Eating meat and blood
What does the bible say about eating meat and blood? Should we eat meat and if so, which animals may we slaughter and eat?
[Gen 9:1-5 NASB] 1 And elohim blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. 2 "The fear of you and the terror of you will be on every beast of the earth and on every bird of the sky; with everything that creeps on the ground, and all the fish of the sea, into your hand they are given.
3 "Every moving thing that is alive shall be food for you; I give all to you, as [I gave] the green plant. 4 "Only you shall not eat flesh with its soul, [that is,] its blood. 5 "Surely I will require your lifeblood; from every beast I will require it. And from [every] man, from every man's brother I will require the life of man.
[Exo 20:24-26 NASB] 24 'You shall make an altar of earth for Me, and you shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen; in every place where I cause My name to be remembered, I will come to you and bless you.
25 'If you make an altar of stone for Me, you shall not build it of cut stones, for if you wield your tool on it, you will profane it. 26 'And you shall not go up by steps to My altar, so that your nakedness will not be exposed on it.'
[Exo 22:20 NASB] 20 "He who sacrifices to any elohim, other than to YHWH alone, shall be utterly destroyed.
[Lev 3:1 NASB] 1 'Now if his offering is a sacrifice of peace offerings, if he is going to offer out of the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without defect before YHWH.
[Lev 3:17 NASB] 17 'It is a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings: you shall not eat any fat or any blood.'"
[Lev 7:23-36 NASB] 23 "Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'You shall not eat any fat [from] an ox, a sheep or a goat. 24 'Also the fat of [an animal] which dies and the fat of an animal torn [by beasts] may be put to any other use, but you must certainly not eat it. 25 'For whoever eats the fat of the animal from which an offering by fire is offered to YHWH, even the person who eats shall be cut off from his people. 26 'You are not to eat any blood, either of bird or animal, in any of your dwellings. 27 'Any person who eats any blood, even that person shall be cut off from his people.'" 28 Then YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 29 "Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'He who offers the sacrifice of his peace offerings to YHWH shall bring his offering to YHWH from the sacrifice of his peace offerings. 30 'His own hands are to bring offerings by fire to YHWH. He shall bring the fat with the breast, that the breast may be presented as a wave offering before YHWH. 31 'The priest
shall offer up the fat in smoke on the altar, but the breast shall belong to Aaron and his sons. 32 'You shall give the right thigh to the priest as a contribution from the sacrifices of your peace offerings. 33 'The one among the sons of Aaron who offers the blood of the peace offerings and the fat, the right thigh shall be his as [his] portion. 34 'For I have taken the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the contribution from the sons of Israel from the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and have given them to Aaron the priest and to his sons as [their] due forever from the sons of Israel. 35 'This is that which is consecrated to Aaron and that which is consecrated to his sons from the offerings by fire to YHWH, in that day when he presented them to serve as priests to YHWH. 36 'These YHWH had commanded to be given them from the sons of Israel in the day that He anointed them. It is [their] due forever throughout their generations.'"
