Deuteronomy 14:2-12

2 You belong to the Lord your God; he has chosen you to be his own people from among all the peoples who live on earth. ¹

3 "Do not eat anything that the Lord has declared unclean.

4 You may eat these animals: cattle, sheep, goats,

5 deer, wild sheep, wild goats, or antelopes -

6 any animals that have divided hoofs and that also chew the cud.

7 But no animals may be eaten unless they have divided hoofs and also chew the cud. You may not eat camels, rabbits, or rock badgers. They must be considered unclean; they chew the cud but do not have divided hoofs.

8 Do not eat pigs. They must be considered unclean; they have divided hoofs but do not chew the cud. Do not eat any of these animals or even touch their dead bodies.

9 "You may eat any kind of fish that has fins and scales,

10 but anything living in the water that does not have fins and scales may not be eaten; it must be considered unclean.

11 "You may eat any clean bird.

12 But these are the kinds of birds you are not to eat: eagles, owls, hawks, falcons; buzzards, vultures, crows; ostriches; seagulls, storks, herons, pelicans, cormorants; hoopoes; and bats.

Deuteronomy 14:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 14

In this chapter some cautions are given against the use of some rites and ceremonies in mourning for the dead, with the reason thereof, De 14:1,2 and instructions about what are lawful to be eaten, and what not, whether of beasts, fishes, or fowl, De 14:3-21, and concerning eating one sort of tithes both at the place God should choose, and within their own gates, De 14:22-29.

Cross References

• 1. 14.2Exodus 19.5, 6;Deuteronomy 4.20; 7.6; 26.18;Titus 2.14; 1 P 2.9.

Footnotes

• [a]. [The identification of some of these birds is uncertain.]