Leviticus 11:23

23 But of flying things whatsoever hath four feet only, shall be an abomination to you.

Leviticus 11:23 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 11:23

But all [other] flying creeping things
Excepting the four sorts before mentioned, wherefore we rightly supply the word "other":

which have four feet;
or more; the Vulgate Latin version adds, "only", but wrongly; for those that have more are unclean, and forbidden to be eaten, excepting those in the preceding verse; and most creeping things that fly have six feet, as the locusts themselves, reckoning their leaping legs into the number; though it may be observed, that those creatures that have six feet have but four equal ones, on which they walk or creep; and the two foremost, which are longer, are as hands to them to wipe their eyes with, and protect them from anything that may fall into them and hurt them; they not being able to see clearly because of the hardness of their eyes, as Aristotle

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 observes, and particularly it may be remarked of the fly, as it is by Lucian ^F2, that though it has six feet it only goes on four, using the other two foremost as hands; and therefore you may see it walking on four feet, with something eatable in its hands, lifting them up on high, just after the manner of men: now all such creatures that have four feet or more, excepting the above,

[shall be] an abomination unto you;
abhorred as food, and abstained from.

F1 Ut supra. (Hist. Animal. l. 9. c. 6.)
F2 De Musca.

Leviticus 11:23 In-Context

21 But whatsoever walketh upon four feet, but hath the legs behind longer, wherewith it hoppeth upon the earth,

22 That you shall eat: as the bruchus in its kind, the attacus, and ophimachus, and the locust, every, one according to their kind.

23 But of flying things whatsoever hath four feet only, shall be an abomination to you.

24 And whosoever shall touch the carcasses of them, shall be defiled: and shall be unclean until the evening:

25 And if it be necessary that he carry any of these things when they are dead: he shall wash his clothes, and shall be unclean until the sun set.