Word Study
Blood
Hebrew reference
דָּם
Transliteration
dam
Outline of biblical Usage:
blood, blood of grapes eg. wine
Strong's:
H1818
Hebrew Root Word
דָּמָם
Transliteration
damam
Outline of biblical Usage:
to be silent, be still, wait, be dumb, grow dumb
Strong's:
H1826
Hebrew Related Word
אָדַם
Transliteration
adam
Outline of biblical Usage:
to be red, red, ruddy
Strong's:
H119
[Lev 11:1-27 NASB] 1 YHWH spoke again to Moses and to Aaron, saying to them, 2 "Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'These are the creatures which you may eat from all the animals that are on the earth. 3 'Whatever divides a hoof, thus making split hoofs, [and] chews the cud, among the animals, that you may eat. 4 'Nevertheless, you are not to eat of these, among those which chew the cud, or among those which divide the hoof: the camel, for though it chews cud, it does not divide the hoof, it is unclean to you. 5 'Likewise, the shaphan, for though it chews cud, it does not divide the hoof, it is unclean to you; 6 the rabbit also, for though it chews cud, it does not divide the hoof, it is unclean to you; 7 and the pig, for though it divides the hoof, thus making a split hoof, it does not chew cud, it is unclean to you. 8 'You shall not eat of their flesh nor touch their carcasses; they are unclean to you. 9 'These you may eat, whatever is in the water: all that have fins and scales, those in the water, in the seas or in the rivers, you may eat. 10 'But whatever is in the seas and in the rivers that does not have fins and scales among all the teeming life of the water, and among all the living creatures that are in the water, they are detestable things to you, 11 and they shall be abhorrent to you; you may not eat of their flesh, and their carcasses you shall detest. 12 'Whatever in the water does not have fins and scales is abhorrent to you. 13 'These, moreover, you shall detest among the birds; they are abhorrent, not to be eaten: the
water does not have fins and scales is abhorrent to you. 13 'These, moreover, you shall detest among the birds; they are abhorrent, not to be eaten: the eagle and the vulture and the buzzard, 14 and the kite and the falcon in its kind, 15 every raven in its kind, 16 and the ostrich and the owl and the sea gull and the hawk in its kind, 17 and the little owl and the cormorant and the great owl, 18 and the white owl and the pelican and the carrion vulture, 19 and the stork, the heron in its kinds, and the hoopoe, and the bat. 20 'All the winged insects that walk on [all] fours are detestable to you. 21 'Yet these you may eat among all the winged insects which walk on [all] fours: those which have above their feet jointed legs with which to jump on the earth. 22 'These of them you may eat: the locust in its kinds, and the devastating locust in its kinds, and the cricket in its kinds, and the grasshopper in its kinds. 23 'But all other winged insects which are four-footed are detestable to you. 24 'By these, moreover, you will be made unclean: whoever touches their carcasses becomes unclean until evening, 25 and whoever picks up any of their carcasses shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. 26 'Concerning all the animals which divide the hoof but do not make a split [hoof,] or which do not chew cud, they are unclean to you: whoever touches them becomes unclean. 27 'Also whatever walks on its paws, among all the creatures that walk on [all] fours, are unclean to you; whoever touches their carcasses becomes unclean until evening,
[Lev 17:1-16 NASB] 1 Then YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 2 "Speak to Aaron and to his sons and to all the sons of Israel and say to them, 'This is what YHWH has commanded, saying, 3 "Any man from the house of Israel who slaughters an ox or a lamb or a goat in the camp, or who slaughters it outside the camp, 4 and has not brought it to the doorway of the tent of meeting to present [it] as an offering to YHWH before the tabernacle of YHWH, bloodguiltiness is to be reckoned to that man. He has shed blood and that man shall be cut off from among his people. 5 "The reason is so that the sons of Israel may bring their sacrifices which they were sacrificing in the open field, that they may bring them in to YHWH, at the doorway of the tent of meeting to the priest, and sacrifice them as sacrifices of peace offerings to YHWH. 6 "The priest shall sprinkle the blood on the altar of YHWH at the doorway of the tent of meeting, and offer up the fat in smoke as a soothing aroma to YHWH. 7 "They shall no longer sacrifice their sacrifices to the goat idols with which they play the harlot. This shall be a permanent statute to them throughout their generations."' 8 "Then you shall say to them, 'Any man from the house of Israel, or from the aliens who sojourn among them, who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice,
9 and does not bring it to the doorway of the tent of meeting to offer it to YHWH, that man also shall be cut off from his people. 10 'And any man from the house of Israel, or from the aliens who sojourn among them, who eats any blood, I will set My face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from among his people. 11 'For the soul of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the soul that makes atonement.' 12 "Therefore I said to the sons of Israel, 'No person among you may eat blood, nor may any alien who sojourns among you eat blood.' 13 "So when any man from the sons of Israel, or from the aliens who sojourn among them, in hunting catches a beast or a bird which may be eaten, he shall pour out its blood and cover it with earth. 14 "For [as for the] soul of all flesh, its blood is [identified] with its soul. Therefore I said to the sons of Israel, 'You are not to eat the blood of any flesh, for the soul of all flesh is its blood; whoever eats it shall be cut off.' 15 "When any person eats [an animal] which dies or is torn [by beasts,] whether he is a native or an alien, he shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and remain unclean until evening; then he will become clean. 16 "But if he does not wash [them] or bathe his body, then he shall bear his guilt."
