You must not eat anything with blood still in it.This command reflects the broader biblical prohibition against consuming blood, which is first introduced in
Genesis 9:4 when God instructs Noah not to eat flesh with its lifeblood still in it. The prohibition is reiterated in
Leviticus 17:10-14, emphasizing the sanctity of blood as it represents life. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, blood was often associated with life force and was used in various rituals. The Israelites were set apart by God to maintain purity and holiness, and abstaining from blood consumption was a part of this distinct identity. This command also foreshadows the New Testament teaching in
Acts 15:20, where the apostles instruct Gentile believers to abstain from blood, maintaining continuity with the Old Testament law. Theologically, the prohibition underscores the significance of blood in atonement, pointing to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, whose blood was shed for the remission of sins (
Hebrews 9:22).
You must not practice divination or sorcery.
Divination and sorcery were common practices in the ancient world, often used to predict the future or manipulate events through supernatural means. These practices were prevalent among Israel's neighboring cultures, such as the Canaanites and Egyptians, who relied on omens, astrology, and necromancy. The prohibition against these practices inLeviticus 19:26 is part of a broader biblical theme that condemns reliance on occult practices, as seen inDeuteronomy 18:10-12 andIsaiah 8:19. Such practices are considered abominations because they divert trust and dependence away from God and towards false spiritual powers. The Bible consistently calls for exclusive devotion to God, who alone knows the future and holds power over creation. In the New Testament, the rejection of sorcery is evident inActs 19:19, where new believers in Ephesus burn their scrolls of magic. This command highlights the call to trust in God's sovereignty and wisdom, ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who is the source of all truth and revelation (John 14:6).
Persons / Places / Events
1.
MosesThe author of Leviticus, who received the laws from God to instruct the Israelites.
2.
IsraelitesThe primary audience of Leviticus, who were being prepared to live as God's holy people in the Promised Land.
3.
CanaanThe land where the Israelites were headed, which was inhabited by people practicing the customs God forbade.
4.
Pagan NationsThe surrounding cultures that engaged in practices like eating blood and divination, which God prohibited for His people.
5.
GodThe ultimate lawgiver, who desires His people to be set apart and holy.
Teaching Points
Holiness and DistinctionGod calls His people to be distinct from the surrounding cultures. This distinction is not just in belief but in practice, including dietary laws and spiritual practices.
Respect for LifeThe prohibition against consuming blood underscores the sanctity of life, as blood represents life itself. This respect for life is a consistent biblical theme.
Avoiding Pagan PracticesEngaging in divination or sorcery is a form of idolatry, seeking guidance or power apart from God. Christians are called to rely solely on God for wisdom and direction.
Obedience to God's CommandsEven when cultural norms shift, God's commands remain. Obedience is a demonstration of faith and trust in God's wisdom and provision.
Spiritual DiscernmentChristians must discern and reject practices that conflict with God's Word, even if they are popular or seem harmless in contemporary culture.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Leviticus 19:26?
2.How does Leviticus 19:26 guide us in avoiding pagan practices today?
3.What does "do not eat meat with blood" signify for Christians now?
4.How can Leviticus 19:26 be connected to Acts 15:29's dietary instructions?
5.Why is avoiding divination important for maintaining a strong faith in God?
6.How can we apply Leviticus 19:26 to discern modern cultural influences?
7.What does Leviticus 19:26 mean by "You must not eat anything with blood still in it"?
8.How does Leviticus 19:26 relate to modern dietary practices?
9.Why does Leviticus 19:26 prohibit divination and fortune-telling?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Leviticus 19?
11.What does the Bible say about palm reading?
12.What does the Bible say about enchantment?
13.What does the Bible say about witchcraft?
14.Leviticus 19:28 forbids cutting or tattooing the body; should modern Christians reject all tattoos despite cultural acceptance?What Does Leviticus 19:26 Mean
You must not eat anything with blood still in it• God first set this boundary right after the flood—“But you must not eat meat with its lifeblood still in it” (Genesis 9:4). From Noah onward, the Lord linked blood with life itself.
• Under the Law, He sharpened the point: “If anyone…eats any blood, I will set My face against that person” (Leviticus 17:10-14). The prohibition isn’t about diet preferences; it protects a sacred symbol. Blood belongs to God because it atones for sin (Leviticus 17:11).
• Israel’s neighbors often drank or poured out blood in occult rituals. By refusing that practice, Israel testified:
– Life is God-given and not to be consumed for personal power.
– Atonement comes through God’s appointed sacrifice, not magic.
• The New Testament upholds the same moral core for Gentile believers: “abstain from blood” (Acts 15:20, 29). Though Christians are not under the ceremonial law, we still treat life—and therefore blood—with reverence.
• Practical takeaway: honor the sanctity of life, receive atonement only through Christ’s shed blood (Hebrews 9:12-14), and avoid anything that trivializes life’s value.
You must not practice divination or sorcery• The Lord had just rescued Israel from Egypt, a nation steeped in magic. He wanted His people to draw guidance from Him alone, so He commands, “Do not practice divination or sorcery.”
