Leviticus 11:12-22

12 Everything in the waters that does not have fins and scales is detestable to you.

13 These you shall regard as detestable among the birds. They shall not be eaten; they are an abomination: the eagle, the vulture, the osprey,

14 the buzzard, the kite of any kind;

15 every raven of any kind;

16 the ostrich, the nighthawk, the sea gull, the hawk of any kind;

17 the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl,

18 the water hen, the desert owl, the carrion vulture,

19 the stork, the heron of any kind, the hoopoe, and the bat.

20 All winged insects that walk upon all fours are detestable to you.

21 But among the winged insects that walk on all fours you may eat those that have jointed legs above their feet, with which to leap on the ground.

22 Of them you may eat: the locust according to its kind, the bald locust according to its kind, the cricket according to its kind, and the grasshopper according to its kind.

Leviticus 11:12-22 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or [pelican]
• [b]. Identification of several of the birds in verses 13-19 is uncertain