ALL SLAUGHTER MUST BE SACRIFICIAL, _i.e._ at the sanctuary (_cf._
Deuteronomy 12:2 ff., 2 Kings 23:8; Jeremiah 7:18). All slaughter had
originally this sacrificial character, among the Hebrews, as among
other pastoral and some agricultural peoples; animals were practically
never killed except for sa... [ Continue Reading ]
LEVITICUS 17-26. THE HOLINESS CODE (see Introd. § 2).
LEVITICUS 17. RESTRICTIONS ON SACRIFICE. The whole chapter recalls P,
yet there are differences of phrase (_e.g._ what man soever, Leviticus
17:3) and of tone (_e.g._ the giving of a reason for a command,
Leviticus 17:11) and of contents (_e.g.... [ Continue Reading ]
LEVITICUS 17:8 F. EXTENSION OF THE RULE TO RESIDENT ALIENS. Strangers,
often referred to in H (_cf. Leviticus 19:34_), are men of alien race,
frequently broken men from other countries, Jiving more or less
permanently in Palestine, and therefore naturally expected to conform
to many of its religious... [ Continue Reading ]
PROHIBITION OF EATING BLOOD, _ i.e._ of eating flesh not properly
drained of blood (Genesis 9:4 *). The reason given, that the life is
in the blood (Leviticus 17:11), underlies the special importance of
the blood in the earlier Chapter s and the whole sacrificial practice.
The blood makes atonement,... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BLOOD OF NON-SACRIFICIAL ANIMALS. To these, of course, Leviticus
17:3 does not apply. But all blood, even theirs, is regarded as
dangerous. Hence, it must be covered with dust, or it will cry from
the ground (_cf._ Genesis 4:10 *). The whole class of non-sacrificial
animals includes: (_a)_ wild... [ Continue Reading ]