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- The LORD said to Moses and Aaron,
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- "Say to the Israelites: `Of all the animals that live on land, these are the ones you may eat:
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- You may eat any animal that has a split hoof completely divided and that chews the cud.
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- "`There are some that only chew the cud or only have a split hoof, but you must not eat them. The camel, though it chews the cud, does not have a split hoof; it is ceremonially unclean for you.
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- The coney, [1] though it chews the cud, does not have a split hoof; it is unclean for you.
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- The rabbit, though it chews the cud, does not have a split hoof; it is unclean for you.
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- And the pig, though it has a split hoof completely divided, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you.
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- You must not eat their meat or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you.
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- "`Of all the creatures living in the water of the seas and the streams, you may eat any that have fins and scales.
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- But 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 detest.
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- And since you are to detest them, you must not eat their meat and you must detest their carcasses.
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- Anything living in the water that does not have fins and scales is to be detestable to you.
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- "`These are the birds you are to detest and not eat because they are detestable: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture,
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- the red kite, any kind of black kite,
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- any kind of raven,
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- the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk,
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- the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl,
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- the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey,
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- the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe and the bat. [2]
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- "`All flying insects that walk on all fours are to be detestable to you.
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- There are, however, some winged creatures that walk on all fours that you may eat: those that have jointed legs for hopping on the ground.
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- Of these you may eat any kind of locust, katydid, cricket or grasshopper.
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- But all other winged creatures that have four legs you are to detest.
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- "`You will make yourselves unclean by these; whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean till evening.
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- Whoever picks up one of their carcasses must wash his clothes, and he will be unclean till evening.
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- "`Every animal that has a split hoof not completely divided or that does not chew the cud is unclean for you; whoever touches [the carcass of] any of them will be unclean.
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- Of 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.
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- Anyone who picks up their carcasses must wash his clothes, and he will be unclean till evening. They are unclean for you.
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- "`Of the animals that move about on the ground, these are unclean for you: the weasel, the rat, any kind of great lizard,
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- the gecko, the monitor lizard, the wall lizard, the skink and the chameleon.
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- Of all those that move along the ground, these are unclean for you. Whoever touches them when they are dead will be unclean till evening.
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- When 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.
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- If one of them falls into a clay pot, everything in it will be unclean, and you must break the pot.
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- Any food that could be eaten but has water on it from such a pot is unclean, and any liquid that could be drunk from it is unclean.
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- Anything 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.
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- A spring, however, or a cistern for collecting water remains clean, but anyone who touches one of these carcasses is unclean.
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- If a carcass falls on any seeds that are to be planted, they remain clean.
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- But if water has been put on the seed and a carcass falls on it, it is unclean for you.
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- "`If an animal that you are allowed to eat dies, anyone who touches the carcass will be unclean till evening.
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- Anyone who eats some of the carcass must wash his clothes, and he will be unclean till evening. Anyone who picks up the carcass must wash his clothes, and he will be unclean till evening.
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- "`Every creature that moves about on the ground is detestable; it is not to be eaten.
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- You are not to eat any creature that moves about on the ground, whether it moves on its belly or walks on all fours or on many feet; it is detestable.
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- Do not defile yourselves by any of these creatures. Do not make yourselves unclean by means of them or be made unclean by them.
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- I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves about on the ground.
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- I am the LORD who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.
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- "`These are the regulations concerning animals, birds, every living thing that moves in the water and every creature that moves about on the ground.
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- You must distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between living creatures that may be eaten and those that may not be eaten.'"
- [5] That is, the hyrax or rock badger
- [19] The precise identification of some of the birds, insects and animals in this chapter is uncertain.
As an enthusiast and knowledgeable individual in biblical studies and ancient cultural practices, I want to delve into the intriguing text from the book of Leviticus, specifically Leviticus 11. This chapter outlines dietary laws given to the Israelites, attributed to divine instructions received by Moses and Aaron from the LORD.
The passage provides a comprehensive list of animals, birds, and creatures of the sea, categorizing them into clean and unclean for consumption. The criteria for clean land animals include having a split hoof completely divided and chewing the cud. Animals meeting only one of these criteria are deemed unclean, such as the camel, coney, rabbit, and pig. The prohibition extends to not only consuming their meat but also touching their carcasses.
In the realm of aquatic life, creatures with fins and scales are deemed clean and permissible for consumption, while those lacking these features are considered detestable. This includes a clear instruction to detest and not eat the meat or touch the carcasses of such creatures.
The passage also extends its regulations to birds, insects, and certain creatures that move on the ground. Birds such as eagles, vultures, kites, ravens, owls, and bats are listed as detestable and unfit for consumption. Insects with jointed legs for hopping are allowed, including locusts, katydids, crickets, and grasshoppers. However, other winged creatures with four legs are deemed detestable.
The text emphasizes the consequences of defilement and uncleanness resulting from contact with the carcasses of these creatures. It specifies purification rituals, including washing clothes and waiting until evening to become clean again.
In the broader context, the passage underscores the importance of holiness and consecration to the LORD. The distinctions between clean and unclean animals serve as a symbolic representation of purity and separation from impurity. The chapter concludes with a reminder to distinguish between the clean and the unclean, reinforcing the idea of maintaining a holy and set-apart lifestyle.
The specific mention of the hyrax or rock badger in verse 5 highlights a degree of uncertainty in the identification of some creatures mentioned in the chapter, acknowledging the challenges in precisely identifying certain birds, insects, and animals referred to in the text. This uncertainty may arise from changes in language, cultural practices, or species identification over time.
In summary, Leviticus 11 provides a detailed guide to the Israelites on what is deemed clean and unclean in terms of dietary practices, emphasizing the broader spiritual concept of holiness and consecration. The intricate details of the text reflect a depth of cultural and religious significance that goes beyond mere dietary restrictions.
