Charles Ellicott Commentary Leviticus 17:15

"And every soul that eateth that which dieth of itself, or that which is torn of beasts, whether he be home-born or a sojourner, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even: then shall he be clean." — Leviticus 17:15 (ASV)

That which died of itself.— The law enacted here is a natural sequel to the one immediately preceding, since it is still based upon the sacredness of blood. As the body of an animal that either died a natural death or has been torn by a wild beast retains a great portion of its blood, it is forbidden to be eaten. The carcasses, in which the blood has thus coagulated in the veins and arteries, were given to the dogs (Exodus 22:31).

The rigour with which this law was enforced may be seen from 1 Samuel 14:32–35; Ezekiel 4:14;Ezekiel 46:36. According to the canonical law which obtained during the Second Temple, the carcass was forbidden when the animal died a natural death, met with an accident, was strangled to death, or was torn by a wild beast. This explains the apostolic decision in the council at Jerusalem about things strangled (Acts 15:20).

Whether it be one of your own country.— The law was not only binding upon the native Israelite but also upon the proselyte. The mere stranger, in the strict sense of the word, who had not joined the Jewish community, was allowed to eat such carcasses .

He shall both wash his clothes.— If he ate any of it unwittingly, he not only had to wash his garments but also immerse his whole body in water and be excluded from the sanctuary until sundown. The sin offering prescribed in Leviticus 5:2 was not for inadvertently touching the carcass, but for neglecting the prescribed purification .