[Deu 12:10-28 NASB] 10 "When you cross the Jordan and live in the land which YHWH your elohimis giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies around [you] so that you live in security, 11 then it shall come about that the place in which the YHWH your elohim will choose for His name to dwell, there you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution of your hand, and all your choice votive offerings which you will vow to YHWH. 12 "And you shall rejoice before YHWH your elohim, you and your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levite who is within your gates, since he has no portion or inheritance with you. 13 "Be careful that you do not offer your burnt offerings in every place you see, 14 but in the place which YHWH chooses in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I command you. 15 "However, you may slaughter and eat meat within any of your gates, whatever you desire, according to the blessing of YHWH your elohim which He has given you; the unclean and the clean may eat of it, as of the gazelle and the deer. 16 "Only you shall not eat the blood; you are to pour it out on the ground like water. 17 "You are not allowed to eat within your gates the tithe of your grain or new wine or oil, or the firstborn of your herd or flock, or any of your votive offerings which you vow, or your freewill offerings, or the contribution of your hand. 18 "But you shall eat them before YHWH your elohim in the place which YHWH your elohim will choose, you and your son and
daughter, and your male and female servants, and the Levite who is within your gates; and you shall rejoice before YHWH your elohim in all your undertakings.19 "Be careful that you do not forsake the Levite as long as you live in your land. 20 "When YHWH your elohim extends your border as He has promised you, and you say, 'I will eat meat,' because you desire to eat meat, [then] you may eat meat, whatever you desire. 21 "If the place which YHWH your elohim chooses to put His name is too far from you, then you may slaughter of your herd and flock which YHWH has given you, as I have commanded you; and you may eat within your gates whatever you desire. 22 "Just as a gazelle or a deer is eaten, so you will eat it; the unclean and the clean alike may eat of it. 23 "Only be sure not to eat the blood, for the blood is the soul, and you shall not eat the soul with the flesh. 24 "You shall not eat it; you shall pour it out on the ground like water. 25 "You shall not eat it, so that it may be well with you and your sons after you, for you will be doing what is right in the sight of YHWH. 26 "Only your holy things which you may have and your votive offerings, you shall take and go to the place which YHWH chooses. 27 "And you shall offer your burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood, on the altar of YHWH your elohim; and the blood of your sacrifices shall be poured out on the altar of YHWH your elohim, and you shall eat the flesh. 28 "Be careful to listen to all these words which I command you, so that it may be well with you and your sons after you forever, for you will be doing what is good and right in the sight of YHWH your elohim.
[Deu 14:1-21 NASB] 1 "You are the sons of YHWH your elohim; you shall not cut yourselves nor shave your forehead for the sake of the dead. 2 "For you are a set apart people to YHWH your elohim, and YHWH has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. 3 "You shall not eat any detestable thing. 4 "These are the animals which you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, 5 the deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope and the mountain sheep. 6 "Any animal that divides the hoof and has the hoof split in two [and] chews the cud, among the animals, that you may eat. 7 "Nevertheless, you are not to eat of these among those which chew the cud, or among those that divide the hoof in two: the camel and the rabbit and the shaphan, for though they chew the cud, they do not divide the hoof; they are unclean for you. 8 "The pig, because it divides the hoof but [does] not [chew] the cud, it is unclean for you. You shall not eat any of their flesh nor touch their carcasses.
