Leviticus 17:5

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

To the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices, which they offer in the open field, even that they may bring them unto the LORD, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest, and offer them [for] peace offerings unto the LORD.

Complete Jewish Bible:

The reason for this is so that the people of Isra'el will bring their sacrifices that they sacrifice out in the field -so that they will bring them to ADONAI, to the entrance of the tent of meeting, to the cohen, and sacrifice them as peace offerings to ADONAI.

Berean Standard Bible:

For this reason the Israelites will bring to the LORD the sacrifices they have been offering in the open fields. They are to bring them to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and offer them as sacrifices of peace to the LORD.

American Standard Version:

to the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices, which they sacrifice in the open field, even that they may bring them unto Jehovah, unto the door of the tent of meeting, unto the priest, and sacrifice them for sacrifices of peace-offerings unto Jehovah.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

To the end that the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} may bring{H935} their sacrifices{H2077}, which they offer{H2076} in the open{H6440} field{H7704}, even that they may bring{H935} them unto the LORD{H3068}, unto the door{H6607} of the tabernacle{H168} of the congregation{H4150}, unto the priest{H3548}, and offer{H2076} them for peace{H8002} offerings{H2077} unto the LORD{H3068}.

Cross-References (KJV):

2 Kings 17:10

  • And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree:

Ezekiel 20:28

  • [For] when I had brought them into the land, [for] the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering: there also they made their sweet savour, and poured out there their drink offerings.

Genesis 22:2

  • And he said, Take now thy son, thine only [son] Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

Exodus 24:5

  • And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD.

Leviticus 7:11

  • ¶ And this [is] the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he shall offer unto the LORD.

Leviticus 7:21

  • Moreover the soul that shall touch any unclean [thing, as] the uncleanness of man, or [any] unclean beast, or any abominable unclean [thing], and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which [pertain] unto the LORD, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.

2 Chronicles 28:4

  • He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.

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Commentary for Leviticus 17:5

1. **Themes:**
- **Centralization of Worship:** Leviticus 17:5 emphasizes the importance of centralizing worship practices in ancient Israel. The verse commands the Israelites to bring their sacrifices to the Tabernacle, the portable sanctuary, rather than offering them in various open fields.
- **Proper Sacrificial Procedures:** The theme of proper worship includes adherence to specific sacrificial rituals overseen by the priests at the designated sanctuary. This ensures that sacrifices are offered according to divine instruction.
- **Holiness and Obedience:** The verse reflects the broader theme of holiness within the book of Leviticus, where the Israelites are instructed to live set-apart lives, obeying God's commandments, including those concerning worship.

2. **Historical Context:**
- **Time Period:** Leviticus is set during the time of Moses, shortly after the Exodus from Egypt, when the Israelites are wandering in the wilderness and have received the Law from God at Mount Sinai.
- **Cultural Practices:** The ancient Israelites, like other ancient Near Eastern cultures, practiced sacrificial worship. However, Leviticus 17:5 reflects a shift from the common practice of offering sacrifices at various local altars to a centralized system of worship in the Tabernacle.
- **Religious Reforms:** This commandment may have served as a religious reform to unify the Israelite tribes under Yahweh's worship and to distinguish them from neighboring Canaanite religions, which often involved open-field sacrifices to a pantheon of gods.
- **Preparation for Settlement:** As the Israelites were about to enter the Promised Land, establishing a central place of worship would have been crucial for maintaining their religious identity in a land where they would be surrounded by foreign religious practices.

