Leviticus 11:33

33 All maner of erthen vessell where in to any of them falleth, is vnclene with all that therein is: and ye shall breake it.

Leviticus 11:33 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 11:33

And every earthen vessel, whereinto [any] of them falleth,
&c.] Any of the above eight reptiles, should they by chance fall into the midst an earthen vessel:

whatsoever [is] in it shall be unclean;
if it only by falling touched the outside of it, it was not unclean; but if it fell into it, then whatever was contained in it was unclean; for, as Jarchi says, an earthen vessel does not pollute or receive pollution, but from the air of it ^F21, from its inside:

and ye shall break it;
other vessels might be put into water and rinsed, and so be cleansed, but earthen vessels, being of no great value, were to be broken in pieces: an emblem this, as Ainsworth suggests, of the dissolution of our bodies, which are as earthen vessels, and of the destruction of sin thereby, and of the entire removal of it by death.

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 Vid. Misn. Celaim, c. 2. sect. 1. & Maimon. & Bartenora in ib.

Leviticus 11:33 In-Context

31 These are vnclene to you amonge all that moue, and all that twych them when they be dead, shalbe vnclene vntyll the euen.

32 And what soeuer any of the dead carkesses of them fall apon, shalbe vnclene: what soeuer vessell of wodd it be, or rayment, or skynne, or bagge or what soeuer thinge it be that any worke is wroughte with all. And they shalbe plunged in the water and be vnclene vntill the eue, and then they shalbe clene agayne.

33 All maner of erthen vessell where in to any of them falleth, is vnclene with all that therein is: and ye shall breake it.

34 All maner meate that is eaten, yf any soch water come apon it, it shall be vnclene. And all maner drynke that is droke in all maner soch vessels, shalbe vnclene.

35 And whether it be ouen or kettel, it shalbe broken. For they are vnclene and shalbe vnclene vnto you: