17:2 Speak unto Aaron, and unto his sons, and unto all the
children of Israel, and say unto them; This [is] the thing
which the LORD hath a commanded, saying,
(a) Lest they should practice the idolatry they had learned
among the Egyptians.
17:3 What man soever [there be] of the house of Israel, that b
killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or that
killeth [it] out of the camp,
(b) To make a sacrifice of offering of it.
17:4 And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation, to offer an offering unto the LORD before the
tabernacle of the LORD; c blood shall be imputed unto
that man; he hath shed blood; and that man shall be cut off
from among his people:
(c) I abhor it as much as if he had killed a man as in
(Is 66:3).
17:5 To the end that the children of Israel may bring their
sacrifices, which they offer in the d open field, even
that they may bring them unto the LORD, unto the door of
the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest, and
offer them [for] peace offerings unto the LORD.
(d) In that they were moved with foolish devotion to offer
it.
17:7 And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto e
devils, after whom they have gone a f whoring. This
shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout their
generations.
(e) Meaning, whatever is not the true God,
(1Co 10:10, Ps 95:5).
(f) For idolatry is spiritual whoredom, because faith toward
God is broken.
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 g my face against that
soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among
his people.
(g) I will declare my wrath by taking vengeance on him as
in (Le 20:3).
17:13 And whatsoever man [there be] of the children of Israel,
or of the strangers that sojourn among you, which hunteth
and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be h eaten; he
shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with
dust.
(h) Which the law permits to be eaten, because it is
clean.
