Leviticus 22:8-18

8 He must never eat the meat of an animal that dies naturally or is killed by wild animals. It will make him unclean. I am the LORD.

9 The priests must do what I order, or their sin will bring them death because they dishonored a holy offering. I am the LORD, who sets them apart as holy.

10 "Laypeople must never eat any holy offering, even if they are visiting a priest or are working for him.

11 But if a priest buys a slave, the slave and anyone born in his household may eat the priest's food.

12 However, if a priest's daughter marries a layman, she must never eat the food taken from the holy contributions.

13 If a priest's daughter is widowed or divorced, doesn't have any children, and comes back to live in her father's home, she may eat her father's food. But a layperson must never eat it.

14 "Those who eat a holy offering by mistake must give another holy offering to the priest and add one-fifth more to it.

15 Priests must not dishonor the holy offerings that the Israelites contribute to the LORD.

16 They must make those people pay the penalty for their guilt because they have eaten the priests' holy offerings. I am the LORD, who sets them apart as holy."

17 The LORD spoke to Moses,

18 "Tell Aaron, his sons, and all the Israelites: Israelites or foreigners may bring burnt offerings to the LORD for anything they vowed or as freewill offerings.

Leviticus 22:8-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 22

In this chapter several laws are delivered out, forbidding the priests to eat of holy things, when in any uncleanness, or at any time what dies of itself, or is torn of beasts, Le 22:1-9; also showing who belonging to the priests might or might not eat of the holy things, Le 22:10-16; and others requiring that whatever offerings were brought by the children, of Israel, they should be perfect and without blemish, Le 22:17-25; and also declaring what age a creature should be of when sacrificed, and the time when thank offerings were to be eaten, Le 22:26-30; concluding with an exhortation to observe the commands of God, and sanctify him, and not profane his name, Le 22:31-33.