Leviticus 11:41-47

41 '¹Now every swarming thing that swarms on the earth is detestable, not to be eaten.

42 'Whatever crawls on its belly, and whatever walks on all fours, whatever has many feet, in respect to every swarming thing that swarms on the earth, you shall not eat them, for they are detestable.

43 '²Do not render yourselves detestable through any of the swarming things that swarm; and you shall not make yourselves unclean with them so that you become unclean.

44 'For ³I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and ⁴be holy, for I am holy. And you shall not make yourselves unclean with any of the swarming things that swarm on the earth.

45 '⁵For I am the LORD who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; thus ⁶you shall be holy, for I am holy.' "

46 This is the law regarding the animal and the bird, and every living thing that moves in the waters and everything that swarms on the earth,

47 ⁷to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean, and between the edible creature and the creature which is not to be eaten.

Leviticus 11:41-47 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.

Cross References

• 1. Leviticus 11:29
• 2. Leviticus 20:25
• 3. Exodus 6:7; Exodus 16:12; Exodus 23:25; Isaiah 43:3; Isaiah 51:15
• 4. Leviticus 19:2; 1 Peter 1:16
• 5. Exodus 6:7; Exodus 20:2; Leviticus 22:33; Leviticus 25:38; Leviticus 26:45
• 6. Leviticus 19:2; 1 Peter 1:16
• 7. Leviticus 10:10; Ezekiel 22:26; Ezekiel 44:23

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "your souls"