Leviticus 11:34

34 All food which may be eaten upon which shall come water from any such vessel shall be unclean; and any drink that may be drunk shall be unclean in every such vessel.

Leviticus 11:34 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 11:34

Of all meat which may be eaten
Which otherwise is lawful to eat and fit for food, whether herbs, or whether the flesh of clean creatures:

[that] on which [such] water cometh shall be unclean;
that is, such water as is put into an unclean vessel, become so by the fall of any unclean reptile into it; wherefore such water poured out upon any sort of food, clean and fit to eat, or that is put into such water, to be dressed, it becomes unclean and unfit to eat; for the vessel, being unclean, defiles the water, and the water defiles the food: Jarchi interprets this of water in general, which coming upon anything eatable, prepares it for uncleanness;

``we learn (says he) that no food is fit and prepared to receive defilement until water comes upon it once; and after it is come upon it once, it receives defilement for ever, even though it becomes dry;''

but the former seems to be the true sense:

and all drink that may be drank in every such vessel shall be
unclean;
whatever otherwise might be lawfully drank, yet being put into such a vessel, into which any unclean reptile was fallen, or being in it when it fell into it, became unclean and not fit to be drank; and those liquors which receive uncleanness, and make meats unclean by coming on them, according to the Misnic doctors F23, are these seven, dew, water, wine, oil, blood, milk, and honey.


FOOTNOTES:

F23 Misn. Machshirin, c. 6. sect. 4.

Leviticus 11:34 In-Context

32 And everything upon which any of them falls when they are dead shall be unclean, whether it be any vessel of wood or clothing or skin or sack, whatever instrument with which work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the evening; and thus it shall be cleansed.
33 And every earthen vessel into which any of them falls, whatever is in it shall be unclean; and ye shall break the vessel.
34 All food which may be eaten upon which shall come water from any such vessel shall be unclean; and any drink that may be drunk shall be unclean in every such vessel.
35 And everything upon which any part of their carcase falls shall be unclean: the oven or the chimney shall be broken down, for they are unclean and shall be unclean unto you.
36 Nevertheless a fountain or cistern where water is collected shall be clean; but that which touches their carcase shall be unclean.
The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010