Clean and Unclean Land Animals
Study note
To be considered clean for eating, a land animal had to meet two requirements: it must have a completely split hoof and it must chew its cud. Animals like cattle, sheep, goats, and deer met both requirements. God specifically named four animals that only met one requirement: the camel, the rock badger, and the rabbit chew cud but do not have split hooves, while the pig has split hooves but does not chew its cud. These food laws served several purposes: they set Israel apart from other nations, taught discipline in daily life, and may have also provided health benefits.
1 The Lord spoke to both Moses and Aaron together, saying, And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them,
2 "Give the people of Israel these rules about food: Out of all the land animals, here are the ones you may eat." Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth.
3 "You may eat any animal that has hooves that are completely divided into two parts and that also chews its cud. Both of these must be true." Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.
4 "Some animals only meet one of these requirements, and those are off limits. For example, the camel chews its cud but does not have divided hooves, so it is unclean for you." Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
5 "The rock badger chews its cud but does not have divided hooves, so it is unclean for you." And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
6 "The rabbit chews its cud but does not have divided hooves, so it is unclean for you." And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
7 "The pig has hooves that are completely divided, but it does not chew its cud, so it is unclean for you." And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.
8 "Do not eat the meat of these animals or even touch their dead bodies. They are off limits for you." Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.
Clean and Unclean Sea Creatures
Study note
The rule for water creatures was simple: they must have both fins and scales. This allowed fish like salmon, bass, and tilapia, but excluded shellfish, crabs, lobsters, shrimp, eels, and other sea creatures without scales. The repeated word 'detestable' shows how seriously God took these food boundaries.
9 "For things living in the water, here is the rule. You may eat anything with both fins and scales. This is true for ocean or river creatures." These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat.
10 "But any water creature without fins and scales is off limits. This includes all the small swarming things in the water. You must see them as gross." And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you:
11 "You must treat them as completely off limits. Do not eat their meat, and consider their dead bodies disgusting." They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination.
12 "Every water creature that lacks fins and scales must be considered disgusting to you." Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.
Unclean Birds
Study note
Rather than giving a general rule for birds, God listed specific birds that could not be eaten. Most of the forbidden birds are predators or scavengers that eat other animals or dead things. Eagles, vultures, ravens, owls, hawks, storks, and herons are among those listed. The bat is also included in this list. These birds were considered unclean likely because they ate blood or dead animals, which Israel was forbidden to consume.
13 "Among the birds, you must not eat these. Treat them as off limits. The eagle, the bearded vulture, the black vulture," And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray,
14 "the red kite, and every type of falcon," And the vulture, and the kite after his kind;
15 "every type of raven," Every raven after his kind;
16 "the ostrich, the nighthawk, the seagull, and every type of hawk," And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind,
17 "the small owl, the cormorant, the large owl," And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl,
18 "the barn owl, the desert owl, the fish hawk," And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle,
19 "the stork, every type of heron, the hoopoe, and the bat." And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.
Winged Insects
Study note
Most winged insects that walk on four legs were considered unclean. However, certain jumping insects with jointed legs for hopping were allowed. These included locusts, katydids, crickets, and grasshoppers. These insects were actually an important source of protein in the ancient world. John the Baptist later survived on locusts and wild honey in the wilderness.
20 "All flying insects that walk on the ground using four legs must be considered disgusting to you." All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you.
21 "There is one exception: you may eat flying insects that walk on four legs if they have jointed back legs designed for hopping." Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth;
22 "From those, you are allowed to eat any type of locust, katydid, cricket, or grasshopper." Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind.
23 "But every other four-legged flying insect is off limits. You must see them as disgusting." But all other flying creeping things, which have four feet, shall be an abomination unto you.
Touching Unclean Animals
Study note
Beyond eating, even touching the dead body of an unclean animal made a person ceremonially unclean until evening. This meant they could not participate in worship activities for the rest of that day. Anyone who carried a dead unclean animal also had to wash their clothes. Animals that walk on their paws, like dogs and cats, were considered unclean.
24 "Contact with these creatures will make you ritually unclean. Whoever touches the dead body of one of these animals will be unclean until sunset." And for these ye shall be unclean: whosoever toucheth the carcase of them shall be unclean until the even.
25 "Whoever picks up one of their dead bodies must wash their clothes and will remain unclean until sunset." And whosoever beareth ought of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.
