Leviticus 22:8 — Word Study
WLCנְבֵלָ֧ה וּטְרֵפָ֛ה לֹ֥א יֹאכַ֖ל לְטָמְאָה־ בָ֑הּ אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֽה׃
BSAHe must notlôʼ eatʼâkal▸ anything found deadnᵉbêlâh [a carcass, dying of itself] or torn by wild animalsṭᵉrêphâh [torn apart, attacked by beasts] which would make him uncleanṭâmêʼ [defiled, contaminated, morally or ceremonially foul] Iʼănîy [the Lord, the national name for God] am the LORDYᵉhôvâh [the supreme God, Yehovah]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| נְבֵלָ֧ה | a carcass | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| וּטְרֵפָ֛ה | and a torn animal | Conjunction, noun common feminine singular absolute |
| לֹ֥א | not | Particle |
| יֹאכַ֖ל | he will eat | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| לְטָמְאָה־ | to become unclean | Preposition, verb qal infinitive construct common |
| בָ֑הּ | by it | Preposition, suffix |
| אֲנִ֖י | I | Pronoun |
| יְהוָֽה׃ | [am] Yahweh | Noun proper |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | He must not eat anything found dead or torn by wild animals, which would make him unclean. I am the LORD. |
| KJV | That which dieth of itself, or is torn with beasts, he shall not eat to defile himself therewith: I am the LORD. |
| ASV | That which dieth of itself, or is torn of beasts, he shall not eat, to defile himself therewith: I am Jehovah. |
| YLT | a carcase or torn thing he doth not eat, for uncleanness thereby; I [am] Jehovah. |
| WEB | He shall not eat that which dies of itself or is torn by animals, defiling himself by it. I am Yahweh. |
| BBE | That which comes to a natural death, or is attacked by beasts, he may not take as food, for it will make him unclean: I am the Lord. |
Where they part company is in the phrasing of יֹאכַ֖ל — see How Translations Differ.
The main clause presents the prohibition, followed by a consequence clause that clarifies the reason for the command.





6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
subjectאֲנִי
verbאָכַל
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Leviticus 22:8
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Laws for the Priestsgenerated
Leviticus 22:8 provides specific dietary laws for priests, emphasizing their need for ceremonial cleanliness. This instruction is part of a broader set of regulations aimed at maintaining holiness among those who serve in the sanctuary. The surrounding verses detail the importance of these laws and the consequences of failing to observe them, as seen in Leviticus 22:9 and Leviticus 22:7.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leviticus 17:15 | And any person, whether native or foreigner, who eats anything found dead or mauled by wild beasts must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening; then he will be clean. |
| 2 | Exodus 22:31 | You are to be My holy people. You must not eat the meat of a mauled animal found in the field; you are to throw it to the dogs. |
| 3 | Deuteronomy 14:21 | You are not to eat any carcass; you may give it to the foreigner residing within your gates, and he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner. For you are a holy people belonging to the LORD your God. You must not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk. |
| 4 | Ezekiel 44:31 | The priests may not eat any bird or animal found dead or torn by wild beasts. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — נְבֵלָה, ne.ve.Lahgenerated
The term נְבֵלָה (nevelah) is a feminine noun referring to a carcass or dead body, applicable to both humans and animals. It is derived from a root meaning 'to be flabby', emphasizing the state of decay associated with a dead body.
In this context, the word indicates something that is unclean, and it is prohibited for the priest to consume it. The implications of this prohibition extend to maintaining ritual purity, as consuming a carcass would defile the priest.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb is יֹאכַ֖ל (yo.khal), meaning 'he will eat', which governs the sentence. The structure emphasizes the prohibition against eating, with the clauses detailing what is forbidden.
The sentence's flow is clear: it begins with a negation, followed by the action of eating, and concludes with the consequence of becoming unclean, thus establishing a clear relationship between the actions and their implications.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates נְבֵלָה as θνησιμαῖον, which also means 'a dead body' or 'carcass'. This choice reflects a direct translation of the Hebrew meaning.
For וּטְרֵפָה, the Greek θηριάλωτον indicates a torn animal, maintaining the original sense of the Hebrew while adapting to the Greek audience.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Leviticus 22:8 instructs priests not to eat anything that is dead or has been torn by wild animals, as this would make them unclean. The verse emphasizes the importance of maintaining ritual purity in their service to God.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Being unclean means that the priest is not fit to perform sacred duties or enter the holy places until he has undergone purification.
These restrictions are crucial for maintaining the holiness and purity required of the priests, as they represent the people before God.
If a priest consumes something that is unclean, he would be defiled and unable to perform his priestly duties until he is cleansed.
While the specific dietary laws for priests do not apply to Christians, the principle of maintaining spiritual purity is still relevant in our lives.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some ways we can maintain purity in our lives today?
- How do we discern what is clean or unclean in our spiritual practices?
- In what ways can we support one another in adhering to spiritual disciplines?
- How does understanding these laws enhance our appreciation for the holiness of God?
