Leviticus 11: Understanding Clean and Unclean
And the Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them,
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth.
Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.
Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.
Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.
These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat.
And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you:
They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination.
Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.
And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray,
And the vulture, and the kite after his kind;
Every raven after his kind;
And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind,
And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl,
And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle,
And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.
All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you.
Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth;
Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind.
But all other flying creeping things, which have four feet, shall be an abomination unto you.
And for these ye shall be unclean: whosoever toucheth the carcase of them shall be unclean until the even.
And whosoever beareth ought of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.
The carcases of every beast which divideth the hoof, and is not clovenfooted, nor cheweth the cud, are unclean unto you: every one that toucheth them shall be unclean.
And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on all four, those are unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even.
And he that beareth the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: they are unclean unto you.
These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind,
And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole.
These are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even.
And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; so it shall be cleansed.
And every earthen vessel, whereinto any of them falleth, whatsoever is in it shall be unclean; and ye shall break it.
Of all meat which may be eaten, that on which such water cometh shall be unclean: and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean.
And every thing whereupon any part of their carcase falleth shall be unclean; whether it be oven, or ranges for pots, they shall be broken down: for they are unclean, and shall be unclean unto you.
Nevertheless a fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty of water, shall be clean: but that which toucheth their carcase shall be unclean.
And if any part of their carcase fall upon any sowing seed which is to be sown, it shall be clean.
But if any water be put upon the seed, and any part of their carcase fall thereon, it shall be unclean unto you.
And if any beast, of which ye may eat, die; he that toucheth the carcase thereof shall be unclean until the even.
And he that eateth of the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: he also that beareth the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.
And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination; it shall not be eaten.
Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon all four, or whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they are an abomination.
Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby.
For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
For I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth:
To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.
Leviticus 11 delves into a seemingly mundane topic: the dietary laws of the Israelites. However, this chapter reveals a profound truth: God is deeply interested in every aspect of our lives, even the seemingly routine ones. He cares about what we eat and how we live, because these choices reflect our commitment to living a holy life before Him. Leviticus 11 serves as a powerful reminder that holiness isn't confined to grand religious rituals; it permeates the everyday. This chapter directly relates to God's requirement that the Israelites live holy lives before Him. Nothing could be more routine than daily meals, but the Israelites were commanded to take great care in what they ate, or even touched, because God had designated some animals and activities as clean and others as unclean.
The Significance of Dietary Laws
The reasons behind Israel's dietary restrictions have been the subject of much discussion. While the precise motivations may be multifaceted, some key purposes emerge. First, these laws served to set Israel apart from the surrounding pagan nations. By adhering to these unique dietary guidelines, the Israelites distinguished themselves as God's chosen people, dedicated to His ways. Second, there may have been practical health benefits associated with these restrictions. Some scholars suggest that avoiding certain animals could have minimized the risk of disease and foodborne illnesses. Third, some of the prohibited animals, such as pigs, were used in pagan religious ceremonies of the day. By forbidding these animals, God was further separating His people from idolatrous practices. Ultimately, the distinction between clean and unclean animals is rooted in the revealed will of God. He established these guidelines as a means for His people to demonstrate obedience and reverence.
Identifying Clean and Unclean Animals
Leviticus 11 provides specific criteria for determining which animals were considered clean and unclean.
Land Animals (Leviticus 11:1-8)
A land animal was considered clean, and therefore edible, if it had divided hooves and chewed the cud (Leviticus 11:3). Animals that met only one of these criteria were deemed unclean. For instance, the pig, though possessing a divided hoof, does not chew the cud and was therefore prohibited. While the prohibition against pork is perhaps the most widely known Jewish dietary restriction, the text doesn't highlight pigs as inherently more unclean than other forbidden animals.
Water Animals (Leviticus 11:9-12)
For creatures living in the water, the standard for cleanness was the presence of both fins and scales (Leviticus 11:9).
Birds and Insects (Leviticus 11:13-23)
God used the word "abhorrent" in relation to unclean fish, birds and insects (Leviticus 11:10-13, 20, 23), indicating they were to be especially detestable to the Jews. The prohibited birds were primarily birds of prey (Leviticus 11:13-19), likely because they consumed flesh with blood, which was forbidden to the Israelites. Notably, some insects, including locusts, katydids, crickets, and grasshoppers, were considered clean and could be eaten (Leviticus 11:20-22).
Avoiding Defilement from Unclean Animals (Leviticus 11:24-47)
Beyond the consumption of unclean animals, Leviticus 11 also addresses the issue of defilement through contact with their carcasses.
