111 And Jehovah spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying to them, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the animals which ye shall eat of all the beasts which are on the earth. 3 Whatever hath cloven hoofs, and feet quite split open, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts—that shall ye eat. 4 Only these shall ye not eat of those that chew the cud, or of those with cloven hoofs: the camel, for it cheweth the cud, but hath not cloven hoofs—it shall be unclean unto you; 5 and the rock-badger, for it cheweth the cud, but hath not cloven hoofs—it shall be unclean unto you; 6 and the hare, for it cheweth the cud, but hath not cloven hoofs—it shall be unclean unto you; 7 and the swine, for it hath cloven hoofs, and feet quite split open, but it cheweth not the cud—it shall be unclean unto you. 8 Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch: they shall be unclean unto you.
9 These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatever hath fins and scales in waters, in seas and in rivers, these shall ye eat; 10 but all that have not fins and scales in seas and in rivers, of all that swarm in the waters, and of every living soul which is in the waters—they shall be an abomination unto you. 11 They shall be even an abomination unto you: of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase ye shall have in abomination. 12 Whatever in the waters hath no fins and scales, that shall be an abomination unto you. 13 And these shall ye have in abomination of the fowls; they shall not be eaten; an abomination shall they be: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the sea-eagle, 14 and the falcon, and the kite, after its kind; 15 every raven after its kind; 16 and the female ostrich and the male ostrich, and the sea-gull, and the hawk, after its kind; 17 and the owl, and the gannet, and the ibis, 18 and the swan, and the pelican, and the carrion vulture, 19 and the stork; the heron after its kind, and the hoopoe, and the bat.
20 Every winged crawling thing that goeth upon all four shall be an abomination unto you. 21 Yet these shall ye eat of every winged crawling thing that goeth upon all four: those which have legs above their feet with which to leap upon the earth. 22 These shall ye eat of them: the arbeh after its kind, and the solam after its kind, and the hargol after its kind, and the hargab after its kind. 23 But every winged crawling thing that hath four feet shall be an abomination unto you. 24 And by these ye shall make yourselves unclean; whoever toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even. 25 And whoever carrieth [ought] of their carcase shall wash his garments, and be unclean until the even.
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.