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Leviticus 22:8 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThat which dieth of itself, or is torn [with beasts],.... Whether fowls or beasts, and even clean ones, which, had they been killed in a proper manner, were fit to cut, but dying of themselves, or
Read John Gill on Leviticus 22 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd when the sun is down, he shall be clean, and shall afterward eat of the holy things; because it is his food. No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on Leviticus 22 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsLeviticus 22:8 That which dieth of itself, or is torn [with beasts], he shall not eat to defile himself therewith: I [am] the LORD. Ver. 8. See on Leviticus 17:15 Exodus 22:31.
Read John Trapp on Leviticus 22 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges8. Cp. Leviticus 17:15. 10–16 describe those to whom, outside the priestly body, permission to eat of the holy things may be extended.
Read Cambridge on Leviticus 22 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThe pollution in the priests would be an aggravated one, inasmuch as they would have to forego their sacred functions. Compare Ezekiel 4:14; Ezekiel 44:31.
Read Albert Barnes on Leviticus 22 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible8. Dieth of itself — This is prohibited on ceremonial grounds, because the blood is in the veins, and on sanitary grounds, because the blood corrupts and poisons the flesh.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Leviticus 22 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
He must not eat anything found dead or torn by wild animals, which would make him unclean. I am the LORD.
He shall not eat that which dies of itself or is torn by animals, defiling himself by it. I am Yahweh.
He must not eat anything found dead or torn by wild animals, which would make him unclean. I am the LORD.
He must not eat an animal that has died of natural causes or an animal torn by beasts and thus become unclean by it. I am the Lord.
Tyndale line
That which dieth of itself, or is torn with beasts, he shall not eat to defile himself therewith: I am the LORD.
That which dieth of itself, or is torn of beasts, he shall not eat, to defile himself therewith: I am Jehovah.
That which dieth of itself, or is torn of beasts, he shall not eat to defile himself therewith: I am the LORD.
That which dieth of itself, or is torn by beasts , he shall not eat to defile himself with it: I am the LORD.
Of a beast that dyeth, or is rent with beasts, whereby he may be defiled, hee shall not eate: I am the Lord.
Strictly literal
Of a dead carcase and what is torn shall he not eat, to make himself unclean therewith: I am Jehovah.
a carcase or torn thing he doth not eat, for uncleanness thereby; I [am] Jehovah.
he does not eat a carcass or torn thing, to become unclean with it; I [am] YHWH.
That which dieth of itself, or is torn by beasts, shall he not eat, to defile himself therewith: I am the Lord.
He must not eat anything found dead or killed by wild animals, by which he would defile himself. I am Yahweh.
From the Latin
That which dieth of itself, and that which was taken by a beast, they shall not eat, nor be defiled therewith, I am the Lord.
Simplified
He must not eat anything that has died, or has been killed by wild animals, because that would make him unclean. I am the Lord.
That which comes to a natural death, or is attacked by beasts, he may not take as food, for it will make him unclean: I am the Lord.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text closely aligns with the Septuagint, with 7 of the 8 words matching. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs in one word, using יאכלו instead of the singular form, indicating a plural command. The Dead Sea Scrolls show partial restoration, confirming the essence of the command.
נְבֵלָ֧ה וּטְרֵפָ֛ה לֹ֥א יֹאכַ֖ל לְטָמְאָה־ בָ֑הּ אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֽה׃
7 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
נבלה וטרפה לא יאכלו לטמאה בה אני יהוה
1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: יאכלו (eat)
נבלה וטרפה לא יאכל [לטמא׳ה] [ב׳ה] אני יהוה
4 words on the leather — 2 partly restored, 2 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Leviticus 22:8
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
נְבֵלָה (nevelah) refers to a carcass or corpse, applicable to both humans and animals. It can also denote carrion and, in a figurative sense, an idol. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to be flabby' and encompasses the idea of a dead body, whether it died naturally or otherwise.
נְבֵלָה n.f. carcass, corpse
base
H5038 נְבֵלָה carcass, corpse
5038 nbelah neb-ay-law'
from 5034; a flabby thing, i.e. a carcase or carrion (human
or bestial, often collectively); figuratively, an idol:--
(dead) body, (dead) carcase, dead of itself, which died,
(beast) that (which) dieth of itself.
see HEBREW for 05034
נְבֵלָה (ne.ve.lah) — carcass.
1) carcass, corpse
1a) of humans, idols, animals
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
טְרֵפָה (trephah) refers to an animal that has been torn, typically by wild beasts. It is derived from a related term and denotes prey or flesh that has been ravaged. The entries consistently emphasize its meaning related to torn animals and do not present any significant disagreements.
טְרֵפָה n.f. animal torn (by wild beasts); torn flesh
base
H2966 טְרֵפָה animal torn (by wild beasts); torn flesh
2966 trephah ter-ay-faw'
feminine (collectively) of 2964; prey, i.e. flocks devoured
by animals:--ravin, (that which was) torn (of beasts, in
pieces).
see HEBREW for 02964
טְרֵפָה (te.re.phah) — torn animal.
that which is torn, animal torn (by beasts)
Conj | N-fs — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular absoluteHC/Ncfsa
an'-i-mal: See under the various names and also the general article on ZOOLOGY.
