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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).
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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.
