Keraia
Leviticus 11

Leviticus 11:7

Clean and Unclean Animals · Leviticus 11:1–47
Read Leviticus 11

Translations

Modern
And the pig, though it has a split hoof completely divided, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you.
Traditional
And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.
Literal
And the swine, though it is dividing the hoof and cleaving the cleft of the hoof, but the cud it does not chew—it is unclean to you.
Latin
Et sus: qui cum ungulam dividat, non ruminat.

Original

Hebrew
English
And the pig, though it has a split hoof completely divided, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you.

Notes

Leviticus 11:2–8

Some scholars think people avoided ceremonially unclean animals for health reasons. But evidence does not support this suggestion. Horse meat, for instance, is as healthy as beef, yet it was "unclean" because the horse does not have a split hoof (see Leviticus 11:2–3). These rules existed because an unclean animal was not suitable as an offering to God. So, it was likewise not suitable as food for God's people.

Jesus proclaimed all foods clean for Christians (Mark 7:14–19). This teaching was confirmed in Peter’s vision (Acts 10:9–16).

Leviticus 11:1–15:33

These chapters explain the rules about purity. Mixing different types of animals was forbidden (see Deuteronomy 22:9–11). This is because it opposed God's natural order. Creatures like fish without fins and scales, meat-eating animals, crawling insects, and animals without split hooves were considered "abnormal." They crossed the boundaries between "normal" types and were not suitable for food or offerings (see also Deuteronomy 14:1–21). The dietary laws intended to set Israel apart as a holy people from other nations (Leviticus 11:44–45).

Parallels

Deuteronomy 14:1–21 Acts 10:9–16

Glossary

Animals Biblical Concept of Law Buzzard Cleanness and Uncleanness, Regulations Concerning Deuteronomy, Book of Dietary Laws Food and Food Preparation Gospel of Matthew History of Israel Law of Moses Leviticus, Book of Lizard Maccabean Period Medicine and Medical Practice Pig

Topics

Beasts: Unclean: Not Eaten Beasts: Unclean: Swine Cud: Chewing of, Was One of the Facts by Which Ceremonially Clean and Unclean Animals Were Distinguished Food: Things Prohibited As Food Goat: Designated As One of the Ceremonially Clean Animals to be Eaten Hoof: Parting of, One of the Physical Marks Used for Distinguishing Ceremonially Clean and Unclean Animals Pigs Pork Sanitation: Food Swine: Forbidden As Food Swine: Unclean and not to be Eaten What we Should Not Eat