Verse: Exodus 22:31
Theme: Holiness Expressed Through Practical Dietary Boundaries That Reflect Spiritual Identity
“You are to be my holy people. So do not eat the meat of an animal torn by wild beasts; throw it to the dogs.”
— Exodus 22:31, New International Version (NIV)
“You shall be consecrated to me. Therefore you shall not eat any flesh that is torn by beasts in the field; you shall throw it to the dogs.”
— Exodus 22:31, English Standard Version (ESV)
“And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.”
— Exodus 22:31, King James Version (KJV)
“You shall be holy people to Me; therefore you shall not eat any flesh torn to pieces in the field. You shall throw it to the dogs.”
— Exodus 22:31, New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Meaning of Exodus 22:31
Sometimes, the most profound spiritual truths can be found in the most mundane regulations. This single verse manages to connect divine identity with dinner plates, transforming what could be merely hygienic advice into a declaration about the nature of holy living. The genius lies not in the specific dietary restriction but in how it links our most basic daily choices to our fundamental spiritual identity.
What catches my attention immediately is the order: first identity, then behavior. God doesn’t say, “Don’t eat torn meat so you can become holy.” He says, “You ARE my holy people, THEREFORE don’t eat torn meat.” The behavior flows from identity rather than creating it. This represents a completely different approach to spiritual formation than the performance-based systems that dominate human religious thinking.
The practical wisdom embedded here is striking. Meat from animals killed by wild beasts posed genuine health risks in ancient contexts, as such carcasses could contain diseases or toxins from the predator’s attack. However, God frames this protective regulation not primarily as health advice, but as a training in holiness. Every meal becomes an opportunity to remember who you are and whose you are.
The Hebrew word “treif” literally means “torn,” and came to represent all non-kosher food, showing how this single verse influenced an entire system of dietary consciousness that continues to this day. What began as protection from diseased meat evolved into a comprehensive framework for mindful eating that constantly reinforces covenant identity.
The instruction to throw such meat to the dogs rather than selling it reveals divine concern for the economic pressures that might tempt compromise. God understands that financial need can override spiritual conviction, so He removes the profit motive entirely from this particular temptation.
Popular Words of Wisdom from Exodus 22:31
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
— Aristotle, Greek Philosopher and Tutor to Alexander the Great
“Be holy, because I am holy.”
— God Almighty, as recorded in 1 Peter 1:16
“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”
— Walt Disney, American Entrepreneur and Visionary
“Set apart for God’s glory, we find our true identity not in what we consume, but in what consumes us.”
— Charles Spurgeon, Prince of Preachers
“Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly.”
— Aristotle, Ancient Greek Philosopher
“Holiness is not the luxury of a few people, but a simple duty for you and me.”
— Mother Teresa, Catholic Saint and Missionary
Explaining the Context of Exodus 22:31
This verse appears as the concluding statement to a series of civil and moral laws, serving as the theological foundation for all the preceding regulations by establishing holiness as the motivation for obedience rather than mere legal compliance.
The dietary restriction represents one of the earliest biblical food laws, predating the more comprehensive dietary system outlined later in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, showing how God introduced these concepts gradually rather than overwhelming His people with complex requirements.
The close connection between holiness and food regulations appears throughout Scripture, demonstrating divine understanding that our most routine daily activities provide powerful opportunities for spiritual formation and identity reinforcement.
The placement of this command immediately after laws about justice, mercy, and community responsibility shows how personal holiness and social ethics interconnect, with dietary practices serving to reinforce the broader moral framework that governs covenant community life.
This legislation assumes a pastoral society where people regularly encountered animals killed by predators, making this regulation immediately practical rather than merely theoretical, requiring daily decisions that reinforced spiritual identity.
Explaining the Key Parts of Exodus 22:31
“You must be my holy people”
The declaration of identity precedes the behavioral instruction, establishing that obedience flows from who we are rather than creating who we become. This represents divine grace that assigns identity before demanding performance.
The possessive “my holy people” emphasizes both relationship and distinction, showing that holiness involves belonging to God rather than merely following rules, creating personal connection rather than impersonal obligation.
“Therefore, do not eat any animal that has been torn up and killed by wild animals”
The “therefore” creates a logical connection between identity and behavior, showing that holy living represents a natural expression of covenant relationship rather than arbitrary divine requirements imposed from outside.
The specific prohibition targets meat from animals killed by predators, which would likely contain diseases, toxins, or other contaminants that could harm those who consumed it, showing divine care for physical well-being through spiritual instruction.
“Throw it to the dogs”
The instruction to dispose of forbidden meat rather than selling it removes economic temptation to compromise, showing divine understanding of the financial pressures that might override spiritual convictions when money is involved.
This provision also demonstrates practical wisdom about appropriate disposal methods, giving such meat to scavenger animals who could process it safely rather than simply wasting valuable protein in resource-scarce environments.
Lessons to Learn from Exodus 22:31
1. Spiritual Identity Should Determine Daily Behavior Rather Than Daily Behavior Creating Spiritual Identity
The order of identity declaration followed by behavioral instruction shows that who we are in God determines how we act, rather than our actions earning our spiritual status.
2. Holiness Involves Mindful Daily Choices That Constantly Reinforce Covenant Relationship
The dietary restriction transforms routine meals into opportunities for spiritual formation, showing how ordinary activities can serve extraordinary purposes in developing godly character.