The carcasses of all animals were considered unclean, except for those sacrificed properly in worship, which also meant that their blood had been drained. Death in any form caused uncleanness and isolation from the Israelite community, and the goal of all cleansing was to be able to approach the holy God of Israel and worship him acceptably.
The second half of the chapter outlines the procedures to follow if a person, their clothing, or household items came into contact with an unclean animal or the carcass of any animal, regardless of whether it was clean or unclean in life. This uncleanness required the person to remain outside the camp until evening (Leviticus 11:31) and wash their clothes before being restored to the community.
This principle extended to items that came into contact with unclean animals. A clay pot contaminated in this way had to be broken (Leviticus 11:33), and an unclean oven or stove had to be smashed (Leviticus 11:35). Even contact with the carcasses of clean animals could defile a person if the animals died in a manner other than through proper sacrificial rituals.
God repeated the prohibition against eating or touching unclean animals and gave the reason: "For I am the LORD your God, so you must consecrate yourselves and be holy because I am holy" (Leviticus 11:41-44). To emphasize the point, He reiterated: "You must be holy because I am holy" (Leviticus 11:45).
The Enduring Call to Holiness
The emphasis on holiness in Leviticus 11 resonates deeply with believers today. While we are no longer bound by the specific dietary laws outlined in this chapter, the underlying principle of holiness remains paramount.
Holiness is still a requirement for God’s people today. Of course, we cannot make ourselves holy. Sinners are made acceptable to God only through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ when they place their faith in him. But after coming to saving faith in Christ, we are called to live lives that please him. The New Testament, in fact, is filled with commands about walking in holiness and honoring the Lord with lives dedicated to his service (see Romans 12:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:7; 1 Peter 1:15-16; 2 Peter 3:11). God is holy, and he calls his people to be like him.
Through faith in Jesus Christ, we are cleansed from sin and empowered to live lives that reflect His character. This involves making conscious choices that honor God in all areas of our lives—our thoughts, words, actions, and even our diets. As we strive to live in obedience to God's Word, we demonstrate our love for Him and our desire to reflect His holiness to the world around us. Leviticus 11 reminds us that holiness is not merely an external conformity to rules, but an internal transformation that shapes every aspect of our being.
And the Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them,
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth.
Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.
Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.
Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.
These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat.
And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you:
They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination.
Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.
And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray,
And the vulture, and the kite after his kind;
Every raven after his kind;
And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind,
And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl,
And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle,
And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.
All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you.
Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth;
Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind.
But all other flying creeping things, which have four feet, shall be an abomination unto you.
And for these ye shall be unclean: whosoever toucheth the carcase of them shall be unclean until the even.
And whosoever beareth ought of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.
The carcases of every beast which divideth the hoof, and is not clovenfooted, nor cheweth the cud, are unclean unto you: every one that toucheth them shall be unclean.
And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on all four, those are unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even.
And he that beareth the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: they are unclean unto you.
These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind,
And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole.
These are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even.
And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; so it shall be cleansed.
And every earthen vessel, whereinto any of them falleth, whatsoever is in it shall be unclean; and ye shall break it.
Of all meat which may be eaten, that on which such water cometh shall be unclean: and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean.
And every thing whereupon any part of their carcase falleth shall be unclean; whether it be oven, or ranges for pots, they shall be broken down: for they are unclean, and shall be unclean unto you.
Nevertheless a fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty of water, shall be clean: but that which toucheth their carcase shall be unclean.
And if any part of their carcase fall upon any sowing seed which is to be sown, it shall be clean.
But if any water be put upon the seed, and any part of their carcase fall thereon, it shall be unclean unto you.
And if any beast, of which ye may eat, die; he that toucheth the carcase thereof shall be unclean until the even.
And he that eateth of the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: he also that beareth the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.
And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination; it shall not be eaten.
Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon all four, or whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they are an abomination.
Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby.
For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
For I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth:
To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.
Leviticus 11 delves into a seemingly mundane topic: the dietary laws of the Israelites. However, this chapter reveals a profound truth: God is deeply interested in every aspect of our lives, even the seemingly routine ones. He cares about what we eat and how we live, because these choices reflect our commitment to living a holy life before Him. Leviticus 11 serves as a powerful reminder that holiness isn't confined to grand religious rituals; it permeates the everyday. This chapter directly relates to God's requirement that the Israelites live holy lives before Him. Nothing could be more routine than daily meals, but the Israelites were commanded to take great care in what they ate, or even touched, because God had designated some animals and activities as clean and others as unclean.
