Leviticus 11:42-47

42 Do not eat any of the creatures that swarm on the earth, anything that moves on its belly or walks on all fours or on many feet,^[a] for they are detestable.

43 Do not become contaminated by any creature that swarms; do not become unclean or defiled by them.

44 For I am the Lord your God, so you must consecrate yourselves and be holy because I am holy.^[b] You must not defile yourselves by any swarming creature that crawls on the ground.

45 For I am the Lord, who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God,^[c] so you must be holy because I am holy.

46 "This is the law concerning animals, birds, all living creatures that move in the water, and all creatures that swarm on the ground,

47 in order to distinguish between the unclean and the clean,^[d] between the animals that may be eaten and those that may not be eaten."

Leviticus 11:42-47 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit fours, to anything multiplying pairs of feet
• [b]. Lv 11:45; 19:2; 20:7,26; 1 Pt 1:16
• [c]. Lv 25:38,42; 26:13,45; Ex 20:2
• [d]. Lv 10:10-11; 13:59