Charles Ellicott Commentary Leviticus 17:10

"And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among them, that eateth any manner of blood, I will set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people." — Leviticus 17:10 (ASV)

And whatsoever man. —Better, and whatever man .

Eateth any manner of blood. —This prohibition, which has already been mentioned twice in Leviticus, is in both instances joined to the prohibition of fat (Leviticus 7:26–27). Owing to its great importance, however, the law is enacted here separately, where it naturally follows the order that the blood of all animals sacrificed in the sanctuary is to be offered to the Lord upon the altar. According to the canons that prevailed during the second Temple, the blood of clean fish, locusts, and permissible creeping things is exempted.

I will even set my face against that soul. —That is, to make him feel my anger.

Though this phrase occurs only twice more in this book, and only once in connection with legal enactments (Leviticus 20:6; Leviticus 26:17), yet from its uses in other passages it is clear that the expression “face” denotes anger, which shows itself in the countenance.

Thus, the phrase translated in the Authorized Version as I will appease him (Genesis 30:20) is, in the original, I will appease his face, where it manifestly stands for anger.

Hence, Lamentations 4:16, which in the original reads, the face of the Lord hath divided them, is properly rendered in the Authorized Version’s text as the anger of the Lord (compare also 1 Peter 3:12).