Leviticus 11:31-41

31 These are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even.

32 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 .

33 And every earthen vessel, whereinto any of them falleth * , whatsoever is in it shall be unclean ; and ye shall break it.

34 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 .

35 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.

36 Nevertheless a fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty of water, shall be clean: but that which toucheth their carcase shall be unclean .

37 And if any part of their carcase fall upon any sowing seed which is to be sown , it shall be clean.

38 But if any water be put upon the seed, and any part of their carcase fall thereon, it shall be unclean unto you.

39 And if any beast, of which ye may eat, die ; he that toucheth the carcase thereof shall be unclean until the even.

40 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.

41 And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination; it shall not be eaten .

Leviticus 11:31-41 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 11

This chapter treats of creatures clean and unclean, as fit or not fit to be eaten; and first of beasts, whose signs are given, Le 11:1-8 then of fishes, which are likewise described, Le 11:9-12 after that of fowls, and those that are not to be eaten are particularly named, Le 11:13-19 next of creeping things, which are distinguished into two sorts, as flying creeping things, of which those that are unclean, their carcasses are not even to be touched, as neither the carcasses of unclean beasts, Le 11:20-28 and creeping things on the earth, which defile by touching, as well as eating, and make everything unclean, upon which, being dead, they fall, Le 11:29-43 and these laws are enforced from the holiness and goodness of God, Le 11:44,45 and the chapter is concluded with a recapitulation of them, Le 11:46,47.