Ver. 6-8. And every beast that parted the hoof In this and the two following verses two general rules are given, by which it might be known what beasts were fit for food and what not; one is if they parted the hoof, and the other if they chewed the cud, such might be eaten; but such that only chewed the cud, but did not divide the hoof, as the camel, hare, and coney, might not be eaten; and so if they divided the hoof, and did not chew the cud, as the swine, they were alike unlawful; (See Gill on Leviticus 11:3), (See Gill on Leviticus 11:4), (See Gill on Leviticus 11:5), (See Gill on Leviticus 11:6), (See Gill on Leviticus 11:7), (See Gill on Leviticus 11:8).
4
These are the beasts which you may have for food: the ox, the sheep, and the goat;
5
The hart, the gazelle, and the roe, the mountain goat and the pygarg and the antelope and the mountain sheep.
6
Any beast which has a division in the horn of its foot and whose food comes back into its mouth to be crushed again, may be used for food.
7
But even among these, there are some which may not be used for food: such as the camel, the hare, and the coney, which are unclean to you, because, though their food comes back, the horn of their feet is not parted in two.
8
And the pig is unclean to you, because though it has a division in the horn of its foot, its food does not come back; their flesh may not be used for food or their dead bodies touched by you.
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