Leviticus 11:33-43

33 And if one of them gets into any vessel of earth, whatever is in the vessel will be unclean and the vessel will have to be broken.

34 Any food in it, and anything on which water from it comes, will be unclean: any drink taken from such a vessel will be unclean.

35 Any part of the dead body of one of these, falling on anything, will make it unclean; if it is an oven or a cooking-pot it will have to be broken: they are unclean and will be unclean to you.

36 But at the same time a fountain or a place where water is stored for use will be clean; but anyone touching their dead bodies will be unclean.

37 If any part of the dead body of one of these gets on to any seed for planting, it is clean;

38 But if water is put on the seed, and any part of the dead body gets on to it, it will be unclean to you.

39 And if any beast which may be used for food comes to a natural death, anyone touching its dead body will be unclean till evening.

40 And he who makes use of any part of its body for food is to have his clothing washed and be unclean till evening; and anyone taking away its body is to have his clothing washed and be unclean till evening.

41 Everything which goes flat on its body on the earth is disgusting, and is not to be used for food.

42 Whatever goes on its stomach or on four feet or has a great number of feet, even all those going flat on the earth, may not be used for food, for they are disgusting.

43 You are not to make yourselves disgusting with anything which goes about flat on the earth; you may not make yourselves unclean with them, in such a way that you are not holy to me.

Leviticus 11:33-43 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.