Leviticus 11:40 kjv
And he that eateth of the carcass of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: he also that beareth the carcass of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.
Leviticus 11:40 nkjv
He who eats of its carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. He also who carries its carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening.
Leviticus 11:40 niv
Anyone who eats some of its carcass must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening. Anyone who picks up the carcass must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening.
Leviticus 11:40 esv
and whoever eats of its carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening. And whoever carries the carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening.
Leviticus 11:40 nlt
If you eat any of its meat or carry away its carcass, you must wash your clothes, and you will remain defiled until evening.
Leviticus 11 40 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 11:24-25 | "And for these you shall be unclean... And whoever touches their carcass shall be unclean until evening." | Similar rules for touching carcasses of other unclean creeping things. |
| Lev 17:15-16 | "And every person who eats what dies naturally or what is torn by beasts... he shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until evening; then he shall be clean." | Reinforces defilement and purification for consuming naturally deceased animals. |
| Lev 21:11 | "Nor shall he go near any dead body..." | Priests had stricter purity rules concerning death. |
| Num 19:11-13 | "Whoever touches the body of any human being will be unclean for seven days... he shall cleanse himself with the water of purification on the third day and on the seventh day..." | Greater defilement and purification for human death, highlighting severity levels. |
| Num 31:24 | "And you shall wash your clothes on the seventh day and be clean." | Cleansing from military contact with the dead, extended purification. |
| Deut 14:21 | "You shall not eat anything that dies of itself... but you may give it to the sojourner who is within your gates, that he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner." | Permitted for foreigners, highlighting Israel's unique covenant purity. |
| Hag 2:13 | "If someone unclean by contact with a corpse touches any of these, will it become unclean?" | Emphasizes defilement spreading through contact. |
| Exod 19:10 | "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes." | Washing clothes as a preparatory act for holiness/encountering God. |
| Lev 14:8-9 | "And he who is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes and shave off all his hair and bathe himself in water..." | Example of a more involved purification process. |
| Lev 15:5-11 | "And everyone who touches his bed shall wash his clothes... whoever touches anything on which he sat shall wash his clothes..." | Similar washing requirements for other ritual impurities, like bodily discharges. |
| Lev 16:26 | "The one who leads the goat away as the scapegoat shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water; and afterward he may come into the camp." | Washing after handling sacrificial items outside the camp that carried impurity. |
| Job 9:30-31 | "If I wash myself with snow water and cleanse my hands with lye, yet you will plunge me into a pit, and my own clothes will abhor me." | Symbolic understanding of external washing not suffice for true purity before God. |
| Ps 51:7 | "Cleanse me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." | Seeking internal cleansing beyond mere ritual. |
| Isa 1:16 | "Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil." | Prophetic call for spiritual, moral cleansing alongside ritual. |
| Jer 4:14 | "O Jerusalem, wash your heart from evil, that you may be saved." | Emphasis on internal spiritual cleansing as true salvation. |
| Mark 7:18-23 | "And he said to them, 'Are you so without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not enter his heart... For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts... All these evil things come from within and defile a man.'" | Jesus reframing defilement from external ritual to internal moral state. |
| Acts 10:14-15 | "But Peter said, 'By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.' And the voice came to him again, 'What God has made clean, do not call common.'" | Abolition of dietary laws and distinction of clean/unclean foods under the New Covenant. |
| Heb 9:13-14 | "For if the blood of goats and bulls, and with the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God." | Ceremonial laws purify the flesh; Christ's blood purifies conscience and spirit permanently. |
| Heb 10:22 | "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water." | Connects New Covenant spiritual purification with bodily cleansing. |
| Col 2:20-22 | "If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still living in the world, do you submit to regulations— 'Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch' (referring to things that all perish as they are used)— according to human precepts and teachings?" | Argues against strict adherence to ceremonial regulations that are fulfilled in Christ. |
| 1 Pet 1:15-16 | "But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'" | New Covenant continuation of the call to holiness, shifting emphasis from ritual to conduct. |
Leviticus 11 verses
Leviticus 11 40 Meaning
Leviticus 11:40 outlines specific regulations concerning contact with the carcass of an animal from which it is permissible to eat but has died naturally. Anyone who eats a part of such a carcass or carries it will become ritually defiled. This defilement is temporary, requiring the individual to wash their clothes and remain in a state of uncleanness until evening, after which they are ritually clean again. The verse reinforces the boundaries of ritual purity for the Israelites, distinguishing them by their conduct and association with death, emphasizing a life of separation and holiness unto God.
Leviticus 11 40 Context
Leviticus chapter 11 details comprehensive dietary and purity laws for the Israelite community, distinguishing between "clean" and "unclean" animals suitable for consumption and interaction. This separation aimed to underscore Israel's unique status as a holy nation set apart by God. Verse 40 specifically addresses contact with a "nevelah" (a carcass of an animal that, had it been properly slaughtered, would have been considered clean food). This entire system of ritual purity, including laws about food, bodily discharges, skin diseases, and contact with death, served multiple purposes: maintaining public health, reinforcing a sense of order and distinction from surrounding pagan nations (where defilement often meant magical impurity), and visually teaching Israel about the holiness of God and the pervasive nature of sin/death. The laws were not moral but ritual, emphasizing that contact with death, a consequence of sin, rendered one temporarily unfit for the tabernacle's presence or full communal participation.