9 "These you may eat of all that are in water: anything that has fins and scales you may eat, 10 but anything that does not have fins and scales you shall not eat; it is unclean for you. 11 "You may eat any clean bird. 12 "But these are the ones which you shall not eat: the eagle and the vulture and the buzzard, 13 and the red kite, the falcon, and the kite in their kinds, 14 and every raven in its kind, 15 and the ostrich, the owl, the sea gull, and the hawk in their kinds, 16 the little owl, the great owl, the white owl, 17 the pelican, the carrion vulture, the cormorant, 18 the stork, and the heron in their kinds, and the hoopoe and the bat. 19 "And all the teeming life with wings are unclean to you; they shall not be eaten. 20 "You may eat any clean bird. 21 "You shall not eat anything which dies [of itself.] You may give it to the alien who is in your town, so that he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner, for you are a set apart people to YHWH your elohim. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk.
[Deu 32:15-17 NASB] 15 "But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked-- You are grown fat, thick, and sleek-- Then he forsook elohim who made him, And scorned the rock of his salvation. 16 "They made Him jealous with strange [gods;]
With abominations they provoked Him to anger. 17 "They sacrificed to idols who were not elohim, To elohim whom they have not known, New [elohim] who came lately, Whom your fathers did not dread.
Word Study
Sacrifice
Hebrew Root Word
זָבַח
Pronunciation
za-baach
Outline of biblical Usage:
to slaughter, kill, sacrifice, slaughter for sacrifice
Strong's:
H2076
Offer
Hebrew Root Word
עָלָה
Pronunciation
a-lah
Outline of biblical Usage:
to go up, ascend, climb
Strong's:
H5927
[1Sa 14:31-35 NASB] 31 They struck among the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. And the people were very weary. 32 The people rushed greedily upon the spoil, and took sheep and oxen and calves, and slew [them] on the ground; and the people ate [them] with the blood. 33 Then they told Saul, saying, "Behold, the people are sinning against YHWH by eating with the blood." And he said, "You have acted treacherously; roll a great stone to
me today." 34 Saul said, "Disperse yourselves among the people and say to them, 'Each one of you bring me his ox or his sheep, and slaughter [it] here and eat; and do not sin against YHWH by eating with the blood.'" So all the people that night brought each one his ox with him and slaughtered [it] there. 35 And Saul built an altar to the LORD; it was the first altar that he built to YHWH.
[Isa 66:16-17 NASB] 16 For YHWH will execute judgment by fire And by His sword on all flesh, And those slain by YHWH will be many. 17 "Those who sanctify and purify themselves [to go] to the gardens, Following one in
the center, Who eat swine's flesh, detestable things and mice, Will come to an end altogether," declares YHWH.
[Eze 4:13-14 NASB] 13 Then YHWH said, "Thus will the sons of Israel eat their bread unclean among the nations where I will banish them." 14 But I said, "Ah, master YHWH! Behold, I have never been defiled; for from my
youth until now I have never eaten what died of itself or was torn by beasts, nor has any unclean meat ever entered my mouth."
[Psa 106:21-31 ESV] 21 They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt, 22 wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome deeds by the Red Sea. 23 Therefore he said he would destroy them-- had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him, to turn away his wrath from destroying them. 24 Then they despised the pleasant land, having no faith in his promise. 25 They murmured in their tents, and did not obey the voice of YHWH. 26 Therefore he raised his hand and swore to them that he would
make them fall in the wilderness, 27 and would make their offspring fall among the nations, scattering them among the lands. 28 Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor, and ate sacrifices offered to the dead; 29 they provoked YHWH to anger with their deeds, and a plague broke out among them. 30 Then Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was stayed. 31 And that was counted to him as righteousness from generation to generation forever.
