111 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 2 Say to the children of Israel: These are the living things which you may have for food among all the beasts on the earth. 3 You may have as food any beast which has a division in the horn of its foot, and whose food comes back into its mouth to be crushed again. 4 But, at the same time, of those beasts, you may not take for food the camel, because its food comes back but the horn of its foot is not parted in two; it is unclean to you. 5 And the rock-badger, for the same reason, is unclean to you. 6 And the hare, because the horn of its foot is not parted in two, is unclean to you. 7 And the pig is unclean to you, because though the horn of its foot is parted, its food does not come back. 8 Their flesh may not be used for food, and their dead bodies may not even be touched; they are unclean to you.
9 These you may have for food of all things living in the water: anything living in the water, in the seas or rivers, which has special parts for swimming and skin formed of thin plates, may be used for food. 10 All other things living and moving in the water, in the sea or in the rivers, are a disgusting thing to you; 11 They may not be used for food, and their dead bodies are disgusting to you. 12 Anything in the water which has no special parts for swimming and no thin plates on its skin is disgusting to you. 13 And among birds these are to be disgusting to you, and not to be used for food: the eagle and the gier-eagle and the ospray; 14 And the kite and the falcon, and birds of that sort; 15 Every raven, and birds of that sort; 16 And the ostrich and the night-hawk and the sea-hawk, and birds of that sort; 17 And the little owl and the cormorant and the great owl; 18 And the water-hen and the pelican and the vulture; 19 The stork and the heron, and birds of that sort, and the hoopoe and the bat.
20 Every winged four-footed thing which goes on the earth is disgusting to you; 21 But of the winged four-footed things, those which have long legs for jumping on the earth you may have for food; 22 Such as all the different sorts of locust. 23 But all other winged four-footed things which go on the earth are disgusting to you. 24 By these you will be made unclean; anyone touching their dead bodies will be unclean till evening: 25 Whoever takes away the dead body of one of them is to have his clothing washed, and will be unclean till evening.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Leviticus 11:1-25
Chapter Contents
What animals were clean and unclean.
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.