Leviticus 11 40 Word analysis
- And whoever eats: Indicates active participation, implying consumption. This act directly imparts ritual impurity.
- of its carcass: The Hebrew word is nevelah (נְבֵלָה), referring to the dead body of an animal that was not slaughtered according to kosher law but died naturally or accidentally. It's distinct from meat obtained via proper slaughter. This nevelah is a significant source of ritual defilement in Levitical law, representing death which is the opposite of life and thus antagonistic to holiness.
- shall wash: The Hebrew is raḥats (רָחַץ), meaning "to wash" or "bathe." It refers to ceremonial cleansing, distinct from ordinary physical cleaning. This prescribed action is crucial for removing the state of ritual uncleanness.
- his clothes: The Hebrew word is bgad (בֶּגֶד), meaning "garment" or "clothing." Washing clothes symbolized cleansing one's outward person, or the part of them that had come into contact with the impurity, representing a desire to shed the impurity rather than embodying it.
- and be unclean: The Hebrew term is ṭāmēʾ (טָמֵא), meaning "unclean," "defiled," or "impure." This is a ritual state, not necessarily indicating physical dirtiness or moral wrongdoing, but rendering a person temporarily unfit for holy activities or access to sacred spaces. It highlights the pervasive nature of impurity emanating from death.
- until evening: The Hebrew word is 'erev (עֶרֶב), meaning "evening" or "twilight." This denotes a fixed time limit for the period of defilement. It marks the transition into a new day according to the Israelite reckoning (day begins at evening), signifying a return to ritual purity once the stipulated period passes, provided the cleansing rituals have been observed.
- And whoever carries: Implies physical handling or transportation of the carcass. Similar to eating, direct contact through carrying transmits the defilement. The repetition reinforces the gravity of contact with the carcass.
- its carcass: Again, nevelah. Reiteration underscores the object causing impurity.
- shall wash his clothes: Same ritual requirement as for eating, indicating the severity and spread of uncleanness by contact.
- and be unclean until evening: Same temporary duration and ritual state.
- "eats of its carcass... unclean until evening": This phrase details a specific mode of impurity transfer (consumption) and its temporal consequence. The act of internalizing defiling matter makes one ritually impure for a defined period, requiring an external act of cleansing.
- "carries its carcass... unclean until evening": This parallel structure emphasizes that direct physical contact and movement of the defiling carcass, even without consumption, imparts the same temporary ritual impurity and necessitates the same purification. It highlights the comprehensive nature of the defilement from nevelah.
- "wash his clothes and be unclean until evening": This group of words prescribes the required action and the period of separation. The washing signifies the ritual act of purging defilement, while "until evening" sets a clear boundary for the period of impurity, demonstrating that this type of defilement is manageable and temporary, unlike certain severe or enduring forms of uncleanness. It is not about permanent expulsion but temporary separation and restoration.
Leviticus 11 40 Bonus section
The concept of "unclean until evening" signifies that impurity, even derived from contact with death, was not eternal or insurmountable. It points to a grace-filled aspect within the Law, providing a clear path to restoration of ritual purity. This legal framework of clean and unclean taught the Israelites several lessons:
- Discernment: Learning to differentiate between what is holy and what is common, what gives life and what brings defilement.
- Hygiene: In ancient societies, these laws offered practical health benefits, discouraging the consumption of diseased or spoiled meat and encouraging cleanliness, especially after handling decaying matter.
- The Nature of Sin and Death: The temporary uncleanness symbolized the separation from God caused by sin and death. It served as a constant reminder of humanity's fallen state and the pervasive nature of defilement, which requires cleansing.
- The Need for Atonement: While simple washing addressed this specific type of ritual defilement, more complex impurities and moral sin pointed to a deeper need for atonement, ultimately fulfilled in Christ's perfect sacrifice, which provides true, permanent cleansing from the defilement of sin, purifying both body and conscience.
Leviticus 11 40 Commentary
Leviticus 11:40 delineates a critical aspect of Israelite ritual purity laws, specifically regarding contact with dead animals. The central point is that even permitted animals become sources of impurity upon natural death (nevelah). This defilement, whether through consumption or physical contact (carrying), is temporary and easily rectified by washing clothes and remaining separate until sundown. This highlights a foundational principle: death inherently carries defilement in the holy realm, contrasting sharply with the life-giving nature of God. The regulation serves to reinforce the Israelites' distinctiveness and their understanding of God's holiness. It's not a moral stain, but a ritual state that temporarily prevents full participation in communal sacred life, teaching diligence, separation, and the recognition that God's people must guard against all forms of impurity to approach Him. While seemingly simple, these laws educated Israel in principles of separation, divine order, and foreshadowed the ultimate purification needed for mankind.