Deuteronomy 14:1-8

1 "You are the people of ADONAI your God. You are not to gash yourselves or shave the hair above your foreheads in mourning for the dead,

2 because you are a people set apart as holy for ADONAI your God. ADONAI your God has chosen you to be his own unique treasure out of all the peoples on the face of the earth.

3 "You are not to eat anything disgusting.

4 The animals which you may eat are: ox, sheep, goat,

5 deer, gazelle, roebuck, ibex, antelope, oryx and mountain sheep.

6 Any animal that has a separate hoof that is completely divided and also chews the cud, these animals you may eat.

7 But you are not to eat those that only chew the cud or only have a divided hoof. For example, the camel, the hare and the coney are unclean for you because they chew the cud but don't have a separate hoof;

8 while the pig is unclean for you because, although it has a separate hoof, it doesn't chew the cud. You are not to eat meat from these or touch their carcasses.

Deuteronomy 14:1-8 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 14

In this chapter some cautions are given against the use of some rites and ceremonies in mourning for the dead, with the reason thereof, De 14:1,2 and instructions about what are lawful to be eaten, and what not, whether of beasts, fishes, or fowl, De 14:3-21, and concerning eating one sort of tithes both at the place God should choose, and within their own gates, De 14:22-29.