Leviticus 11:16-26

16 And the owl, and the night-hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind,

17 And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl,

18 And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier-eagle,

19 And the stork, and the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.

20 All fowls that creep, going upon [all] four, [shall be] an abomination to you.

21 Yet these may ye eat, of every flying creeping animal that goeth upon [all] four, which have legs above their feet, to leap with upon the earth;

22 [Even] these of them ye may eat; the locust after its kind, and the bald locust after its kind, and the beetle after its kind, and the grasshopper after its kind.

23 But all [other] flying creeping animals, which have four feet, [shall be] an abomination to you.

24 And for these ye shall be unclean: whoever toucheth the carcass of them shall be unclean until the evening.

25 And whoever beareth [aught] of the carcass of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening.

26 [The carcasses] of every beast which divideth the hoof, and [is] not cloven-footed, nor cheweth the cud, [are] unclean to you: every one that toucheth them shall be unclean.

Leviticus 11:16-26 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.