"... In Genesis 9:4 the prohibition against ingesting blood is given to Noah as the sole restriction on the control of the animal kingdom granted to him and his heirs. It is thus defined as binding on the whole human race, unlike all the other dietary laws, which serve to distinguish Israel from the nations. It is repeated for Israel in the context of the sacrificial rituals (Leviticus 3:17; 7:26-27) and for Israel and resident aliens (Leviticus 17:10-14). This latter passage applies the rule to game as well as domestic animals, including birds (Leviticus 17:13), and offers explanations. Leviticus 7:27 and 17:10, 14 ordain a sanction: Yahweh will “cut off anyone who eats blood.” Leviticus 19:26 is frequently read as speaking of “eating with the blood,” but the literal translation is “on the blood,” and a different practice may be in view (compare 1 Samuel 14:31-34; Ezekiel 33:25). The rule is also found in Deuteronomy 12:16, 23-25; 15:23, where permission is given (as against Leviticus 17) for the secular slaughter of animals. In sacrificial slaughter the blood would have been poured against the altar as the divine portion; its mention here ensures that in the less-controlled secular environment the animal’s blood still does not pass human lips. The texts all speak of eating blood, not drinking it; this probably shows that the issue is one of eating blood as part of the meat ..."