Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Leviticus 11:39
And if any beast, of which ye may eat, die; he that toucheth the carcass thereof shall be unclean until the even.
39. The carcase even of a clean beast causes uncleanness.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
If any beast die; either of itself, or being killed by some wild beast, in which cases the blood was not poured forth, as it was when they were killed by men either for food or sacrifice.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And if any beast of which ye may eat die,…. Any clean beast, as the ox, sheep, goat, deer, c. what, if rightly killed, is very lawful to eat of but if it died of itself through any distemper, or was torn by the wild beasts, so the Targum of Jonathan:
he that toucheth the carcass thereof shall be unclean until the even; not the bones, nerves, horns, hoofs, or skin, as Jarchi observes; these might be handled, because some of them, at least, were wrought up into one instrument or another, by artificers, for use and service, but the flesh of them might not be touched; whoever did touch it was ceremonially unclean, and might not go into the sanctuary, or have conversation with men, until the evening of the day in which this was done.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Lastly, contact with edible animals, if they had not been slaughtered, but had died a natural death, and had become carrion in consequence, is also said to defile (cf. Lev 11:39, Lev 11:40 with Lev 11:24-28). This was the case, too, with the eating of the swarming land animals, whether they went upon the belly,
(Note: The large in (Lev 11:42) shows that this vav is the middle letter of the Pentateuch.)
as snakes and worms, or upon four feet, as rats, mice, weasels, etc., or upon many feet, like the insects (Lev 11:41-43). Lastly (Lev 11:44, Lev 11:45), the whole law is enforced by an appeal to the calling of the Israelites, as a holy nation, to be holy as Jehovah their God, who had brought them out of Egypt to be a God to them, was holy (Exo 6:7; Exo 29:45-46).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(39) And if any beast.That is, a clean animal, which is both bisulcous and ruminant, but which has not been properly slaughtered, having died from any disease or accident. During the second Temple, the law here enacted was restricted to quadrupeds, domestic or wild, but was not applicable to birds and fishes.
He that toucheth the carcase.The carcase, in this case, is to be regarded as the dead body of an unclean animal (see Lev. 11:24-28), and defiles by contact. (See also Lev. 17:15.) This, however, only applies to the flesh of the quadruped. The skin, the bones, the sinews, the horns, and the claws are clean, the sacred Scriptures even being written on the prepared skins; and the horns used for the trumpets or horns of the sanctuary, according to the canons of the Pharisees, whilst the Samaritans and the Sadducees regarded them as polluting.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
39. If any beast die The prohibition of the flesh of clean animals which have died is founded on sanitary grounds. When the blood is not drawn from the veins the flesh becomes corrupt and poisonous.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Carcases of Clean Beasts Render Unclean Whoever Touches Them ( Lev 11:39-40 ).
Lev 11:39-40
“And if any beast, of which you may eat, die; he who touches its carcase shall be unclean until the even. And he who eats its carcase shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even, he also who carries the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.”
Even the carcasses of clean animals that have died are unclean. They have then left their proper sphere. Death makes them unclean. For death is finally at the root of all uncleanness. Elsewhere the differing kinds of death are mentioned. For example when the animal had been torn in the field by a carnivorous beast (Exo 22:31), it should be cast to the wild dogs gathered outside the camp. It was likely to be infected. But when it had died a natural death, or had been carried off by disease (Deu 14:21) it could be sold to ‘aliens’. This latter may be partly because of the prohibition against eating blood. But all death is to be avoided. And to touch it is to be made unclean until the evening. And to eat it or to carry it requires that their clothes be washed in water, (they could not eat them without the preparations involving their touching their clothes). Then all are unclean until the evening.
As the dead animal might well be dead because of disease, or may have had time to begin to decay, or may already have been attacked by scavengers and vermin, this was clearly a wise provision. But such carcasses could be sold for food to non-Israelites who were not effected by the regulations for ritual uncleanness. They were not bound by the Law. These would not like to see them being wasted and might well beg to be allowed to eat them. Eating meat was a comparatively rare treat, and they would get them on the cheap. But the stipulation clearly expects that even some Israelites will remove these dead carcasses, and eat them, although it is to be seen as not worthy of one who belongs to God. The truly pure in Israel would not do so. The penalty is a short period of uncleanness which would not concern the less devout, although if disease was there the ‘penalty’ might turn out to be greater. It is different with ‘abominations’. They are not to be touched at all.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Lev 11:39 And if any beast, of which ye may eat, die; he that toucheth the carcase thereof shall be unclean until the even.
Ver. 39. Of which ye may. ] Compare Psa 49:12 , pecoribus morticinis. – Tremel.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Lev 11:24, Lev 11:28, Lev 11:31, Lev 11:40, Lev 15:5, Lev 15:7, Num 19:11, Num 19:16
Reciprocal: Lev 5:2 – touch Eze 4:14 – have I
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Lev 11:39-42. If any beast die Either of itself, or being killed by some wild beast, in which cases the blood was not poured forth, as it was when they were killed by men either for food or sacrifice. He that eateth Unwittingly, for if he did it knowingly, it was a presumptuous sin against an express law, (Deu 14:21,) and therefore punished as such. Every creeping thing Except those expressly excepted, Lev 11:29-30. Upon the belly As worms and snakes. Upon all four As toads and divers serpents.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
God gave further directions about the polluting effect of even clean animals that died (Lev 11:39-40). In a concluding exhortation (Lev 11:41-45) He called on His people to be holy as He is holy (Lev 11:44-45; cf. Lev 19:2; Lev 20:7; Lev 20:26; 1Pe 1:16). Our highest duty is to imitate our creator.
"The solemn statement ’I am the LORD’ occurs forty-six times throughout Leviticus [Lev 11:44-45, passim], identifying Israel’s God as the ever living, ever present One. Every aspect of daily life was affected by the reality of the presence of God." [Note: Schultz, pp. 30-31.]
A final summary states the purpose of these laws: to distinguish between the unclean and the clean (Lev 11:46-47).
"The NT teaches that the OT food laws are no longer binding on the Christian. These laws symbolized God’s choice of Israel. They served as constant reminders of God’s electing grace. As he had limited his choice among the nations to Israel, so they for their part had to restrict their diet to certain animals." [Note: Wenham, The Book . . ., p. 183.]
"Those who have been redeemed by the holy, sovereign God must demonstrate his holiness in their everyday lifestyles (notably in eating)." [Note: Ross, p. 261.]