut off from the community {am: Covenant Community}.
10 Should any man of the house of Israel or any sojourner residing among them eat blood, I {YHWH, Divine Judge} will set My face against the nefesh {nefesh: life essence} consuming blood and will cut that person off from among his people.
11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood {dam: life-giving fluid}, and I {YHWH, Atoning Provider} have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your lives; for the blood makes atonement by means of the life.
12 Therefore I said to the sons of Israel, “Every soul {nefesh: life essence} among you shall not eat blood, and the sojourner {ger: resident alien} who sojourns among you shall not eat blood.”
13 And any man of the sons of Israel, or from the stranger {ger: resident alien} who sojourns among them, who hunts prey—animal or bird—that may be eaten, shall pour out its blood and cover it with dust {afar: loose soil}.
14 Because the life {nefesh: vital life} of all flesh is its blood—in its life it is. And I have said to the sons of Israel, You shall not eat the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood; anyone who eats it shall be cut off {yikkaret: expelled from the assembly}.
15 And any person {nefesh: individual life} who eats what dies of itself or what is torn by beasts {trefah: beast-torn animal}, whether among the native-born or among the sojourner, shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and will be unclean until evening; then he will be clean.
16 And if he does not wash {yekabbes: thoroughly cleanse} his garments and does not bathe his flesh, then he will bear his guilt {avono: moral wrongdoing}.