Leviticus

11.1-47

In addition to the commands for what is permissible to eat or touch among the clean and unclean animals in this section of the law, there is an appropriate sense of disdain for the disallowed things. Rather than simply being "unclean to you" (vv4,5,6,7,8,24,25,26,27,28,29,31,32,33,34,35,38,39,40), the foods that are prohibited are declared "detestable to you" (vv10,11,12,13,20,23,41,42), and "you shall detest (them)" (v13). Among the traditionally domesticated animals (vv3-8), only those with cloven hooves and who chew the cud (digest their food twice) are considered clean. Even among the animals that should have cloven hooves (divided hooves), if their hooves are not entirely split, they are to be considered unclean (v26). This ensures that the laws are regarded with care and specificity. Of creatures taken from the water (vv9-12), only those with fins or scales may be eaten. Of the birds (vv13-19), those known to consume carrion (ergo, will touch other dead/unclean animals) are prohibited. The concept of unclean transference is present in this prohibition. Swarming things (vv20-23) and those that walk on all fours (27-30) are the types of creatures that can often be found in homes, and are, therefore, also given a special designation as pollutants for other vessels used to prepare foods (vv32-36). Even if an otherwise clean animal dies, it becomes unclean (v39). Too often the Bible is considered a book of prohibitions or restrictions. When considered without understanding why they were given, the biases of a Godless worldview take over. Every designation of uncleanliness is specific for the preservation of the health of the people - to prevent the spread of infection, disease, or poison. Men have avoided poisonous plants since sin came into the world. Self-preservation dictates so. Men have avoided other murderous criminals and have acknowledged their own sinful nature as well. By these laws, God ensures a further clarification of sin's impact. Uncleanliness was not limited to 1) sinful man, or 2) poisonous herbs, berries, thorns, and thistles. God's laws are to protect His people. God's design is for the good of those He loves.

CHAPTER 11

Clean and Unclean Animals

1 Yahweh spoke again to Moses and to Aaron, saying to them,
2 “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘These are the creatures which you may eat from all the animals that are on the earth.
3 ‘Whatever divides a hoof, thus making split hoofs, and chews the cud, among the animals, that you may eat.
4 ‘Nevertheless, you shall not eat of these, among those which chew the cud or among those which divide the hoof: the camel, for though it chews cud, it does not divide the hoof; it is unclean to you.
5 ‘Likewise, the shaphan, for though it chews cud, it does not divide the hoof; it is unclean to you;
6 the rabbit also, for though it chews cud, it does not divide the hoof; it is unclean to you;
7 and the pig, for though it divides the hoof, thus making a split hoof, it does not chew cud; it is unclean to you.
8 ‘You shall not eat of their flesh, and you shall not touch their carcasses; they are unclean to you.
9 ‘These you may eat, whatever is in the water: all that have fins and scales, those in the water, in the seas, or in the rivers, you may eat.
10 ‘But whatever is in the seas and in the rivers that does not have fins and scales among all the swarming life of the water, and among all the living creatures that are in the water, they are detestable things to you,
11 and they shall be detestable to you; you may not eat of their flesh, and their carcasses you shall detest.
12 ‘Whatever in the water does not have fins and scales is detestable to you.
13 ‘These, moreover, you shall detest among the birds; they shall not be eaten; they are detestable: the eagle and the vulture and the buzzard,
14 and the kite and the falcon in its kind,
15 every raven in its kind,
16 and the ostrich and the owl and the gull and the hawk in its kind,
17 and the little owl and the cormorant and the great owl,
18 and the white owl and the pelican and the carrion vulture,
19 and the stork, the heron in its kinds, and the hoopoe, and the bat.
20 ‘All the swarming things that fly and that walk on all fours are detestable to you.
21 ‘Yet these you may eat among all the swarming things that fly and that walk on all fours: those which have above their feet jointed legs with which to jump on the earth.
22 ‘These of them you may eat: the locust in its kinds and the devastating locust in its kinds and the cricket in its kinds and the grasshopper in its kinds.
23 ‘But all other swarming things that fly and that are four-footed are detestable to you.
24 ‘By these, moreover, you will be made unclean: whoever touches their carcasses becomes unclean until evening,
25 and whoever picks up any of their carcasses shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening.
26 ‘Concerning all the animals which divide the hoof but do not make a split hoof or which do not chew cud, they are unclean to you: whoever touches them becomes unclean.
27 ‘Also whatever walks on its paws, among all the creatures that walk on all fours, are unclean to you; whoever touches their carcasses becomes unclean until evening,
28 and the one who picks up their carcasses shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening; they are unclean to you.
29 ‘Now these are to you the unclean among the swarming things which swarm on the earth: the mole and the mouse and the great lizard in its kinds,
30 and the gecko and the crocodile and the lizard and the sand reptile and the chameleon.
31 ‘These are to you the unclean among all the swarming things; whoever touches them when they are dead becomes unclean until evening.
32 ‘Also anything on which one of them may fall when they are dead becomes unclean, including any wooden article or clothing or a skin or a sack—any article by which work is done—it shall be put in the water and be unclean until evening, then it becomes clean.
33 ‘As for any earthenware vessel into which one of them may fall, whatever is in it becomes unclean, and you shall break the vessel.
34 ‘Any of the food which may be eaten, on which water comes, shall become unclean, and any liquid which may be drunk in every vessel shall become unclean.
35 ‘Everything, moreover, on which part of their carcass may fall becomes unclean; an oven or a stove shall be smashed; they are unclean and shall continue as unclean to you.
36 ‘Nevertheless a spring or a cistern collecting water shall be clean, though the one who touches their carcass shall be unclean.
37 ‘And if a part of their carcass falls on any seed for sowing which is to be sown, it is clean.
38 ‘Though if water is put on the seed and a part of their carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you.
39 ‘Also if one of the animals dies which you have for food, the one who touches its carcass becomes unclean until evening.
40 ‘He too, who eats some of its carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening, and the one who picks up its carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening.
41 ‘Now every swarming thing that swarms on the earth is detestable; it shall not be eaten.
42 ‘Whatever goes on its belly, and whatever goes on all fours, whatever has many feet, in respect to every swarming thing that swarms on the earth, you shall not eat them, for they are detestable.
43 ‘Do not render yourselves detestable through any of the swarming things that swarm; and you shall not make yourselves unclean with them so that you become unclean.
44 ‘For I am Yahweh your God. Therefore, set yourselves apart as holy and be holy, for I am holy. And you shall not make yourselves unclean with any of the swarming things that move on the earth.
45 ‘For I am Yahweh who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; thus you shall be holy, for I am holy.’”
46 This is the law regarding the animal and the bird and every living thing that moves in the waters and everything that swarms on the earth,
47 to separate between the unclean and the clean, and between the edible creature and the creature which is not to be eaten.