Leviticus 7:21

Moreover the soul that shall touch any unclean thing, as the uncleanness of man, or any unclean beast, or any abominable unclean thing, and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which pertain unto the LORD, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

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

Unclean beast - that is, carrion of any kind. See Leviticus 11.

Shall be cut off - See the Exodus 31:14 note.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

21. abominable unclean thing—Some copies of the Bible read, "any reptile."

Matthew Poole's Commentary

The uncleanness of man, or,

of women, for the word signifies both; and that there were such things coming from men or women, the touch whereof did pollute men and things, may be seen Le 15, and elsewhere. Others make it an hypallage uncleanness of man, for a man of uncleanness, or, an unclean man. But that seems not necessary here.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Moreover, the soul that shall touch any unclean thing,.... Person or thing, the dead body of a man, or the bone of a dead body, or a grave in which it was laid:

as the uncleanness of man; the issue that runs from a profluvious person:

or any unclean beast; that was so by the law ceremonial; see Leviticus 11:4,

or any abominable unclean thing; which the Targum of Jonathan interprets of every unclean reptile: see Leviticus 11:20.

and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which pertain unto the Lord, even that soul shall be cut off from his people; See Gill on Leviticus 7:20.

Geneva Study Bible

Moreover the soul that shall touch any unclean thing, as the uncleanness of man, or any unclean beast, or any abominable unclean thing, and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which pertain unto the LORD, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

21. abomination] detestation, Heb. shéḳeẓ: the word is used in ch. Leviticus 11:10-12 of things without fins and scales that move in the waters, and in Leviticus 11:13; Lev 11:20; Lev 11:23; Lev 11:41-42 of birds of prey and creeping (swarming) things. See notes there. Some prefer to read shereẓ (swarming thing) following Sam. Targ. Pesh.

shall be cut off] It has been debated whether this expression means death or outlawry. Probably the latter penalty is intended. Cp. Code of Ḥammurabi (Johns) §§ 154, 158.

Leviticus 7:21

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.