Question: Deuteronomy 14:21 (in the Bible) –Why could the Israelites give to an alien resident or sell to a foreigner an un-bled dead animal that they themselves could not eat?

The ancient Jews were “a holy people to the Lord your God”, v.14:21.

The word “holy” here means “set apart” which is not the common understanding most people have!

In this, and many other cases in the Bible, it is to signify that the Jews as “the chosen people”, chosen to undertake the Work of Almighty God with the Gentile world, and to avoid being “ceremonially unclean” for the task, which partaking of the dead un-bled animal would have resulted in!

A very good example is in the following Link, which illustrates the point clearly!

Zipporah and the Circumcision of Gershom and Eliezer

It is important to understand the importance that Almighty God placed on the work of His Chosen people; and also, to understand that it is at present in Abeyance, due to Israel’s rejection of Messiah Christ Jesus finally at Acts 28:25–28!

At that stage, they were made Lo-Ammi (not My people), a condition which is not permanent, and will be reversed when the stage of Zech.12:10 is reached!