Leviticus 7:19-27

What boundaries govern eating a holy offering?

Berean Standard Bible

19 Meat that touches anything unclean must not be eaten; it is to be burned up. As for any other meat, anyone who is ceremonially clean may eat it. 20 But if anyone who is unclean eats meat from the peace offering that belongs to the LORD, that person must be cut off from his people. 21 If one touches anything unclean, whether human uncleanness, an unclean animal, or any unclean, detestable thing, and then eats any of the meat of the peace offering that belongs to the LORD, that person must be cut off from his people.” 22 Then the LORD said to Moses, 23 “Speak to the Israelites and say, ‘You are not to eat any of the fat of an ox, a sheep, or a goat. 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. 25 If anyone eats the fat of an animal from which a food offering may be presented to the LORD, the one who eats it must be cut off from his people. 26 You must not eat the blood of any bird or animal in any of your dwellings. 27 If anyone eats blood, that person must be cut off from his people.’”

What is the context?

Meat that touches uncleanness must be burned. A person who eats the peace offering while unclean faces the serious consequence of being cut off. The following instruction also prohibits eating the specified fat of sacrificial animals or the blood of birds and animals.

The law distinguishes other uses of fat from an animal found dead or mauled from eating it. These distinctions show that the offering’s holiness and the worshiper’s condition matter together. This is more specific than a general dislike of particular foods.

How is this passage commonly understood?

Wesley relates the warning about the unclean eater to knowingly disregarding the required cleansing. The USCCB note explains that cut off can involve more than one form of divine punishment and should not always be reduced to one English equivalent. The severity is clear, while the exact mode is not described in each occurrence.

What is our position?

We don't have a position on this passage yet. When our study reaches a conclusion the text supports, it will appear here.

Where can I study this further?

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