Leviticus 11:6

6 and the hare, though it is bringing up the cud, yet the hoof hath not divided -- unclean it [is] to you;

Leviticus 11:6 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 11:6

And the hare, because he cheweth the cud
Or, "though he chews" it:

but divideth not the hoof, he [is] unclean to you;
and so not to be eaten; so Plutarch ^F17 says, that the Jews are said to abstain from the hare, disdaining it as a filthy and unclean animal, and yet was in the greatest esteem with the Romans of any four footed beast, as Martial says ^F18: Moses, as Bochart ^F19 and other learned men observe, is the only writer that speaks of the hare as chewing the cud; though they also observe, that Aristotle ^F20 makes mention of that in common with those that do chew the cud, namely a "coagulum" or "runnet" in its stomach; his words are,

``all that have many bellies have what is called (puetia) , a coagulum or runnet, and of them that have but one belly, the hare;''

only that: this creature being prone to lust, may be an emblem of lustful persons, who give up themselves to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness, ( Ephesians 4:19 ) .

(The "hare" is this verse may be an animal that is now is extinct but was alive at the time of Moses. It is only other mentioned in ( Deuteronomy 14:7 ) . Editor.)

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 Sympos. l. 9. c. 5.
F18 L. 13. Epigr. 87.
F19 Ut supra, (Hierozoic par. 1. l. 3.) c. 31. col. 977.
F20 De Part. Animal. l. 3. c. 15. & Hist. Animal. l. 3. c. 21.

Leviticus 11:6 In-Context

4 `Only, this ye do not eat -- of those bringing up the cud, and of those dividing the hoof -- the camel, though it is bringing up the cud, yet the hoof not dividing -- it [is] unclean to you;

5 and the rabbit, though it is bringing up the cud, yet the hoof it divideth not -- unclean it [is] to you;

6 and the hare, though it is bringing up the cud, yet the hoof hath not divided -- unclean it [is] to you;

7 and the sow, though it is dividing the hoof, and cleaving the cleft of the hoof, yet the cud it bringeth not up -- unclean it [is] to you.

8 `Of their flesh ye do not eat, and against their carcase ye do not come -- unclean they [are] to you.