the Fourth Week of Advent
Click here to join the effort!
Bible Encyclopedias
Carcase
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
or (גְּוַיָּה, מִפֶּלֶת, נְּבֵלָה, פֶּגֶר, πτῶμα ), the dead body of a man or beast (Joshua 8:29; Isaiah 14:19; Hebrews 3:17, etc.). According to the Mosaic law, any Israelite became ceremonially unclean until the evening (and in turn rendered whatever he touched unclean, Haggai 2:14; comp. Numbers 19:22), by (unwitting) contact, under any circumstances, with a dead animal of the "unclean" class (Leviticus 5:2; Leviticus 11:8 sq.; comp. Deuteronomy 14:8), or with any "clean" animal, in case it had not been regularly slain according to the prescribed mode (Leviticus 11:39 sq.). The eating of any (clean) beast that had died an accidental or natural death was still more strictly forbidden (Leviticus 22:8; comp. Ezekiel 4:14; Ezekiel 44:31); but it might be sold as food to a foreigner (Deuteronomy 14:2). Carrion was doubtless buried or burned. On the sepulture of persons found dead, (See HOMICIDE). An unburied carcass (Jeremiah 36:30; Psalms 79:3) was considered by the ancients the height of indignity and misfortune (Virgil, AEn. 10:559). (See BURIAL). The Levitical enactments respecting all dead bodies evidently had their origin in sanitary reasons in a climate so liable to pestilence (Michaelis, Mos. Recht, 4:809 sq.). On the incident of the beehive in the skeleton (Judges 14:8), (See BEE). On the allusion to the vulture's scent for putrid flesh, Matthew 24:28 (Loder, De cadavere Judaico, ab aquilis Romnanis discerpendo, Argent. 1715; Rechenberg, De adagio Christi, etc., Lips. 1696), (See EAGLE).
These files are public domain.
McClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Carcase'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/c/carcase.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.
