Leviticus 7:19

And the flesh that toucheth any unclean thing shall not be eaten; it shall be burnt with fire: and as for the flesh, all that be clean shall eat thereof.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(19) And the flesh that toucheth.—Not only does the sacrificial flesh become desecrated when left by itself beyond the prescribed period, but when it comes in contact with what is unclean, man, woman, or animal, which might happen whilst it is carried from the altar to the place where it is eaten, it becomes defiled, and must be burnt, so that no profane use is made of it.

And as for the flesh, all that be clean shall eat thereof.—Better, And as for the flesh, every one that is clean may eat the flesh—that is, any one whom the offerer invites may partake of the sacrificial repast, provided he is legally clean.

Benson Commentary

Leviticus 7:19-21. All that be clean shall eat thereof — Whether priests, or offerers, or guests invited. Both the flesh and the eaters of it must be clean. The soul that eateth — Knowingly; for if it were done ignorantly, a sacrifice was accepted for it. Having his uncleanness upon him — Not being cleansed according to the appointment, Leviticus 11:24, &c. Shall be cut off from his people — That is, excluded from all the privileges of an Israelite. The intention of all these precepts was to preserve the greater reverence and regard for things sacred, and to signify, that all who live in sin not repented of and mortified, are rejected when they draw nigh to God in outward acts of worship.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

7:11-27 As to the peace-offerings, in the expression of their sense of mercy, God left them more at liberty, than in the expression of their sense of sin; that their sacrifices, being free-will offerings, might be the more acceptable, while, by obliging them to bring the sacrifices of atonement, God shows the necessity of the great Propitiation. The main reason why blood was forbidden of old, was because the Lord had appointed blood for an atonement. This use, being figurative, had its end in Christ, who by his death and blood-shedding caused the sacrifices to cease. Therefore this law is not now in force on believers.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

It was proper that the sacrificial meat should not be polluted by any approach to putrefaction. But the exclusion of a mean-spirited economy may further have furnished the ground for the distinction between the thank-offerings and the others. The most liberal distribution of the meat of the offering, particularly among the poor who were invited to partake, would plainly be becoming when the sacrifice was intended especially to express gratitude for mercies received.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

18. if any of the flesh of the sacrifice … be eaten at all on the third day, it shall not be accepted, neither … imputed—The sacrifice will not be acceptable to God nor profitable to him that offers it.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

The flesh, to wit, of the holy offering, of which he is here treating; and therefore the general word is to be so limited; for other flesh one might eat in this case, Deu 12:15,22.

That toucheth any unclean thing, after its oblation; which might easily happen, as it was conveyed from the altar to the place where it was eaten; for it was not eaten in the holy place, as appears, because it was eaten by the priests, together with the offerers, who might not come thither.

As for the flesh, i.e. the other flesh; that which shall not be polluted by any unclean touch.

All that be clean, whether priests or offerers, or guests invited to the feast. See 1 Samuel 9:12 20:26. Both the flesh and the eaters of it must be clean.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And the flesh that toucheth any unclean thing shall not be eaten,.... That is, the flesh of the peace offerings; should it be touched by any unclean person, man or woman; that was so in a ceremonial sense, being profluvious or menstruous, or having touched anything unclean, or touched by any unclean creature, as a dog or the like, as it might be while carried from the tabernacle to any of their tents or houses:

it shall be burnt with fire; that no profit might be had of it; and this was to make them careful in carrying it from place to place:

and as for the flesh, all that be clean shall eat thereof; that are clean in a ceremonial sense; as all that are clean in an evangelic sense, through the blood and righteousness of Christ, may, by faith, eat his flesh and drink his blood. Jarchi observes, that whereas it is said, Deuteronomy 12:27 "thou shall eat the flesh"; some might object and say, that none might eat of the peace offerings but the owners of them, therefore it is said here, "all that be clean shall eat"; not the owners only, nor the priests and Levites only, but whoever the offerer should invite to eat thereof, provided he was but clean.

Geneva Study Bible

And the flesh that toucheth any unclean {k} thing shall not be eaten; it shall be burnt with fire: and {l} as for the flesh, all that be clean shall eat thereof.

(k) After it is sacrificed.

(l) Of the peace offering that is clean.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

19–21. The sacrificial flesh must not be brought into contact with anything that is unclean, nor eaten by anyone that is unclean. Special cases of ritual impurity are enumerated in chs. 11–15.

Leviticus 7:19

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

In the same way all sacrificial flesh that had come into contact with what was unclean, and been defiled in consequence, was to be burned and not eaten. Leviticus 7:19, which is not found in the Septuagint and Vulgate, reads thus: "and as for the flesh, every clean person shall eat flesh," i.e., take part in the sacrificial meal.