(27) That soul shall be cut off.--According to the law which obtained during the second Temple, the punishment of excision was only inflicted for eating the life-blood (see Leviticus 17:11), that is, the blood in which the life of the animal resides, and the loss of which causes death. For eating the blood found in the limbs, or in any internal portion of the body, a sin offering had to be brought, and the offender was beaten with stripes.
7:11-27 As to the peace-offerings, in the expression of their sense of mercy, God left them more at liberty, than in the expression of their sense of sin; that their sacrifices, being free-will offerings, might be the more acceptable, while, by obliging them to bring the sacrifices of atonement, God shows the necessity of the great Propitiation. The main reason why blood was forbidden of old, was because the Lord had appointed blood for an atonement. This use, being figurative, had its end in Christ, who by his death and blood-shedding caused the sacrifices to cease. Therefore this law is not now in force on believers.
Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood,.... The Targum of Jonathan adds, of any living creature, that is, of any while it is alive; for the Jews always interpret the law in Genesis 9:4 of the member of a living creature torn off from it, and its flesh with the blood eaten directly:
even that soul shall be cut off from his people; Maimonides (r) observes, that to some sorts of food cutting off is threatened, particularly to blood, because of the eager desire of men to eat it in those times, and because it precipitated them to a certain species of idolatry; he means that of the Zabians, of which See Gill on Ezekiel 33:25 of the true reason of the prohibition of eating blood under the law, see Leviticus 17:10, &c.
even that soul shall be cut off from his people; Maimonides (r) observes, that to some sorts of food cutting off is threatened, particularly to blood, because of the eager desire of men to eat it in those times, and because it precipitated them to a certain species of idolatry; he means that of the Zabians, of which See Gill on Ezekiel 33:25 of the true reason of the prohibition of eating blood under the law, see Leviticus 17:10, &c.
(r) Moreh Nevochim, par. 3. c. 41.