In summary, Leviticus 17:5 is part of a larger set of instructions aimed at regulating the religious life of the Israelites, ensuring that their worship practices were distinct and centered around the presence of God in the Tabernacle, rather than being integrated with the practices of the surrounding nations.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

  1. Strong's Number: H1121
    There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: בֵּן
    Transliteration: bên
    Pronunciation: bane
    Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
  2. Strong's Number: H3478
    There are 2229 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יִשְׂרָאֵל
    Transliteration: Yisrâʼêl
    Pronunciation: yis-raw-ale'
    Description: from שָׂרָה and אֵל; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity; Israel.
  3. Strong's Number: H935
    There are 2307 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: בּוֹא
    Transliteration: bôwʼ
    Pronunciation: bo
    Description: a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications); abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat, [phrase] employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, [phrase] follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, [phrase] have, [idiom] indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, [idiom] (well) stricken (in age), [idiom] surely, take (in), way.
  4. Strong's Number: H2077
    There are 153 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: זֶבַח
    Transliteration: zebach
    Pronunciation: zeh'-bakh
    Description: from זָבַח; properly, a slaughter, i.e. the flesh of an animal; by implication, a sacrifice (the victim or the act); offer(-ing), sacrifice.
  5. Strong's Number: H2076
    There are 127 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: זָבַח
    Transliteration: zâbach
    Pronunciation: zaw-bakh'
    Description: a primitive root; to slaughter an animal (usually in sacrifice); kill, offer, (do) sacrifice, slay.
  6. Strong's Number: H6440
    There are 1890 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: פָּנִים
    Transliteration: pânîym
    Pronunciation: paw-neem'
    Description: plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun פָּנֶה; from פָּנָה); the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.); [phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, [idiom] him(-self), [phrase] honourable, [phrase] impudent, [phrase] in, it, look(-eth) (-s), [idiom] me, [phrase] meet, [idiom] more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), [idiom] on, open, [phrase] out of, over against, the partial, person, [phrase] please, presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, [phrase] regard, right forth, [phrase] serve, [idiom] shewbread, sight, state, straight, [phrase] street, [idiom] thee, [idiom] them(-selves), through ([phrase] -out), till, time(-s) past, (un-) to(-ward), [phrase] upon, upside ([phrase] down), with(-in, [phrase] -stand), [idiom] ye, [idiom] you.
  7. Strong's Number: H7704
    There are 309 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: שָׂדֶה
    Transliteration: sâdeh
    Pronunciation: saw-deh'
    Description: or שָׂדַי; from an unused root meaning to spread out; a field (as flat); country, field, ground, land, soil, [idiom] wild.
  8. Strong's Number: H3068
    There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יְהֹוָה
    Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
    Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
    Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה.
  9. Strong's Number: H6607
    There are 154 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: פֶּתַח
    Transliteration: pethach
    Pronunciation: peh'-thakh
    Description: from פָּתַח; an opening (literally), i.e. door (gate) or entrance way; door, entering (in), entrance (-ry), gate, opening, place.
  10. Strong's Number: H168
    There are 369 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אֹהֶל
    Transliteration: ʼôhel
    Pronunciation: o'-hel
    Description: from אָהַל; a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a distance); covering, (dwelling) (place), home, tabernacle, tent.
  11. Strong's Number: H4150
    There are 213 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: מוֹעֵד
    Transliteration: môwʻêd
    Pronunciation: mo-ade'
    Description: or מֹעֵד; or (feminine) מוֹעָדָה; (2 Chronicles 8:13), from יָעַד; properly, an appointment, i.e. a fixed time or season; specifically, a festival; conventionally ayear; by implication, an assembly (as convened for a definite purpose); technically the congregation; by extension, the place of meeting; also a signal (as appointed beforehand); appointed (sign, time), (place of, solemn) assembly, congregation, (set, solemn) feast, (appointed, due) season, solemn(-ity), synogogue, (set) time (appointed).
  12. Strong's Number: H3548
    There are 653 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: כֹּהֵן
    Transliteration: kôhên
    Pronunciation: ko-hane'
    Description: active participle of כָּהַן; literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman); chief ruler, [idiom] own, priest, prince, principal officer.
  13. Strong's Number: H8002
    There are 84 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: שֶׁלֶם
    Transliteration: shelem
    Pronunciation: sheh'-lem
    Description: from שָׁלַם; properly, requital, i.e. a (voluntary) sacrifice in thanks; peace offering.