3. Divine Laws Often Contain Practical Wisdom That Protects Physical Well-being Through Spiritual Obedience
The prohibition against eating diseased meat demonstrates how God’s spiritual requirements frequently provide practical benefits that protect our health and welfare.
4. Economic Pressures Can Override Spiritual Convictions When Profit Motives Are Allowed to Influence Holy Living
The instruction to give forbidden meat to dogs rather than selling it shows divine understanding of how financial need can tempt compromise with spiritual principles.
5. Personal Holiness and Community Ethics Interconnect Through Shared Values That Guide Both Individual and Corporate Decisions
The placement of this dietary law after social justice regulations demonstrates how personal spiritual practices support broader community righteousness and covenant faithfulness.
Related Bible Verses
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
— 1 Peter 2:9, Contemporary English Version (CEV)
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
— 1 Corinthians 10:31, Good News Translation (GNT)
“Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the Lord your God. Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the Lord, who makes you holy.”
— Leviticus 20:7-8, New Century Version (NCV)
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
— Romans 12:2, English Standard Version (ESV)
“But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.'”
— 1 Peter 1:15-16, New American Standard Bible (NASB)
How This Verse Points to Christ
Exodus 22:31 points toward Christ as the ultimate expression of holiness, who transforms our identity from the inside out, enabling us to live as holy people through His indwelling presence rather than external rule-following.
Just as this verse declares identity before demanding behavior, Christ declares us righteous before requiring righteous living, providing the spiritual foundation that makes holy living possible rather than burdensome.
The dietary restriction that protected physical health foreshadows Christ’s teachings about spiritual nourishment, where He identifies Himself as the bread of life and warns against consuming spiritual poison that corrupts the soul.
Christ fulfills the holiness requirements that dietary laws symbolized, providing complete purification that goes beyond external compliance to internal transformation that produces naturally holy living.
The principle of avoiding contaminated food points toward Christ’s work of separating us from the spiritual contamination of sin, creating pure hearts that naturally choose what honors God rather than what satisfies selfish desires.
Just as throwing forbidden meat to dogs removed economic temptation to compromise, Christ’s provision for our needs removes the pressure to compromise spiritual principles for material gain or security.
Closing Reflection
Exodus 22:31 reminds us that holiness begins with identity rather than performance, transforming our understanding of spiritual formation from earning God’s favor to expressing our relationship with Him through mindful daily choices.
This simple dietary regulation demonstrates how God uses ordinary activities like eating to reinforce extraordinary truths about our covenant identity and spiritual calling as His set-apart people.
The practical wisdom embedded in this restriction shows how spiritual obedience often provides physical benefits, demonstrating divine care for our total well-being rather than merely our religious compliance.
The instruction to dispose of forbidden meat rather than profiting from it reveals how economic pressures can tempt spiritual compromise, requiring deliberate choices that prioritize faithfulness over financial gain.
This passage challenges us to consider how our daily routines either reinforce or undermine our spiritual identity, using ordinary moments as opportunities for extraordinary spiritual formation.
The connection between personal holiness and community ethics reminds us that individual spiritual practices contribute to broader social righteousness and covenant faithfulness among God’s people.
Ultimately, this verse points us toward Christ, who provides both the identity and the power necessary for holy living, transforming external religious compliance into internal spiritual transformation.
Say This Prayer
Holy God,
Your ancient command reveals that true holiness flows from our identity as Your people rather than from our attempts to earn Your favor through perfect performance.
Help us remember that You declare us holy before demanding holy living, providing the spiritual foundation that makes obedience possible rather than burdensome.
Transform our daily routines into opportunities for spiritual formation, using ordinary activities like eating to reinforce our extraordinary calling as Your set-apart people.
Grant us wisdom to recognize how economic pressures can tempt spiritual compromise, choosing faithfulness over financial gain when these values conflict with each other.
May our holiness contribute to community righteousness, supporting broader covenant faithfulness through individual spiritual practices that honor You in every area of life.
We celebrate Jesus, who fulfills every holiness requirement and transforms us from within, enabling naturally holy living through His indwelling presence rather than external rule-following.
Create in us pure hearts that naturally choose what honors You, avoiding spiritual contamination that corrupts our relationship with You and our service to others.
In Jesus’ sanctifying name, Amen.
Evang. Anabelle Thompson is the founder of Believers Refuge, a Scripture-based resource that helps Christians to find biblical guidance for life’s challenges.
With over 15 years of ministry experience and a decade of dedicated Bible study, she creates content that connects believers with relevant Scripture for their daily struggles.
Her work has reached over 76,000 monthly readers (which is projected to reach 100,000 readers by the end of 2025) seeking practical faith applications, biblical encouragement, and spiritual guidance rooted in God’s Word.
She writes from personal experience, having walked through seasons of waiting, breakthrough, and spiritual growth that inform her teaching.
Evang. Thompson brings 12 years of active ministry and evangelism experience, along with over 10 years of systematic Bible study and theological research.
As a former small group leader and Sunday school teacher, she has published over 200 biblical resources and devotional studies.
She specializes in applying Scripture to everyday life challenges and regularly studies the original Hebrew and Greek texts for a deeper biblical understanding.