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Foods That Could Be Eaten

11 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Say to the people of Israel, ‘These are the living things which you may eat among all the animals on the earth. You may eat any animal that has hard and divided feet and chews its food again. But among those which chew their food again or have feet that are hard and divided, do not eat the camel. For it chews its food again, but does not have feet that are hard and divided. It is unclean to you. Do not eat the rock badger. For it chews its food again, but does not have feet that are hard and divided. It is unclean to you. Do not eat the rabbit. For it chews its food again, but does not have feet that are hard and divided. It is unclean to you. And do not eat the pig. For it has feet that are hard and divided, but it does not chew its food again. It is unclean to you. Do not eat their flesh or touch their dead bodies. They are unclean to you.

‘These you may eat, of all that are in the water. You may eat everything in the water that has fins and scales, in the seas or in the rivers. 10 But whatever is in the seas and rivers that does not have fins and scales, among all the living things moving in the water, are to be hated by you. 11 You will hate them. You may not eat their meat, and you will hate their dead bodies. 12 Whatever in the water does not have fins and scales will be hated by you.

13 ‘These you will hate among the birds. They are hated and not to be eaten: the eagle, the vulture, the buzzard, 14 the kite, every kind of falcon, 15 every kind of raven, 16 the ostrich, the owl, the sea gull, every kind of hawk, 17 the little owl, the cormorant, the big owl, 18 the white owl, the pelican, the vulture that eats dead flesh, 19 the stork, every kind of heron, the hoopoe and the bat.

20 ‘All bugs with wings and that walk on all fours are to be hated by you. 21 But you may eat, among all the bugs with wings and that walk on all fours, those which have legs above their feet that allow them to jump on the ground. 22 You may eat every kind of locust, every kind of destroying locust, every kind of cricket, and every kind of grasshopper. 23 But you are to hate all other bugs with wings and four feet.

24 ‘If you touch these you will be unclean. Whoever touches their dead bodies will be unclean until evening. 25 And whoever picks up any of their dead bodies will wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. 26 Every animal that has a parted foot but not a divided foot, or that does not eat its food again, is unclean to you. Whoever touches them will be unclean. 27 Whatever walks on its soft feet, among all the animals that walk on all fours, are unclean to you. Whoever touches their dead bodies will be unclean until evening. 28 And he who picks up their dead bodies will wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. They are unclean to you.

29 ‘These animals that move on the earth are unclean to you: the mole, the mouse, every kind of big lizard, 30 the gecko, the crocodile, the lizard, the sand lizard, and the chameleon. 31 These animals that move on the earth are unclean to you. Whoever touches their dead bodies will be unclean until evening. 32 And anything on which one of them may fall when they are dead will be unclean. Each piece of wood or clothing or skin or bag or anything used as you work, must be put in water. It will be unclean until evening. Then it will be clean. 33 If any falls into a clay pot, whatever is in the pot will be unclean. You should break the pot. 34 Any food that could be eaten but has water from such a pot on it will be unclean. And anything which could be drunk from any such pot will be unclean. 35 Everything on which part of their dead body may fall will be unclean. A stove or a place for pots must be broken. They are unclean to you. 36 But a well or a place holding water will be clean. But whoever touches a dead body will be unclean. 37 If a part of their dead body falls on any seed which is to be planted, it is clean. 38 But if water is put on the seed, and a body falls on it, it is unclean to you.

39 ‘If one of the animals dies which you have for food, the one who touches its dead body will be unclean until evening. 40 He who eats some of the dead body will wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. And he who picks up its dead body will wash his clothes and be unclean until evening.

41 ‘Anything that moves around on the ground in large numbers is hated and is not to be eaten. 42 You should not eat whatever moves on its stomach, or goes on four feet, or has many feet, among all the things that move around on the ground in large numbers. For they are hated. 43 Do not make yourselves unclean by any of the small living things that move together on the ground, so you become unclean. 44 For I am the Lord your God. So set yourselves apart, and be holy. For I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean with any of the small living things that move together in large numbers on the ground. 45 For I am the Lord Who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God. So be holy, because I am holy.’”

46 This is the Law of the animal, the bird, every living thing that moves in the water, and everything that moves on the ground. 47 It is so you know the difference between those that are clean and those that are unclean, and between the animal that may be eaten and the animal that may not be eaten.

