Leviticus 11:38-47

38 soothly if any man sheddeth out [the] seed with water, and afterward the water is touched with dead bodies by themselves, it shall be defouled anon. (but if anyone poureth out the seed with water, and afterward the seed is touched by their dead bodies, at once it shall be defiled, or unclean.)

39 If a beast is dead, which it is leaveful to you to eat (If a beast dieth naturally, which it is lawful for you to eat), he that toucheth the dead body thereof shall be unclean till to eventide;

40 and he that eateth thereof anything, either beareth it, shall wash his clothes, and shall be unclean till to eventide.

41 All thing that creepeth upon earth, shall be abominable, neither it shall be into meat. (All things that creep upon the ground, shall be abominable, and shall not be eaten.)

42 Whatever thing goeth upon the breast, and on four feet, and hath many feet, either is drawn by the earth, ye shall not eat it, for it is abominable. (Whatever thing goeth on its breast, or hath many feet, or draweth itself upon the ground, ye shall not eat it, for it is abominable.)

43 Do not ye defoul your souls, neither touch ye anything of them, lest ye be unclean;

44 for I am your Lord God; be ye holy, for I am holy. Defoul ye not your souls in each creeping thing that is moved upon earth (Defile ye not your souls with any creeping thing that moveth upon the ground);

45 for I am the Lord, that led you out of the land of Egypt, that I should be to you into God; ye shall be holy, for I am holy. (for I am the Lord, who led you out of the land of Egypt, so that I could become your God; ye shall be holy, for I am holy.)

46 This is the law of living beasts, and of fowls, and of each living thing that is moved in water, and creepeth in earth; (This is the law concerning living beasts, and birds, and each living thing that moveth in water, and that creepeth upon the ground;)

47 that ye know the differences of clean thing and unclean (so that ye know the difference between clean and unclean things), and that ye know what ye shall eat, and what ye ought to forsake.

Leviticus 11:38-47 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.