26 "Any animal that has hooves but they are not completely divided, or that does not chew its cud, is unclean for you. Touching the dead body of such an animal makes you unclean." The carcases of every beast which divideth the hoof, and is not clovenfooted, nor cheweth the cud, are unclean unto you: every one that toucheth them shall be unclean.
27 "Among four-legged animals, any that walk on soft paws instead of hooves are unclean for you. Touching their dead body makes you unclean until sunset." And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on all four, those are unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even.
28 "Whoever picks up their dead body must wash their clothes and will be unclean until sunset. These animals are unclean for you." And he that beareth the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: they are unclean unto you.
Unclean Small Creatures
Study note
Small ground-dwelling creatures like weasels, mice, lizards, geckos, and moles were all unclean. If any of these creatures died and fell on household items like pots, clothing, or leather goods, those items became unclean. Clay pots had to be broken. Wooden items had to be put in water until evening. However, springs and wells remained clean even if a dead creature fell in them. Dry seeds that a dead creature fell on were still clean, but wet seeds became unclean.
29 "Among the small things that move on the ground, these are unclean. The weasel. The rat. Every kind of large lizard." These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind,
30 "the gecko, the monitor lizard, the wall lizard, the sand lizard, and the chameleon." And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole.
31 "Among all the small creatures, these are unclean for you. Touching any of their dead bodies makes you unclean until sunset." These are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even.
32 "If one of these creatures dies and falls onto something, that item becomes unclean too. This goes for any wooden object, piece of clothing, leather item, or sack -- whatever purpose it serves. It must be soaked in water and will be unclean until sunset. After that, it is clean again." And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; so it shall be cleansed.
33 "If one of these creatures falls into a clay pot, everything inside the pot becomes unclean. The pot must be smashed." And every earthen vessel, whereinto any of them falleth, whatsoever is in it shall be unclean; and ye shall break it.
34 "Any food that would normally be fine to eat becomes unclean if water from such a contaminated pot touches it. Any liquid in such a pot becomes unclean." Of all meat which may be eaten, that on which such water cometh shall be unclean: and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean.
35 "If part of one of these dead creatures lands on anything, that item becomes unclean. A clay oven or cooking stove must be demolished. It is unclean and stays unclean for you." And every thing whereupon any part of their carcase falleth shall be unclean; whether it be oven, or ranges for pots, they shall be broken down: for they are unclean, and shall be unclean unto you.
36 "A natural spring or a cistern that collects water stays clean regardless. But anyone who touches the dead creature inside it becomes unclean." Nevertheless a fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty of water, shall be clean: but that which toucheth their carcase shall be unclean.
37 "If part of a dead unclean creature lands on dry planting seed, the seed remains clean." And if any part of their carcase fall upon any sowing seed which is to be sown, it shall be clean.
38 "But if the seed has been moistened with water and then part of a dead creature falls on it, the seed becomes unclean for you." But if any water be put upon the seed, and any part of their carcase fall thereon, it shall be unclean unto you.
The Call to Be Holy
Study note
The chapter ends with the big reason behind all these food laws: 'Be holy, for I am holy.' God rescued Israel from Egypt to be his special people, and he wanted them to be set apart in every area of life, including what they ate. These laws taught daily discipline and constant awareness that they belonged to God. Every meal became a reminder of their identity as God's chosen people.
39 "An animal you can normally eat might die on its own. Whoever touches its dead body will be unclean until sunset." And if any beast, of which ye may eat, die; he that toucheth the carcase thereof shall be unclean until the even.
40 "Whoever eats any of that meat must wash their clothes and will be unclean until sunset. Whoever carries the carcass must also wash their clothes and will be unclean until sunset." And he that eateth of the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: he also that beareth the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.
41 "Every small creature that crawls on the ground is off limits. It must never be eaten." And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination; it shall not be eaten.
42 "Whether it slithers on its belly, walks on four legs, or has many legs -- do not eat any ground-crawling creature. They are disgusting." Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon all four, or whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they are an abomination.
43 "Do not defile yourselves by eating any of these crawling things. Do not let them make you unclean or impure." Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby.
44 "I am the Lord your God. Dedicate yourselves to me and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean through any ground-crawling creature." For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
45 "I am the Lord who rescued you from Egypt so I could be your God. Be holy, because I am holy." For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
46 "These are the rules for land animals and birds. They also cover every water creature and every crawling thing on the ground." This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth:
47 "These rules are meant to help you tell apart what is unclean from what is clean. They show which creatures you may eat and which ones you may not." To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.