Animal
An organized living creature endowed with sensation. The Levitical law divided animals into clean and unclean, although the distinction seems to have existed before the Flood (Gen. 7:2). The clean could be offered in sacrifice and eaten. All animals that had not cloven hoofs and did not chew the cud were unclean. The list of clean and unclean quadrupeds is set forth in the Levitical law (Deut. 14:3-20; Lev. 11).
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Part — ParticleHTn
אָכַל (akal) means 'to eat' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including literal consumption by humans and animals, as well as figurative uses like devouring by fire or destruction. It can describe actions such as feeding or causing to eat, and it also appears in contexts of oppression and destruction. The verb has various forms, indicating different subjects and nuances.
אָכַל 806 vb. eat
Qal
eat, human subject
of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour
fig. of fire, devour, consume
of sword, devour, slay
in genl., devour, consume, destroy
fig. of oppression, devour the poor
Niph.
be eaten by man
be devoured by fire, consumed
be wasted, destroyed, of flesh
Pu. be consumed
Hiph.
cause to eat, feed with
cause to devoure, obj. sword
base
H398 אָכַל eat .. eat, human subject
. of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour
. fig. of fire, devour, consume
. of sword, devour, slay
. in genl., devour, consume, destroy
. fig. of oppression, devour the poor
. . be eaten by man
. be devoured by fire, consumed
. be wasted, destroyed, of flesh
. be consumed
. . cause to eat, feed with
. cause to devoure, obj. sword
398 'akal aw-kal'
a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively):--X at
all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up),
feed (with), food, X freely, X in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay)
meat, X quite.
אָכַל (a.khal) — to eat.
1) to eat, devour, burn up, feed
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to eat (human subject)
1a2) to eat, devour (of beasts and birds)
1a3) to devour, consume (of fire)
1a4) to devour, slay (of sword)
1a5) to devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subjects - ie, pestilence, drought)
1a6) to devour (of oppression)
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be eaten (by men)
1b2) to be devoured, consumed (of fire)
1b3) to be wasted, destroyed (of flesh)
1c) (Pual)
1c1) to cause to eat, feed with
1c2) to cause to devour
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to feed
1d2) to cause to eat
1e) (Piel)
1e1) consume
Aramaic equivalent: a.khal (אֲכַל "to devour" H0399)
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVqi3ms
טָמֵא (tame') is a Hebrew root meaning to be or become unclean, covering various contexts such as sexual, religious, and ceremonial impurity. The noun form, טָמְאָה (tam'ah), refers to uncleanness itself. The entries indicate that the word can be used reflexively to mean defiling oneself.
טָמֵא vb. be or become unclean
Qal be or become unclean
Niph. defile oneself, be defiled
Pi. defile
Pu. myself is not polluted
Hithp.—reflexive, defile oneself
Hothp. after that she has been defiled
base
טָמְאָה n.f. uncleanness Mi 2:10
ref
H2930a טָמֵא be or become unclean .be or become unclean
. defile oneself, be defiled
. defile
. myself is not pulluted
.—reflexive, defile oneself
. after that she has been defiled
H2930b טָמְאָה uncleanness
2930 tame' taw-may'
a primitive root; to be foul, especially in a ceremial or
moral sense (contaminated):--defile (self), pollute (self), be
(make, make self, pronounce) unclean, X utterly.
טָמֵא (ta.me) — to defile.
1) to be unclean, become unclean, become impure
1a) (Qal) to be or become unclean
1a1) sexually
1a2) religiously
1a3) ceremonially
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to defile oneself, be defiled
1b1a) sexually
1b1b) by idolatry
1b1c) ceremonially
1b2) to be regarded as unclean
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to defile
1c1a) sexually
1c1b) religiously
1c1c) ceremonially
1c2) to pronounce unclean, declare unclean (ceremonially)
1c3) to profane (God's name)
1d) (Pual) to be defiled
1e) (Hithpael) to be unclean
1f) (Hothpael) to be defiled
טָמְאָה (tam.ah) — uncleanness.
uncleanness
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct commonHR/Vqcc
See CLEAN.
→ (Ceremonially speaking)
Creatures designated as such Le 11; De 14
→ See UNCLEANNESS
הָ (ha) — her.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person feminine singular
HRd/Sp3fs — Preposition · suffixHRd/Sp3fs
אֲנִי, transliterated as aniy, is a first-person singular pronoun meaning 'I' or 'me.' It is often used for emphasis and can also imply possession, as in 'mine' or 'myself.' The word is derived from a form that indicates self-reference, and it appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.
אֲנִי, אָ֑נִי pron. 1s. comm. I
base
H589 אֲנִי, אָ֑נִי I
589 'aniy an-ee'
contracted from 595; I:--I, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, X
which, X who.
see HEBREW for 0595
אֲנִי (a.ni) — I.
I (first pers. sing. -usually used for emphasis)
Pron — PronounHPp1bs
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
N-proper — Noun properHNpt
