Leviticus 11:1-11

1 And the Lord spake to Moses and Aaron, and said,

2 Say ye to the sons of Israel (Say ye to the Israelites), Keep ye all things which I wrote to you, (so) that I (shall) be your God. These be the beasts, which ye shall eat, (out) of all the living beasts of (the) earth;

3 ye shall eat all things among beasts that have the claw parted, and cheweth the cud; (ye shall eat all those among the beasts that have a divided hoof, or foot, and that chew the cud;)

4 soothly whatever thing cheweth cud, and hath a claw, but parteth not it, as a camel, and other beasts (but whatever beast cheweth the cud, and hath a hoof, or a foot, but it is not divided, like a camel, and other beasts), ye shall not eat it, and ye shall areckon it among unclean things.

5 A coney, which cheweth (the) cud, and parteth not the claw (but its foot is not divided), is unclean;

6 and an hare, for also he cheweth (the) cud, but parteth not the claw (but its foot is not divided);

7 and a swine, that cheweth not the cud, though he parteth the claw (though its hoof is divided).

8 Ye shall not eat the flesh of these beasts, neither ye shall touch their dead bodies, for those be unclean to you.

9 Also these things be that be engendered in waters, and [it] is leaveful to eat; ye shall eat all things that have fins and scales, as well in the sea, as in [the] fresh floods, and standing waters; (And these things that be begotten in waters, it is lawful for ye to eat; ye shall eat all the things that have fins and scales, that be in the sea, as well as those that be in fresh water rivers, and lakes, and ponds;)

10 soothly whatever thing of them that be moved and live in waters (but whichever of them that move and live in water), (but) hath not fins and scales, shall be abominable, and loathsome to you;

11 and ye shall not eat the flesh of those, and ye shall eschew their bodies dead by themselves. (and ye shall not eat their flesh, and ye shall shun their dead bodies.)

Leviticus 11:1-11 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.