Leviticus11
New International Version
1The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
2“Say to the Israelites: ‘Of all the animals that live on land, these are the ones you may eat:
3You may eat any animal that has a divided hoof and that chews the cud.
4“‘There are some that only chew the cud or only have a divided hoof, but you must not eat them. The camel, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is ceremonially unclean for you.
5The hyrax, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is unclean for you.
6The rabbit, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is unclean for you.
7And the pig, though it has a divided hoof, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you.
8You must not eat their meat or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you.
9“‘Of all the creatures living in the water of the seas and the streams you may eat any that have fins and scales.
10But all creatures in the seas or streams that do not have fins and scales—whether among all the swarming things or among all the other living creatures in the water—you are to regard as unclean.
11And since you are to regard them as unclean, you must not eat their meat; you must regard their carcasses as unclean.
12Anything living in the water that does not have fins and scales is to be regarded as unclean by you.
13“‘These are the birds you are to regard as unclean and not eat because they are unclean: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture,
14the red kite, any kind of black kite,
15any kind of raven,
16the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk,
17the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl,
18the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey,
19the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe and the bat.
20“‘All flying insects that walk on all fours are to be regarded as unclean by you.
21There are, however, some flying insects that walk on all fours that you may eat: those that have jointed legs for hopping on the ground.
22Of these you may eat any kind of locust, katydid, cricket or grasshopper.
23But all other flying insects that have four legs you are to regard as unclean.
24“‘You will make yourselves unclean by these; whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean till evening.
25Whoever picks up one of their carcasses must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening.
26“‘Every animal that does not have a divided hoof or that does not chew the cud is unclean for you; whoever touches the carcass of any of them will be unclean.
27Of all the animals that walk on all fours, those that walk on their paws are unclean for you; whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean till evening.
28Anyone who picks up their carcasses must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening. These animals are unclean for you.
29“‘Of the animals that move along the ground, these are unclean for you: the weasel, the rat, any kind of great lizard,
30the gecko, the monitor lizard, the wall lizard, the skink and the chameleon.
31Of all those that move along the ground, these are unclean for you. Whoever touches them when they are dead will be unclean till evening.
32When one of them dies and falls on something, that article, whatever its use, will be unclean, whether it is made of wood, cloth, hide or sackcloth. Put it in water; it will be unclean till evening, and then it will be clean.
33If one of them falls into a clay pot, everything in it will be unclean, and you must break the pot.
34Any food you are allowed to eat that has come into contact with water from any such pot is unclean, and any liquid that is drunk from such a pot is unclean.
35Anything that one of their carcasses falls on becomes unclean; an oven or cooking pot must be broken up. They are unclean, and you are to regard them as unclean.
36A spring, however, or a cistern for collecting water remains clean, but anyone who touches one of these carcasses is unclean.
37If a carcass falls on any seeds that are to be planted, they remain clean.
38But if water has been put on the seed and a carcass falls on it, it is unclean for you.
39“‘If an animal that you are allowed to eat dies, anyone who touches its carcass will be unclean till evening.
40Anyone who eats some of its carcass must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening. Anyone who picks up the carcass must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening.
41“‘Every creature that moves along the ground is to be regarded as unclean; it is not to be eaten.
42You are not to eat any creature that moves along the ground, whether it moves on its belly or walks on all fours or on many feet; it is unclean.
43Do not defile yourselves by any of these creatures. Do not make yourselves unclean by means of them or be made unclean by them.
44I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves along the ground.
45I am the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.
46“‘These are the regulations concerning animals, birds, every living thing that moves about in the water and every creature that moves along the ground.
47You must distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between living creatures that may be eaten and those that may not be eaten.’”
