Leviticus 22:8

8 ¹He shall not eat what dies of itself or is torn by beasts, and so make 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 person who touches such a thing shall be unclean until the evening and shall not eat of the holy things unless he has bathed his body in water.

7 When the sun goes down he shall be clean, and afterward he may eat of the holy things, because they are his food.

8 He shall not eat what dies of itself or is torn by beasts, and so make himself unclean by it: I am the Lord. ’

9 They shall therefore keep my charge, lest they bear sin for it and die thereby when they profane it: I am the Lord who sanctifies them.

10 “A lay person shall not eat of a holy thing; no foreign guest of the priest or hired worker shall eat of a holy thing,

Cross References

• 1. 22:8 See ch. 7:24