Leviticus 11:23

23 But all other flying insects that have four legs you are to regard as unclean.

Leviticus 11:23 in Other Translations

KJV
23 But all other flying creeping things, which have four feet, shall be an abomination unto you.
ESV
23 But all other winged insects that have four feet are detestable to you.
NLT
23 All other winged insects that walk along the ground are detestable to you.
MSG
23 But all the other flying insects that have four legs you are to detest.
CSB
23 All [other] winged insects that have four feet are to be detestable to you.

Leviticus 11:23 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 11:23

But all [other] flying creeping things
Excepting the four sorts before mentioned, wherefore we rightly supply the word "other":

which have four feet;
or more; the Vulgate Latin version adds, "only", but wrongly; for those that have more are unclean, and forbidden to be eaten, excepting those in the preceding verse; and most creeping things that fly have six feet, as the locusts themselves, reckoning their leaping legs into the number; though it may be observed, that those creatures that have six feet have but four equal ones, on which they walk or creep; and the two foremost, which are longer, are as hands to them to wipe their eyes with, and protect them from anything that may fall into them and hurt them; they not being able to see clearly because of the hardness of their eyes, as Aristotle


FOOTNOTES:

F1 observes, and particularly it may be remarked of the fly, as it is by Lucian F2, that though it has six feet it only goes on four, using the other two foremost as hands; and therefore you may see it walking on four feet, with something eatable in its hands, lifting them up on high, just after the manner of men: now all such creatures that have four feet or more, excepting the above,

[shall be] an abomination unto you;
abhorred as food, and abstained from.


F1 Ut supra. (Hist. Animal. l. 9. c. 6.)
F2 De Musca.

Leviticus 11:23 In-Context

21 There are, however, some flying insects that walk on all fours that you may eat: those that have jointed legs for hopping on the ground.
22 Of these you may eat any kind of locust, katydid, cricket or grasshopper.
23 But all other flying insects that have four legs you are to regard as unclean.
24 “ ‘You will make yourselves unclean by these; whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean till evening.
25 Whoever picks up one of their carcasses must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening.
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