fishes does not appear to be interdicted. The words in Lev. vii, 26, only expressly mention that of birds and cattle. This accords, however, with the reasons assigned for the prohibition of blood, inasmuch as fishes could not be offered to the Lord, although they formed a significant offering in heathen religions. To this is to be added that the apostles and elders, assembled in council at Jerusalem, when desirous of settling the ex- tent to which the ceremonial observances were bind- ing upon the converts to Christianity, renewed the in- junction to abstain from blood, and coupled it with things offered to idols (Acts xv, 29). It is perhaps worthy of notice here that Mohammed, while profess- ing to abrogate some of the dietary restrictions of the Jewish law (which he asserts were imposed on account of the sins of the Jews, Sura iv, 158), still enforces, among others, abstinence from blood and from things offered to idols {Koran, Sur. v, 4 ; vi, 146, ed. Flugel).
In direct opposition to this emphatic prohibition of blood in the Mosaic law, the customs of uncivilized heathens sanctioned the cutting of slices from the liv- ing animal, and the eating of the flesh while quivering with life and dripping with blood. Even Saul's army committed this barbarity, as we read in 1 Sam. xiv, 32; and the prophet also lays it to the charge of the Jews in Ezek. xxxiii, 25. This practice, according to Bruce's testimony, exists at present among the Abys- sinians. Moreover, pagan religions, and that of the Phoenicians among the rest, appointed the eating and drinking of blood, mixed with wine, as a rite of idola- trous worship, and especially in the ceremonial of swearing. To this the passage in Psa. xvi, 4 appears to allude (comp. Michaelis, Critisck. Colkg. p. 108, where several testimonies on this subject are collected).
Among Christians different views have been enter- tained respecting the eating of blood, some maintain- ing that its prohibition in the Scriptures is to be re- garded as merely ceremonial and temporary, Avhile others contend that it is unlawful under any circum- stances, and that Christians are as much bound to ab- stain from it now as were the Jews under the Mosaic economy. This they found en the facts that when an- imal food was originally granted to man, there was an express reservation in the article of the blood : that this grant was made to the new parents of the whole human family after the flood, consequently the tenure by which any of mankind are permitted to eat animals is in every case accompanied with this restriction ; that there never was any reversal of the prohibition ; that most express injunctions were given on the point in the Jewish code ; and that in the New Testament, instead of there being the least hint intimating that we are freed from the obligation, it is deserving of partic- ular notice that at the very time when the Holy Spirit declares by the apostles (Acts xv) that the Gentiles are free from the yoke of circumcision, abstinence from blood is explicitly enjoined, and the action thus pro- hibited is classed with idolatry and fornication. After the time of Augustine the rule began to be held mere- ly as a temporary injunction. It was one of the grounds alleged by the early apologists against the calumnies of the enemies of Christianity that, so far were they from drinking human blood, it was unlaw- ful for them to drink the blood even of irrational ani- mals. Numerous testimonies to the same effect arc found in after ages (Bingham, Orig. Feci. bk. xvii, ch. v, § 20). See Food.
2. Sacrificial. — It was a well-established rabbinical maxim (Mishna, Yoma, v, 1 ; Menachoth, xciii, 2) that the blood of a victim is essential to atonement ("pX CIS X5N rt"£I, i. c. "there is no expiation except by blood"), a principle recognised by the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews (vcjoir- al/iareicxwrias ov yivt- TOi dipemc., ix, 22). See Biihr, Symbol, ii, 201 sq. Sec Expiation. The blood of sacrifices was caught by the Jewish priest from the neck of the victim in a ba-
BLOOD
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BLOOD
sin, then sprinkled seven times (in the case of birds at once shed out) on the altar, i. e. on its horns, its base, or its four corners, or on its side above or below a line running round it, or on the mercy-seat, according to the quality and purpose of the offering ; but that of the l'assover on the lintel and door-posts (Exod. xii ; Lev. iv, 5-7 ; xvi, 14-19 ; Ugolini, Thes. vol. x and xiii). There was a drain from the Temple into the brook Ce- dron to carry off tlie blood (Maimon. apud Cramer de Ard Exter. Ugolini, viii). It sufficed to pour the ani- mal's blood on the earth, or to bury it, as a solemn rendering of the life to God. See Sacrifice.
'."•. Homicidal. — In this respect "blood" is often used for life : God "will require the blood of man ;" he will punish murder in what manner soever committed (Gen. ix, 5). " His blood be upon us" (Matt, xxvii, 25), let the guilt of his death be imputed to us. " The voice of thy brother's blood crieth ;" the murder com- mitted on him crieth for vengeance (Gen. iv, 10). "The avenger of blood;" he who is to avenge the death of his relative (Num. xxxv, 24, 27). The priests under the Mosaic law were constituted judges between "blood and blood," that is, in criminal matters, and when the life of man was at stake ; they had to deter- mine whether the murder were casual or voluntary, whether a crime deserved death or admitted of remis- sion (Deut. xvii, 8). In case of human bloodshed, a mysterious connection is observable between the curse of blood and the earth or land on which it is shed, which becomes polluted by it; and the proper expia- tion is the blood of the shedder, which every one had thus an interest in exacting, and was bound to seek (Gen. iv, 10 ; ix, 4-6 ; Num. xxxv, 33 ; Psa. cvi, 38). See Avenger of Blood. In the case of a dead body found and the death not accounted for, the guilt of blood attached to the nearest city, to be ascertained by measurement, until freed by prescribed rites of expia- tion (Deut. xxi, 1-9). The guilt of murder is one for which a satisfaction" was forbidden (Num. xxxv, 31). Si 2 Murder.