Leviticus 17:11
in Leviticus 17For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for your souls upon the altar; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh atonement by reason of the life.
KJV
For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.
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This verse in Leviticus 17
Commentary
8 notes on this verseFor the life of the flesh is in the blood - This sentence, which contains a most important truth, had existed in the Mosaic writings for 3600 years before the attention of any philosopher was drawn to the subject. This is the more surprising, as the nations in which philosophy flourished were those which especially enjoyed the Divine oracles in their respective languages.
This site's exposition
eats any blood
on Leviticus 17:10-11
Verse 11 is the one place in the Torah where sacrifice states its own ground: "it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul". Genesis 9:4 withheld blood from Noah, and this verse explains why.
This site's exposition
the life of the flesh is in the blood
John Chrysostom limits the verse to animals. For the beast its blood is its life, while the human soul is incorporeal and immortal and outranks the body. John Wesley reads the atonement here as a type fulfilled in the blood of Christ.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
In the case of the human person: first its body is created from the dust, and afterward the power of life is given to it, and this is the being of the soul. Accordingly Moses said about the beasts, "Its blood is its life." But in the case of the human person its being is incorporeal and immortal and has a great superiority over the body, to the same extent as incorporeal form surpasses the corporeal.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Is in the blood - Depends upon the blood, is preserved and nourished by it. The blood maketh atonement - Typically, and in respect of the blood of Christ which it represented, by which the atonement is really made.
): because it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul; and therefore it was appointed to make atonement with, because the life of the flesh is the blood.
quarantine:debris,scripture (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens; scripture-overlap:83%@v11-13
For the life of the flesh is in the blood,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls--God, as the sovereign author and proprietor of nature, reserved the blood to Himself and allowed men only one use of it--in the way of sacrifices.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
כל דם [WHATSOEVER MAN THERE BE … THAT EATETH] ANY BLOOD — Since Scripture states (v. 11) “[for it is the blood] with the life that maketh expiation", I might think that one is liable only for eating the blood of consecrated animals, (i. e. sacrifices), for it is only the blood of such animals that makes expiation.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
כל נפש מכם NO SOUL OF YOU [SHALL EAT BLOOD] — This is stated in addition to v. 10 to admonish the adults about their young children (that they should not permit them blood to eat — for “no soul” shall eat blood) (Sifra, Acharei Mot, Section 7; Yevamot 114a).
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| נֶ֣פֶשׁ | nefesh | [the] life of | H5315 → | 754 times |
| הַבָּשָׂר֮ | habasar | the flesh | H1320 → | 270 times |
| בַּדָּ֣ם | badam | [is] in the blood | H1818 → | 360 times |
| הִוא֒ | hi' | it | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| וַאֲנִ֞י | vaani | and I | H589 → | 874 times |
| נְתַתִּ֤יו | netativ | I have given it | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| לָכֶם֙ | lakhem | to <the> you | ||
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ | hamizbeach | the altar | H4196 → | 401 times |
| לְכַפֵּ֖ר | lekhaper | to make atonement | H3722 → | 102 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶ֑ם | nafshoteikhem | selves your | H5315 → | 754 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| הַדָּ֥ם | hadam | [is] the blood | H1818 → | 360 times |
| ה֖וּא | hu' | it | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| בַּנֶּ֥פֶשׁ | banefesh | [which] by the life | H5315 → | 754 times |
| יְכַפֵּֽר׃ | yekhaper | it makes atonement | H3722 → | 102 times |
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
נֶ֣פֶשׁ[the] life of
nefeshH5315 →754 times
הַבָּשָׂר֮the flesh
habasarH1320 →270 times
בַּדָּ֣ם[is] in the blood
badamH1818 →360 times
הִוא֒it
hi'H1931 →1879 times
וַאֲנִ֞יand I
vaaniH589 →874 times
נְתַתִּ֤יוI have given it
netativH5414 →2011 times
לָכֶם֙to <the> you
lakhem
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַthe altar
hamizbeachH4196 →401 times
לְכַפֵּ֖רto make atonement
lekhaperH3722 →102 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶ֑םselves your
nafshoteikhemH5315 →754 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
הַדָּ֥ם[is] the blood
hadamH1818 →360 times
ה֖וּאit
hu'H1931 →1879 times
בַּנֶּ֥פֶשׁ[which] by the life
banefeshH5315 →754 times
יְכַפֵּֽר׃it makes atonement
yekhaperH3722 →102 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 John 1:7But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
it leads to
- Ephesians 5:8
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,
- Romans 13:12
The night is nearly over; the day has drawn near. So let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
- Revelation 1:5
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has released us from our sins by…
- Ephesians 1:7
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
- Ephesians 5:8
Through
Revelation 1:5and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has released us from our sins by…
it leads to
- Psalms 89:27
I will indeed appoint him as My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.
- Hebrews 9:14
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, purify our consciences from works of death, so that we may serve the living God!
- 1 John 1:7
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
- Psalms 89:27
Through
Romans 3:25God presented Him as the atoning sacrifice through faith in His blood, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand.
it leads to
- Romans 3:23–24
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
- Romans 3:23–24
Where this verse is studied
By subject
Salvation35 verses
On this page
Studies9
On this verse
On this chapter
About Leviticus

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Andrew Bonar, A Commentary on Leviticus; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON GENESIS 13:10; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Sir Robert Anderson, Types in Hebrews.
