Deuteronomy 14:6

6 “You may eat any animal that has completely split hooves and chews the cud,

Deuteronomy 14:6 Meaning and Commentary

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).

Deuteronomy 14:6 In-Context

4 These are the animals you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat,

5 the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the addax, the antelope, and the mountain sheep.

6 “You may eat any animal that has completely split hooves and chews the cud,

7 but if the animal doesn’t have both, it may not be eaten. So you may not eat the camel, the hare, or the hyrax. They chew the cud but do not have split hooves, so they are ceremonially unclean for you.

8 And you may not eat the pig. It has split hooves but does not chew the cud, so it is ceremonially unclean for you. You may not eat the meat of these animals or even touch their carcasses.