• Divination seeks hidden knowledge apart from God; sorcery manipulates spiritual forces for selfish ends. Both reject the Lord’s sufficiency.
• Scripture consistently condemns these practices:
– “Let no one be found among you…who practices divination” (Deuteronomy 18:10-14).
– King Saul’s visit to the medium at Endor ends in judgment (1 Samuel 28).
– InActs 19:18-19, new believers burn their magic scrolls, demonstrating true repentance.
– Paul lists sorcery among “the works of the flesh” that bar people from inheriting the kingdom (Galatians 5:19-21).
• Why God forbids it:
– It opens the door to demonic influence (1 Corinthians 10:20).
– It mirrors humanity’s first sin—seeking wisdom apart from God (Genesis 3:5-6).
– It denies the sufficiency of Scripture and the Holy Spirit for guidance (2 Timothy 3:16-17;John 16:13).
• Believers today face modern versions—horoscopes, tarot, manifestations, crystals. The form changes; the rebellion behind them does not. Our calling is to “test the spirits” (1 John 4:1) and cling to God’s revealed Word.
summaryLeviticus 19:26 anchors two timeless truths. First, life is sacred; blood symbolizes that life and ultimately points to Christ’s redemptive sacrifice. Second, God alone is our source of wisdom and power; any attempt to tap supernatural forces apart from Him is forbidden and dangerous. Walking in reverence for life and reliance on the Lord marks us as His holy people in every generation.
(26)
Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood.--According to the administrators of the law during the second Temple, there are no less than five different things forbidden here. It prohibits (1) eating the flesh of a legally slaughtered animal as long as its life is not quite gone, or whilst the flesh is still trembling; (2) eating the flesh of sacrificial animals whilst the blood is still in the sprinkling bowl, and before it has been sprinkled on the altar; (3) eating the meat of mourners by the relatives when a member of the family has been publicly executed, and his blood has been shed; (4) eating anything by the judicial court on the day when their sentence of death is being executed on the criminal; and (5) it warns the rebellious and gluttonous son not to eat immoderately by the penalty of blood." The ancient Chaldee Version, therefore, which translates it "Ye shall not eat the flesh of any sacrifice whilst the blood is in the basin unsprinkled," exhibits the second of these prohibitions involved in this interpretation; and all the five premise the rendering of this phrase, "Ye shall not eat by the blood," which has the merit of being literal; whilst the Authorised Version follows the first of these five prohibitions. Others, again, who also translate it "Ye shall not eat by the blood," take it as a prohibition of the idolatrous practice which obtained among the Zabii, who, to obtain favour from the demons, gathered the blood of the sacrifices which they offered to them into a vessel or a hole dug in the earth, and then sat around it to consume the sacrificial meal by the blood, thinking that thereby they fraternised with these demons. This seems to be favoured by the next clause.
Neither shall ye use enchantment.-Better,ye shall use no enchantment.According to the authorities during the second Temple, this consisted in any one saying, "A morsel has dropped out of my mouth; the staff has fallen out of my hand; my child has called out behind me; a crow has cawed to me; a deer has crossed my path; a serpent crept on my right hand; a fox has gone by on my left;" and regarding these as bad omens for the day which has now began or for the work which he has just commenced. Or if he says to the man who raises the taxes, "Do not begin with me; it is still early in the day; it is the first of the month; it is the beginning of the week; I shall be unlucky the whole day, week, or month to be the first to be burdened;" this is enchantment.
Nor observe times.--This, according to the same authorities, consists in "taking notice of the seasons and days, and in saying this is a good day to beginajourney, to-morrow will be lucky to make a purchase."
Verses 26-28. - After a repetition of the fundamental ceremonial law against eating things which have the blood in them (the LXX. rendering,
ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρέων, "upon the mountains," arises from a mistaken reading), follow prohibitions
(1) touse enchantment, literally,to whisper or mutter after holding communication with serpents (if the wordnichesh be derived fromnachash, a serpent);
(2) toobserve times, or rather, according to a more probable etymology,exercise the evil eye;
(3) toround the corners of your heads, that is, use a sort of tonsure, as was done by some Arabian tribes (Herod., 3:3) in honour of their god Orotal, and by the Israelites as a form of mourning (Deuteronomy 14:1;Isaiah 22:12); . . .
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
You must notלֹ֥א(lō)Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808:Not, noeatתֹאכְל֖וּ(ṯō·ḵə·lū)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 398:To eatanything withעַל־(‘al-)Preposition
Strong's 5921:Above, over, upon, againstblood still in it.הַדָּ֑ם(had·dām)Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1818:Blood, of man, an animal, the juice of the grape, bloodshedYou must notלֹ֥א(lō)Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808:Not, nopractice divinationתְעוֹנֵֽנוּ׃(ṯə·‘ō·w·nê·nū)Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 5172:To hiss, whisper a, spell, to prognosticateor sorcery.תְנַחֲשׁ֖וּ(ṯə·na·ḥă·šū)Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 6049:To act covertly, practise magic
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OT Law: Leviticus 19:26 You shall not eat any meat (Le Lv Lev.) 
