Leviticus 11:37

Lev 11:37 And if [any part] of their carcase fall upon any sowing seed which is to be sown, it [shall be] clean.

Ver. 37. It shall be clean.] Because of necessity.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

11:37-38 Grain moistened with water was probably intended to be cooked for food; eating contaminated grain would be like eating a carcass. However, if the grain was sown, the new plant and the grain it bore were undefiled.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 37. Any sowing seed] If any part of an impure carcass fall accidentally on seed about to be sown, it shall not on that account be deemed unclean; but if the water put to the seed to prepare it for being sown, shall be touched by such impure carcass, the seed shall be considered as unclean, Le 11:38. Probably this may be the meaning of these passages.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(37) And if any part of their carcase.—The principle which underlies the immunity from pollution of living water is also at the basis of the exception of living plants. Hence if the carcase or a portion of a dead reptile is found among grain destined for sowing, the quantity of wheat in which it is discovered does not become defiled, since the growing plant constantly derives new elements from below and fresh moisture from above, thus undergoing as many changes in its way as spring water. The law therefore which obtained during the second Temple was as follows :—“Whatever is fixed in the ground does not contract defilement. Plants are not defiled till they are gathered.” Hence the ancient Chaldee version of Jonathan renders this verse: “If any part of their carcase falleth upon any seed that is sown in the manner in which it is commonly sown—that is, in its dry state—it is clean.”

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

37, 38. For the seed which is to be sown, contact with swarming things may be disregarded; but if water be added (i.e. if it is put with water in a vessel for cooking), uncleanness will ensue.

A special case comes in Lev_11:39-40.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And if any part of their carcass fall upon any sowing seed that is to be sown,.... That which is selected from the other seed in order to be sown, and which is laid by and laid up for that purpose; should the carcass, or any part of the carcass of a creeping thing fall upon an heap of it, into a vessel in which it was put, as a dead mouse or the like:

yet it shall be clean; be fit for use and sown in the earth; because being cast into the earth, and dying and quickening there, and then springing up again in stalk and ear, it would go through various changes before it became the food of man: the Targum of Jonathan describes it, such as is sown in its dryness, or being dry; for if it was wetted it was unfit for use, as follows.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Partly because this was necessary provision for man; and partly because such seed would not be used for man’s food till it had received many alterations in the earth, whereby such pollution was taken away. See Joh 12:24; 1Co 15:36.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

37. Sowing seed — Since this contained an inherent principle of life it is also incapable of pollution. “The seed is the word,” the instrument of sanctification, and the great antiseptic for the world’s corruption.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Seed - Partly because this was necessary provision for man; and partly because such seed would not be used for man's food till it had received many alterations in the earth whereby such pollution was taken away.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

זרע זרוע means seed of any kind of seed-plant. The word זרוע is a noun (not a passive participle, when it would be punctuated ‎זָרוע), like (Daniel 1:12) "and let them give us of pulse — זֵרוֹעִים".

טהור הוא HE SHALL BE CLEAN — Scripture by means of this and the following verse teaches you that it does not become fitted and proper to be termed food and therefore to be receptive of uncleanness, until water comes upon it.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

ZERA ZEIRUA’ (SEED OF SOWING). “Zera means ‘seed’ of any kind of seed-plant. Zeirua is the noun (‘sowing,’ ‘thing sown’), like the expression, and let them give us ‘zeiro’im’ (edible seeds) to eat. [And if aught of their carcass fall upon any seed of sowing which is to be sown] it is clean. This is to teach you that food is not fit and susceptible of becoming impure until water has once come upon it.” This is Rashi’s language.Now Scripture mentioned above, of all the food which may be eaten, that on which water cometh [shall be unclean], establishing the principle that foodstuff must first become susceptible to impurity [through coming into contact with water]. But there the Rabbis interpreted it to mean, on basis of Torath Kohanim. the foodstuff is not rendered impure through the medium of the interior of an [impure] earthen vessel, unless it was made susceptible of receiving impurity by being moistened by water. But here Scripture added that even from [contact with] the creeping things themselves, foodstuff does not become impure unless it was made susceptible [by water]. So it is explained in the Torath Kohanim. 11:8.It is also possible to say that the expression of all the food which may be eaten. refers to the things mentioned above — meat and various foods. But here He states that even seeds when taken out to be sown, can be rendered impure if they have become susceptible to impurity by being moistened by water. The reason for foodstuffs having to be made susceptible by water [before they can become impure], is that the uncleanness of [dead] creeping things and the other sources of impurity, attaches to foodstuffs in their state of moisteness, but not when they are dry. The Torah then, as an extra precautionary measure, declared impure those foods on which water had once come, although they have [subsequently] become dry, [if they were then touched by any of the sources of impurity], in order that the rule should not vary according to different standards. Now the law of making food susceptible of becoming impure applies also to the impurity [conveyed] by carrion, Scripture having mentioned it here for the reason we have stated above.

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.