Leviticus 22:8

8 He must not eat an animal that died naturally or was mauled by wild beasts,^{[a] [b]} making himself unclean by it; I am the Lord.

Leviticus 22:8 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 22:8

That which dieth of itself, or is torn [with beasts]
Whether fowls or beasts, and even clean ones, which, had they been killed in a proper manner, were fit to cut, but dying of themselves, or torn to pieces by other birds or beasts of prey, might not, see ( Ezekiel 44:31 ) ; he shall not eat, to defile himself therewith;
being impure food, at least in a ceremonial sense, and not fit to be eaten; these things were forbid a common Israelite, and much less might a priest eat of them, see ( Leviticus 17:15 ) ; I [am] the Lord;
who enjoin this, and expect to be obeyed.

Leviticus 22:8 In-Context

6 the man who touches any of these will remain unclean until evening and is not to eat from the holy offerings unless he has bathed his body with water.

7 When the sun has set, he will become clean, and then he may eat from the holy offerings, for that is his food.

8 He must not eat an animal that died naturally or was mauled by wild beasts, making himself unclean by it; I am the Lord.

9 They must keep My instruction, or they will be guilty and die because they profane it; I am the Lord who sets them apart.

10 "No one outside a priest's family is to eat the holy offering. A foreigner staying with a priest or a hired hand is not to eat the holy offering.

Footnotes

• [a] Lit eat a carcass or a mauled beast
• [b] Lv 7:24; 17:15; Ex 22:31; Ezk 44:31