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Leviticus 11.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: What animals were clean and unclean. (1-47).
vv1-47
These laws seem to have been intended, 1. As a test of the people's obedience, as Adam was forbidden to eat of the tree of knowledge; and to teach them self-denial, and the government of their appetites. 2. To keep the Israelites distinct from other nations. Many also of these forbidden animals were objects of superstition and idolatry to the heathen. 3. The people were taught to make distinctions between the holy and unholy in their companions and intimate connexions. 4. The law forbad, not only the eating of the unclean beasts, but the touching of them. Those who would be kept from any sin, must be careful to avoid all temptations to it, or coming near it. The exceptions are very minute, and all were designed to call forth constant care and exactness in their obedience; and to teach us to obey. Whilst we enjoy our Christian liberty, and are free from such burdensome observances, we must be careful not to abuse our liberty. For the Lord hath redeemed and called his people, that they may be holy, even as he is holy. We must come out, and be separate from the world; we must leave the company of the ungodly, and all needless connexions with those who are dead in sin; we must be zealous of good works devoted followers of God, and companions of his people.
Key Words
דָבַר: perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
מֹשֶׁה: Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
אַהֲרוֹן: Aharon, the brother of Moses
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
זֹאת: this (often used adverb)
חַי: alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively
אָכַל: to eat (literally or figuratively)
בְּהֵמָה: properly, a dumb beast; especially any large quadruped or animal (often collective)
Cross References
Leviticus 11Parallel Deuteronomic law listing clean and unclean beasts, sharing identical taxonomy and criteria.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin, JFB
Explicitly quotes the divine injunction here: 'Be ye holy; for I am holy.'
Supported by Matthew Henry
Peter's vision of unclean beasts, signaling the end of these Mosaic food restrictions.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin, JFB
John the Baptist's diet of locusts directly instantiates the exception for permitted leaping insects in verse 22.
Supported by John Calvin
Parallel Deuteronomic law repeating prohibitions on unclean beasts, cloven hoofs, and chewing the cud.
Directly links the duty of priests to distinguish between the unclean and clean.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Echoes the priestly mandate to teach the people the difference between clean and unclean.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Apostolic instruction that believers are no longer to be judged regarding meat or drink.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin
Identifies food laws as carnal ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin
Condemns Israel's rebellion, specifically citing eating swine's flesh as an abominable act.
Supported by John Calvin
Deuteronomic parallel prohibiting Israel from eating any beast that dies of itself (carcase).
Priestly prohibition against eating what dies of itself or is torn by beasts, causing uncleanness.
Ezekiel reinforces the prohibition for priests eating anything that died of itself or was torn.
Parallels the warning against making oneself abominable by eating unclean creeping things.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Applies the calling of a holy God as the basis for personal holiness in all conduct.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Explicitly links dietary distinctions to Israel's national separation from other peoples.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Prophetic condemnation of those sanctifying themselves while eating swine's flesh and abominable things.
Supported by John Calvin
Deuteronomy's parallel prohibition of the swine, reiterating its cloven foot yet lack of cud-chewing.
Supported by John Calvin
Parallel Deuteronomic list detailing forbidden unclean birds and flying insects.
Supported by John Calvin, JFB
Markan account of John the Baptist eating locusts, a clean flying insect according to verse 22.
Reinforces the strict prohibition against touching the carcases of unclean animals.
Supported by Matthew Henry
General law regarding uncleanness contracted by touching dead bodies or carcases.
Matches the specific cleansing ritual: earthen vessels must be broken; wooden vessels must be rinsed.
Reiterates that infected earthen vessels must be broken, illustrating their porous, absorbency characteristics.
Commandment to be holy men; forbids eating meat torn of beasts in the field.
The national calling of Israel to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Condemns priests who failed to distinguish or teach the difference between clean and unclean.
Paul declares nothing is unclean of itself, reversing the ceremonial restrictions of Leviticus.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallel text prohibiting the camel, hare, and coney for failing the dual test.
Supported by John Calvin
Deuteronomic parallel for clean aquatic life requiring fins and scales.
Supported by John Calvin
Ezekiel's vision of unclean creeping things portrayed on the temple walls, echoing these specific prohibitions.
Paul's analogical use of agricultural sowing seed, which remains clean in Leviticus 11.
Ezekiel appeals to his lifelong obedience to the food laws, never eating what died of itself.
Verbal link with 'goeth upon the belly,' the curse pronounced upon the serpent.
Repeats the central covenantal call to national holiness based on Yahweh's own holiness.
Reiterates the command to sanctify oneself and be holy.