[Act 10:1-28 NASB] 1 Now [there was] a man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort, 2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the [Jewish] people and prayed to God continually. 3 About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had [just] come in and said to him, "Cornelius!" 4 And fixing his gaze on him and being much alarmed, he said, "What is it, Lord?" And he said to him, "Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God. 5 "Now dispatch men to Joppa and send for a man [named] Simon, who is also called Peter; 6 he is staying with a tanner [named] Simon, whose house is by the sea." 7 When the angel who was speaking to him had left, he summoned two of his servants and a devout soldier of those who were his personal attendants, 8 and after he had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa. 9 On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. 10 But he became hungry and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance; 11 and he saw the sky opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, 12 and there were in it all four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air. 13 A voice came to him, "Get up, Peter, sacrifice and eat!" 14 But Peter said, "By no means, master, for I have never eaten anything common and unclean." 15 Again a voice [came] to him a second time, "What God has cleansed, do not consider common."
16 This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into the sky. 17 Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon's house, appeared at the gate; 18 and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there. 19 While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the spirit said to him, "Behold, three men are looking for you. 20 "But get up, go downstairs and accompany them without misgivings, for I have sent them myself." 21 Peter went down to the men and said, "Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for which you have come?" 22 They said, "Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, was directed by a set apart messenger to send for you [to come] to his house and hear a message from you." 23 So he invited them in and gave them lodging. And on the next day he got up and went away with them, and some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him. 24 On the following day he entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped [him.] 26 But Peter raised him up, saying, "Stand up; I too am [just] a man." 27 As he talked with him, he entered and found many people assembled. 28 And he said to them, "You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and [yet] God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.
Word Study
Altar
Greek Word
θυσιαστήριον
Pronunciation
thoo-see-as-tay'-ree-on
Outline of biblical Usage:
the altar for slaying and burning of victims
Strong's:
G2379
Hebrew Word
מִזְבֵּחַ
Pronunciation
miz-bey-ach
Outline of biblical Usage:
altar
Strong's:
H4196
Sacrifice
Hebrew Root Word
זָבַח
Pronunciation
za-baach
Outline of biblical Usage:
to slaughter, kill, sacrifice, slaughter for sacrifice
Strong's:
H2076
[Act 15:13-29 NASB] 13 After they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, "Brethren, listen to me. 14 "Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name. 15 "With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, 16 'AFTER THESE THINGS I will return, AND I WILL REBUILD THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID WHICH HAS FALLEN, AND I WILL REBUILD ITS RUINS, AND I WILL RESTORE IT, 17 SO THAT THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK THE LORD, AND ALL THE GENTILES WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME,' 18 SAYS THE LORD, WHO MAKES THESE THINGS KNOWN FROM LONG AGO. 19 "Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, 20 but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood. 21 "For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath." 22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and
Barnabas--Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren, 23 and they sent this letter by them, "The apostles and the brethren who are elders, to the brethren in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia who are from the Gentiles, greetings. 24 "Since we have heard that some of our number to whom we gave no instruction have disturbed you with [their] words, unsettling your souls, 25 it seemed good to us, having become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 "Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will also report the same things by word [of mouth.] 28 "For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials: 29 that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell."
Cites Amos 9:11-12
[Act 21:25 ESV] 25 But as for the Gentiles who have believed, we have sent a letter with our judgment that they should abstain from what has been
sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality."
[1Co 8:4-13 ESV] 4 Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that "an idol has no real existence," and that "there is no God but one." 5 For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth--as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"-- 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Yehoshua the anointed, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. 7 However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not
eat, and no better off if we do. 9 But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? 11 And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom the anointed died. 12 Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against the anointed. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
[1Co 10:18-21 ESV] 18 Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? 19 What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, I imply that what
pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of YHWH and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of YHWH and the table of demons.
[1Co 10:24-31 ESV] 24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26 For "the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof." 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, "This has been
offered in sacrifice," then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience-- 29 I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else's conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks? 31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
All the glory to God
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