The Life Is in the Blood
Part of the Holiness Code (Leviticus 17-26). After centralizing all sacrifice at the Tent of Meeting, God issues the Bible's definitive law on blood: because life itself resides in it, blood belongs on the altar to make atonement, never on the table to be eaten.
If anyone from the house of Israel or a foreigner living among them eats any blood, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from among his people.
For 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.
Therefore I say to the Israelites, 'None of you may eat blood, nor may any foreigner living among you eat blood.'
And if any Israelite or foreigner living among them hunts down a wild animal or bird that may be eaten, he must drain its blood and cover it with dirt.
For the life of all flesh is its blood. Therefore I have told the Israelites, 'You must not eat the blood of any living thing, because the life of all flesh is its blood; whoever eats it must be cut off.'
And any person, whether native or foreigner, who eats anything found dead or mauled by wild beasts must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening; then he will be clean.