The Significance of Dietary Laws
The reasons behind Israel's dietary restrictions have been the subject of much discussion. While the precise motivations may be multifaceted, some key purposes emerge. First, these laws served to set Israel apart from the surrounding pagan nations. By adhering to these unique dietary guidelines, the Israelites distinguished themselves as God's chosen people, dedicated to His ways. Second, there may have been practical health benefits associated with these restrictions. Some scholars suggest that avoiding certain animals could have minimized the risk of disease and foodborne illnesses. Third, some of the prohibited animals, such as pigs, were used in pagan religious ceremonies of the day. By forbidding these animals, God was further separating His people from idolatrous practices. Ultimately, the distinction between clean and unclean animals is rooted in the revealed will of God. He established these guidelines as a means for His people to demonstrate obedience and reverence.
Identifying Clean and Unclean Animals
Leviticus 11 provides specific criteria for determining which animals were considered clean and unclean.
Land Animals (Leviticus 11:1-8)
A land animal was considered clean, and therefore edible, if it had divided hooves and chewed the cud (Leviticus 11:3). Animals that met only one of these criteria were deemed unclean. For instance, the pig, though possessing a divided hoof, does not chew the cud and was therefore prohibited. While the prohibition against pork is perhaps the most widely known Jewish dietary restriction, the text doesn't highlight pigs as inherently more unclean than other forbidden animals.
Water Animals (Leviticus 11:9-12)
For creatures living in the water, the standard for cleanness was the presence of both fins and scales (Leviticus 11:9).
Birds and Insects (Leviticus 11:13-23)
God used the word "abhorrent" in relation to unclean fish, birds and insects (Leviticus 11:10-13, 20, 23), indicating they were to be especially detestable to the Jews. The prohibited birds were primarily birds of prey (Leviticus 11:13-19), likely because they consumed flesh with blood, which was forbidden to the Israelites. Notably, some insects, including locusts, katydids, crickets, and grasshoppers, were considered clean and could be eaten (Leviticus 11:20-22).
Avoiding Defilement from Unclean Animals (Leviticus 11:24-47)
Beyond the consumption of unclean animals, Leviticus 11 also addresses the issue of defilement through contact with their carcasses.
The carcasses of all animals were considered unclean, except for those sacrificed properly in worship, which also meant that their blood had been drained. Death in any form caused uncleanness and isolation from the Israelite community, and the goal of all cleansing was to be able to approach the holy God of Israel and worship him acceptably.
The second half of the chapter outlines the procedures to follow if a person, their clothing, or household items came into contact with an unclean animal or the carcass of any animal, regardless of whether it was clean or unclean in life. This uncleanness required the person to remain outside the camp until evening (Leviticus 11:31) and wash their clothes before being restored to the community.
This principle extended to items that came into contact with unclean animals. A clay pot contaminated in this way had to be broken (Leviticus 11:33), and an unclean oven or stove had to be smashed (Leviticus 11:35). Even contact with the carcasses of clean animals could defile a person if the animals died in a manner other than through proper sacrificial rituals.
God repeated the prohibition against eating or touching unclean animals and gave the reason: "For I am the LORD your God, so you must consecrate yourselves and be holy because I am holy" (Leviticus 11:41-44). To emphasize the point, He reiterated: "You must be holy because I am holy" (Leviticus 11:45).
The Enduring Call to Holiness
The emphasis on holiness in Leviticus 11 resonates deeply with believers today. While we are no longer bound by the specific dietary laws outlined in this chapter, the underlying principle of holiness remains paramount.
Holiness is still a requirement for God’s people today. Of course, we cannot make ourselves holy. Sinners are made acceptable to God only through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ when they place their faith in him. But after coming to saving faith in Christ, we are called to live lives that please him. The New Testament, in fact, is filled with commands about walking in holiness and honoring the Lord with lives dedicated to his service (see Romans 12:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:7; 1 Peter 1:15-16; 2 Peter 3:11). God is holy, and he calls his people to be like him.
Through faith in Jesus Christ, we are cleansed from sin and empowered to live lives that reflect His character. This involves making conscious choices that honor God in all areas of our lives—our thoughts, words, actions, and even our diets. As we strive to live in obedience to God's Word, we demonstrate our love for Him and our desire to reflect His holiness to the world around us. Leviticus 11 reminds us that holiness is not merely an external conformity to rules, but an internal transformation that shapes every aspect of our being.