Bible Strands
Leviticus 22:8
He must not eat anything found dead or torn by wild animals, which would make him unclean. I am the LORD.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Yahweh addresses the priests regarding the conditions under which they may resume eating sacred offerings after ritual impurity. He issues this command immediately after explaining that sunset restores ceremonial cleanliness.
The words — The text uses נְבֵלָ֧ה (ne.ve.Lah), meaning a carcass, and וּ/טְרֵפָ֛ה (u./te.re.Fah), meaning a torn animal, to specify prohibited food sources. The phrase לֹ֥א יֹאכַ֖ל (lo' yo.Khal) explicitly forbids consumption.
The thread — This restriction appears in Exodus 22:31, which commands throwing the meat to dogs, and Leviticus 17:15, which requires washing clothes after contact. Leviticus 7:24 extends the prohibition to eating the fat of such animals.
Why it lands — The text states that consuming these specific animals directly causes ceremonial uncleanness. The closing declaration "I am the LORD" grounds the dietary restriction in divine authority rather than cultural preference.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
That which dieth of itself, or is torn with beasts, he shall not eat to defile himself therewith: I am the Lord.
Cross-references
- Leviticus 17:15 And any person, whether native or foreigner, who eats anything found dead or mauled by wild beasts must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening; then he will be clean.
- Exodus 22:31 You are to be My holy people. You must not eat the meat of a mauled animal found in the field; you are to throw it to the dogs.
- Leviticus 7:24 The fat of an animal found dead or mauled by wild beasts may be used for any other purpose, but you must not eat it.
- Deuteronomy 14:21 You are not to eat any carcass; you may give it to the foreigner residing within your gates, and he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner. For you are a holy people belonging to the LORD your God. You must not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.
- Ezekiel 44:31 The priests may not eat any bird or animal found dead or torn by wild beasts.
- Leviticus 11:39 If an animal that you may eat dies, anyone who touches the carcass will be unclean until evening.