Clean and Unclean Food(A)

11 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Say to the Israelites: ‘Of all the animals that live on land, these are the ones you may eat:(B) You may eat any animal that has a divided hoof and that chews the cud.

“‘There are some that only chew the cud or only have a divided hoof, but you must not eat them.(C) The camel, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is ceremonially unclean for you. The hyrax, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is unclean for you. The rabbit, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is unclean for you. And the pig,(D) though it has a divided hoof, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you. You must not eat their meat or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you.(E)

“‘Of all the creatures living in the water of the seas and the streams you may eat any that have fins and scales. 10 But all creatures in the seas or streams that do not have fins and scales—whether among all the swarming things or among all the other living creatures in the water—you are to regard as unclean.(F) 11 And since you are to regard them as unclean, you must not eat their meat; you must regard their carcasses as unclean.(G) 12 Anything living in the water that does not have fins and scales is to be regarded as unclean by you.(H)

13 “‘These are the birds you are to regard as unclean and not eat because they are unclean: the eagle,[a] the vulture, the black vulture, 14 the red kite, any kind(I) of black kite, 15 any kind of raven,(J) 16 the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk, 17 the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl, 18 the white owl,(K) the desert owl, the osprey, 19 the stork,(L) any kind(M) of heron, the hoopoe and the bat.(N)

20 “‘All flying insects that walk on all fours are to be regarded as unclean by you.(O) 21 There are, however, some flying insects that walk on all fours that you may eat: those that have jointed legs for hopping on the ground. 22 Of these you may eat any kind of locust,(P) katydid, cricket or grasshopper. 23 But all other flying insects that have four legs you are to regard as unclean.

24 “‘You will make yourselves unclean by these;(Q) whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean till evening.(R) 25 Whoever picks up one of their carcasses must wash their clothes,(S) and they will be unclean till evening.(T)

26 “‘Every animal that does not have a divided hoof or that does not chew the cud is unclean for you; whoever touches the carcass of any of them will be unclean. 27 Of all the animals that walk on all fours, those that walk on their paws are unclean for you; whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean till evening. 28 Anyone who picks up their carcasses must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening.(U) These animals are unclean for you.

29 “‘Of the animals that move along the ground, these are unclean for you:(V) the weasel, the rat,(W) any kind of great lizard, 30 the gecko, the monitor lizard, the wall lizard, the skink and the chameleon. 31 Of all those that move along the ground, these are unclean for you. Whoever touches them when they are dead will be unclean till evening. 32 When one of them dies and falls on something, that article, whatever its use, will be unclean, whether it is made of wood, cloth, hide or sackcloth.(X) Put it in water; it will be unclean till evening, and then it will be clean. 33 If one of them falls into a clay pot, everything in it will be unclean, and you must break the pot.(Y) 34 Any food you are allowed to eat that has come into contact with water from any such pot is unclean, and any liquid that is drunk from such a pot is unclean. 35 Anything that one of their carcasses falls on becomes unclean; an oven or cooking pot must be broken up. They are unclean, and you are to regard them as unclean. 36 A spring, however, or a cistern for collecting water remains clean, but anyone who touches one of these carcasses is unclean. 37 If a carcass falls on any seeds that are to be planted, they remain clean. 38 But if water has been put on the seed and a carcass falls on it, it is unclean for you.

39 “‘If an animal that you are allowed to eat dies,(Z) anyone who touches its carcass(AA) will be unclean till evening. 40 Anyone who eats some of its carcass(AB) must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening.(AC) Anyone who picks up the carcass must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening.

41 “‘Every creature that moves along the ground is to be regarded as unclean; it is not to be eaten. 42 You are not to eat any creature that moves along the ground, whether it moves on its belly or walks on all fours or on many feet; it is unclean. 43 Do not defile yourselves by any of these creatures.(AD) Do not make yourselves unclean by means of them or be made unclean by them. 44 I am the Lord your God;(AE) consecrate yourselves(AF) and be holy,(AG) because I am holy.(AH) Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves along the ground.(AI) 45 I am the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt(AJ) to be your God;(AK) therefore be holy, because I am holy.(AL)

46 “‘These are the regulations concerning animals, birds, every living thing that moves about in the water and every creature that moves along the ground. 47 You must distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between living creatures that may be eaten and those that may not be eaten.(AM)’”

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 11:13 The precise identification of some of the birds, insects and animals in this chapter is uncertain.