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 eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust.

LEVITICUS 17:13KJV
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Leviticus 17:13 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 17:13 mean?

Leviticus 17:13 commands that anyone among the Israelites or foreigners living with them who hunts and kills a wild animal or bird for food must pour out its blood and cover it with dust. This rule applies to both native Israelites and non-Israelites living in their community.

In this verse, God is speaking to Moses, giving instructions for the people of Israel as they live together in the wilderness. The command highlights respect for the life of animals by requiring the blood—often seen as representing life—to be treated with care and not consumed. This practice set Israel apart from other nations and reinforced the idea that life belongs to God.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 17:13

  • "strangers" (גֵּר, ger): This word means a foreigner or sojourner living among the Israelites. The command is not just for Israelites but also for outsiders living with them, showing that God's instructions were meant for the whole community.
  • "pour" (שָׁפַךְ, shafakh): This verb means to pour out or spill. The act of pouring out the blood is intentional, not accidental, emphasizing a deliberate respect for the life taken.
  • "blood" (דָּם, dam): In Hebrew thought, blood represents life itself. By pouring it out and covering it, the people acknowledge that life is sacred and belongs to God.
  • "cover" (כָּסָה, kasah): This means to cover or conceal. Covering the blood with dust is a sign of respect and a way to return the life force to the earth.

Why Leviticus 17:13 matters

  • Leviticus 17:13 clarifies that the respect for life and the handling of blood is not just for sacrifices at the altar but also for ordinary hunting and eating.
  • The verse shows that God's laws were meant to shape the daily habits of everyone living in Israel, not just the native-born but also foreigners.
  • This command connects to the broader theme in Leviticus 17 about the sacredness of blood and sets Israel apart from neighboring cultures that might have used blood differently in their rituals or diets.

Where else these words appear

“hunteth” Hebrew H6679 · used in 15 verses

  • Genesis 27:3 Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;
  • Job 10:16 For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me.
  • Lamentations 3:52 Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause.

“catcheth” Hebrew H6718 · used in 18 verses

  • Genesis 10:9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.
  • Genesis 27:7 Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the LORD before my death.
  • Joshua 9:5 And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.

“fowl” Hebrew H5775 · used in 70 verses

  • Genesis 1:20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
  • Leviticus 7:26 Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings.
  • Psalms 104:12 By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches.

“strangers” Hebrew H1616 · used in 83 verses

  • Genesis 15:13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
  • Leviticus 25:47 And if a sojourner or stranger wax rich by thee, and thy brother that dwelleth by him wax poor, and sell himself unto the stranger or sojourner by thee, or to the stock of the stranger's family:
  • Deuteronomy 27:19 Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen.