World English Bible
- The LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying to them,
- “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ’These are the living things which you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth.
- Whatever parts the hoof, and is cloven-footed, and chews the cud among the animals, that you may eat.
- “’Nevertheless these you shall not eat of those that chew the cud, or of those who part the hoof: the camel, because it chews the cud but doesn’t have a parted hoof, is unclean to you.
- The hyrax, because it chews the cud but doesn’t have a parted hoof, is unclean to you.
- The hare, because it chews the cud but doesn’t have a parted hoof, is unclean to you.
- The pig, because it has a split hoof, and is cloven-footed, but doesn’t chew the cud, is unclean to you.
- You shall not eat their meat. You shall not touch their carcasses. They are unclean to you.
- “’You may eat of all these that are in the waters: whatever has fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, that you may eat.
- All that don’t have fins and scales in the seas and rivers, all that move in the waters, and all the living creatures that are in the waters, they are an abomination to you,
- and you shall detest them. You shall not eat of their meat, and you shall detest their carcasses.
- Whatever has no fins nor scales in the waters is an abomination to you.
- “’You shall detest these among the birds; they shall not be eaten because they are an abomination: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture,
- the red kite, any kind of black kite,
- any kind of raven,
- the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk,
- the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl,
- the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey,
- the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe, and the bat.
- “’All flying insects that walk on all fours are an abomination to you.
- Yet you may eat these: of all winged creeping things that go on all fours, which have long, jointed legs for hopping on the earth.
- Even of these you may eat: any kind of locust, any kind of katydid, any kind of cricket, and any kind of grasshopper.
- But all winged creeping things which have four feet are an abomination to you.
- “’By these you will become unclean: whoever touches their carcass shall be unclean until the evening.
- Whoever carries any part of their carcass shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening.
- “’Every animal which has a split hoof that isn’t completely divided, or doesn’t chew the cud, is unclean to you. Everyone who touches them shall be unclean.
- Whatever goes on its paws, among all animals that go on all fours, they are unclean to you. Whoever touches their carcass shall be unclean until the evening.
- He who carries their carcass shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening. They are unclean to you.
- “’These are they which are unclean to you among the creeping things that creep on the earth: the weasel, the rat, any kind of great lizard,
- the gecko, and the monitor lizard, the wall lizard, the skink, and the chameleon.
- These are they which are unclean to you among all that creep. Whoever touches them when they are dead shall be unclean until the evening.
- Anything they fall on when they are dead shall be unclean; whether it is any vessel of wood, or clothing, or skin, or sack, whatever vessel it is, with which any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the evening. Then it will be clean.
- Every earthen vessel into which any of them falls and all that is in it shall be unclean. You shall break it.
- All food which may be eaten which is soaked in water shall be unclean. All drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean.
- Everything whereupon part of their carcass falls shall be unclean; whether oven, or range for pots, it shall be broken in pieces. They are unclean, and shall be unclean to you.
- Nevertheless a spring or a cistern in which water is gathered shall be clean, but that which touches their carcass shall be unclean.
- If part of their carcass falls on any sowing seed which is to be sown, it is clean.
- But if water is put on the seed, and part of their carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you.
- “’If any animal of which you may eat dies, he who touches its carcass shall be unclean until the evening.
- He who eats of its carcass shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening. He also who carries its carcass shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening.
- “’Every creeping thing that creeps on the earth is an abomination. It shall not be eaten.
- Whatever goes on its belly, and whatever goes on all fours, or whatever has many feet, even all creeping things that creep on the earth, them you shall not eat; for they are an abomination.
- You shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creeps. You shall not make yourselves unclean with them, that you should be defiled by them.
- For I am the LORD your God. Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy; for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any kind of creeping thing that moves on the earth.
- For I am the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
- “’This is the law of the animal, and of the bird, and of every living creature that moves in the waters, and of every creature that creeps on the earth,
- to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean, and between the living thing that may be eaten and the living thing that may not be eaten.’”
From awe-striking encounters near the tent of meeting, Leviticus turns in chapter 11 to dietary regulations, specifying clean and unclean animals. At first glance, we might wonder why the God of the universe, who spoke creation into being and parted the Red Sea, would concern Himself with such minutiae. However, a closer look reveals profound truths about holiness, obedience, and identity—lessons still meaningful today.
In chapter 11, God meticulously outlines what animals Israel could eat or avoid, creating clear distinctions between clean and unclean. The Hebrew concept here is crucial: the root word tame’ (טמא) translated “unclean,” denotes something out of place, ritually defiling, or incompatible with God’s holiness. By declaring certain animals tame’, God emphasizes that the Israelites’ meals themselves should reflect their inner spiritual purity.
The specifications in this chapter—animals that chew again (“chew the cud”), creatures with cloven hooves, or fish having fins and scales—adhere to a deeper symbolism of wholeness and orderliness in creation. Creatures defying these categories (like pigs, camels, shellfish, or certain birds) symbolize chaos or disorder in ancient Hebrew cultural consciousness and therefore were ritually improper to consume.
Historically speaking, these dietary restrictions separate Israel culturally from surrounding pagan nations, reminding them daily of their special covenant identity. Eating was not only biological but spiritual and communal, forging a unique society covenantally committed to Yahweh.
Yet Jesus clarified centuries later (in Mark 7) that bodily purity was meant ultimately to point toward the heart’s purity. Early church fathers like Augustine understood Leviticus 11 symbolically, encouraging us to consider that Christian purity is shown through loving obedience and moral uprightness rather than ceremonial observances.
In the New Testament, Apostle Peter’s vision (Acts 10:9-16) also confirms the dietary laws’ temporary nature and points toward deeper and universal Gospel reality. Gentiles also now share fully in that holy identity. In this sense, Leviticus 11 is not just ancient diet tradition, but a shadow cast by the coming light of the Gospel.
Ancient Near Eastern dietary restrictions often served to shape cultural identity. Archaeological evidence, from pottery and settlement remnants discovered in Israelite sites, demonstrates that Israelite dietary practices were markedly distinct from their neighbors, bolstering their identity as God’s covenant community.
Consider meditating today with the hymn “Take Time to Be Holy,” written by William D. Longstaff (1882), encouraging us toward daily deliberate holiness and abiding obedience.
How should Leviticus 11 inform our lives now? We aren’t called to follow Israel’s dietary code literally to maintain ceremonial purity, for Christ fulfilled the Law fully. Yet the principles of holiness remain: as followers of Jesus, our daily actions—our decisions, words, thoughts—should reflect the holiness we have acquired through Christ. Just as ancient Israelites considered each meal a reminder of their covenant identity, today each choice we make—what we spiritually consume—affects our status as God’s holy people.
Heavenly Father,
You are holy and call me to reflect that holiness in everyday aspects of my life. Draw my attention to areas where compromise may have crept in unnoticed. By your grace, help me distinguish good from evil, truth from deceit, purity from impurity. Remind me daily of my identity as yours alone, so that my life honors you. Thank you for Jesus, who fulfilled every requirement of righteousness, filling me now with your presence and power.
Amen.