Leviticus 11:6

6 and an hare, for also he cheweth (the) cud, but parteth not the claw (but its foot is not divided);

Leviticus 11:6 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 11:6

And the hare, because he cheweth the cud
Or, "though he chews" it:

but divideth not the hoof, he [is] unclean to you;
and so not to be eaten; so Plutarch ^F17 says, that the Jews are said to abstain from the hare, disdaining it as a filthy and unclean animal, and yet was in the greatest esteem with the Romans of any four footed beast, as Martial says ^F18: Moses, as Bochart ^F19 and other learned men observe, is the only writer that speaks of the hare as chewing the cud; though they also observe, that Aristotle ^F20 makes mention of that in common with those that do chew the cud, namely a "coagulum" or "runnet" in its stomach; his words are,

``all that have many bellies have what is called (puetia) , a coagulum or runnet, and of them that have but one belly, the hare;''

only that: this creature being prone to lust, may be an emblem of lustful persons, who give up themselves to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness, ( Ephesians 4:19 ) .

(The "hare" is this verse may be an animal that is now is extinct but was alive at the time of Moses. It is only other mentioned in ( Deuteronomy 14:7 ) . Editor.)

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 Sympos. l. 9. c. 5.
F18 L. 13. Epigr. 87.
F19 Ut supra, (Hierozoic par. 1. l. 3.) c. 31. col. 977.
F20 De Part. Animal. l. 3. c. 15. & Hist. Animal. l. 3. c. 21.

Leviticus 11:6 In-Context

4 soothly whatever thing cheweth cud, and hath a claw, but parteth not it, as a camel, and other beasts (but whatever beast cheweth the cud, and hath a hoof, or a foot, but it is not divided, like a camel, and other beasts), ye shall not eat it, and ye shall areckon it among unclean things.

5 A coney, which cheweth (the) cud, and parteth not the claw (but its foot is not divided), is unclean;

6 and an hare, for also he cheweth (the) cud, but parteth not the claw (but its foot is not divided);

7 and a swine, that cheweth not the cud, though he parteth the claw (though its hoof is divided).

8 Ye shall not eat the flesh of these beasts, neither ye shall touch their dead bodies, for those be unclean to you.