Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 44:31
The priests shall not eat of any thing that is dead of itself, or torn, whether it be fowl or beast.
31. On this prohibition Exo 22:31; Lev 22:8. Cf. Lev 17:15.
The injunctions in Eze 44:30 are very general. The prophet presupposes former customs familiar to the people, which he desires to continue. Everywhere in these chapters his directions are in the main a reproduction of a past customary and understood practice.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
This was forbidden to all the Jews, much more to the priests, Exo 22:31; Lev 22:8.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
The priests shall not eat of anything that is dead of itself, or torn,…. They shall have no need to eat of such things, being plentifully provided for with better; nor will it become them so to do through avarice, not allowing themselves to enjoy what is liberally given them. Here the Jewish doctors t observe that it is said, the priests shall not eat of these things, suggesting that Israelites might; this puzzles them, therefore they say, Elijah will explain this verse; and the gloss says, till Elijah comes, and explains it to us, we know not how to explain it. In the mystic sense it may signify, that the priests of the Lord should have no communication with such as are dead in sin, or are given to rapine and violence, and should abstain from everything of this kind themselves.
Whether it be fowl or beast; whether Pharisees and high flown professors of religion, or earthly and worldly persons, and such that are immersed in carnal pleasures, in sensual and brutish lusts. The allusion is to the law in Le 17:15, which was common to all Israelites, priests and people.
t T. Bab. Menachot, fol. 45. 1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(31) Dead of itself, or torn.Comp. Lev. 22:8. The same law was binding upon all the Israelites. (Lev. 17:15.) In the wilderness they were required to cast it to the dogs (Exo. 23:31); afterwards they might give it to a stranger or sell it to an alien. (Deu. 14:21.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
“The priests shall not eat of anything which dies of itself, or is torn, whether it be beast or bird.”
This was in fact true for all Israelites (Lev 7:24), but it is emphatically stressed here that it is especially important for priests. Clearly such animals may have died of disease, or have become infected. But the main point ritually was that they had not been killed cleanly and the blood properly dealt with.
These renewed instructions to the priests were necessary so that when the return from exile took place they would immediately be aware of the need to return to the Law of Moses, and even to go beyond it in being holy before God. What had previously applied only to the High Priest now applied to all priests. For they served a holy God, and had to be a lesson and example to the people.
The assumption is that first a sanctuary would be set up, and then a temple built, which would mirror to some extent the heavenly temple. But only the former is commanded (Eze 43:18). And however mean and crude their temple might be they would be ever aware of the glory of the heavenly temple that it represented. For they were the people of Yahweh, and Yahweh was glorious and holy above all things. Thus they need never be ashamed of their temple however simple it was, because of what it represented.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
REFLECTIONS
AND art thou, my soul, indeed a Priest, in this glorious House of thy God? Oh! then consider the great Apostle, and High Priest of thy profession, Christ Jesus. It is by virtue of thy union with Him, and redemption, by Him, that thou art brought into this royal Priesthood, and made an heir of God, and a joint heir with Christ. In him, all thine authority is found. By Him, all thy priestly exercises are carried on. Through Him, is the whole, both of thy person and offerings accepted. And for Him, and His sake alone, Jehovah hath respect to the whole Church, which is His body. Hail! thou Lamb of God! who art still the Lamb in the midst of the throne: equally attentive to thine house below, as to thine house above! All is made holy, and blessed, being chosen by Jehovah, in thee, before the world began! And now, and forever, is every individual member of thy mystical body made honorable and glorious, by the sprinkling of thy blood, and by the sweet communications of thy blessed Spirit. Lord! add a blessing to these immense privileges, and cause me daily, hourly, minutely, to remember, and live up to that remembrance, that thou art my inheritance; that I have no inheritance in anything here below; no possession in earth, and earthly concerns; for the Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup, thou maintaineth my lot! And oh, for g race, to be as momently living to the glory and praise of my Lord; and presenting my body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is my reasonable service.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Eze 44:31 The priests shall not eat of any thing that is dead of itself, or torn, whether it be fowl or beast.
Ver. 31. The priests shall not eat, &c. ] They shall not be greedy of filthy lucre, nor oppressive. Popish priests made so much gain of the dead, and so “devoured widows’ houses,” under a pretence of dirges, trentals, masses for the dead, &c., that there was a necessity in, this kingdom of a statute of mortmain a to restrain them.
a The figurative use is often based on the notion that the ‘dead hand’ means the posthumous control exercised by the testator over the uses to which the property is to be applied. D
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
dead of itself, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Lev 22:8).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Exo 22:31, Lev 17:15, Lev 22:8, Deu 14:21, Rom 14:20, 1Co 8:13
Reciprocal: Lev 7:24 – beast Lev 11:40 – eateth Mal 1:13 – torn Act 10:14 – for
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 44:31. The priests were restricted according to this verse 1n regard to the eating of certain things. For that reason the people would know better than to bring such articles to the service since these men had to live of the things of the attar.”