Leviticus 17 · a question people ask
Did every animal killed for meat have to be brought to the Tent?
Verse 3 speaks of anyone "who kills a bull, or lamb, or goat in the camp, or who kills it outside the camp" (17:3). Verse 5 names the purpose: "that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices, which they sacrifice in the open field" (17:5). For game from hunting the rule is different: its blood is poured out and covered with dust (17:13). Later, Deuteronomy says, "If the place which the LORD your God shall choose to put his name is too far from you, then you shall kill of your herd and of your flock" and "eat within your gates" (Deuteronomy 12:21). Readers take Leviticus 17:3-4 in two main ways. Both agree that the blood was never to be eaten (17:12; Deuteronomy 12:16).
How Christians read it
Where Christians differ, Favor sets out the main views side by side and doesn't pick one.
Every animal, while Israel camped
Those who hold this view read 17:3-4 as covering any bull, lamb or goat killed "in the camp" or "outside the camp" (17:3) was to be brought to the door of the Tent of Meeting and offered as peace offerings (17:5). They note that Deuteronomy makes a change for later, "When the LORD your God enlarges your border" and the place is "too far from you" (Deuteronomy 12:20-21), which they read as allowing what Leviticus 17 did not.
Leviticus 17:3-5 · Deuteronomy 12:20-21
Animals killed as sacrifices
Those who hold this view read 17:3-4 through the purpose in 17:5 and 17:7: the concern is "their sacrifices, which they sacrifice in the open field" (17:5), which are to go no more "to the goat idols" (17:7). They read the rule as bringing sacrifices to the Tent, not as covering every animal killed for food, and read Deuteronomy's "you may kill and eat meat within all your gates" (Deuteronomy 12:15) as saying the same thing for life in the land.
Leviticus 17:5 · Leviticus 17:7 · Deuteronomy 12:15
The verses
““‘Whatever man there is of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners among them, who takes in hunting any animal or bird that may be eaten, he shall pour out its blood, and cover it with dust.”
“Yet you may kill and eat meat within all your gates, after all the desire of your soul, according to the LORD your God’s blessing which he has given you. The unclean and the clean may eat of it, as of the gazelle and the deer. Only you shall not eat the blood. You shall pour it out on the earth like water.”