Leviticus 17: 11
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.
life (nephesh – pronounced neh-fesh)
a breathing creature, that is, animal or (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental); body, breath, creature, mind, mortality, person
flesh (basara – pronounced baw-sawr)
body, person, the pudenda of a man, fat, lean, self, skin
blood (dam – pronounced dawm)
blood (as that which when shed causes death) of man or an animal; by analogy the juice of the grape; figuratively (especially in the plural) bloodshed
atonement (kaphar – pronounced kaw-far)
to cover (specifically with bitumen); figuratively to expiate or condone, to placate or cancel: appease, cleanse, disannul, forgive, be merciful, pacify, pardon, to pitch, purge away, put off, make reconciliation
souls (nephesh – pronounced neh-fesh)
this is the same definition as “life” above
blood (dam – pronounce dawm)
same definition as “blood” above
atonement (kaphar – pronounced kaw-far)
same definition as “atonement” above
soul
Same definition as above
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. The sinner deserved to die; therefore the sacrifice must die.
God appointed the sprinkling or pouring out of the blood of the sacrifice upon the altar to signify that the life of the sacrifice was given to God instead of the sinner’s life, and as a ransom or counter-price for it; therefore without shedding of blood there was no remission. Heb 9: 22
