XI. (1) AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES AND TO AARON. — Lest the rebuke which Moses publicly administered to the priests (see Leviticus 10:16) should diminish their influence with the people, whom they had to teach the laws of clean and unclean things (see Leviticus 10:10) laid down in the following... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE ARE THE BEASTS WHICH YE SHALL EAT AMONG ALL... — Better, _These are the animals which ye may eat of all_.... The dietary laws, which stand first in the general precepts about clean and unclean things, begin with the quadrupeds, or land animals, both domesticated and wild. This is in accordance... [ Continue Reading ]
WHATSOEVER PARTETH THE HOOF, AND IS CLOVENFOOTED. — Better, _Whatsoever is clovenfooted, and entirely separateth the hoofs._ The first rule laid down by which the clean quadruped is to be distinguished is that the hoofs must be completely cloven or divided above as well as below, or, as the parallel... [ Continue Reading ]
NEVERTHELESS THESE SHALL YE NOT EAT. — As there are some quadrupeds which comply with only one of the two above-named conditions — _i.e.,_ which ruminate but have not their hoofs perfectly parted in two, or, _vice versâ,_ are bisulcous and not ruminant — it is here declared that such animals must no... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE CONEY, BECAUSE HE CHEWETH THE CUD, BUT DIVIDETH NOT... — Better, _though he cheweth the cud, yet he divideth not._ (See Leviticus 11:4.) The coney, which is the old English name for rabbit, is the meaning of the Hebrew expression _shaphan,_ according to the definition of those who had to exp... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE HARE, BECAUSE HE CHEWETH THE CUD, BUT. — Better, _though he cheweth the cud, yet._ Other nations, too, shunned the flesh of hares. The Parsees considered the hare as the most unclean of all animals, and the ancient Britons abstained from eating it because of the loathsome disorders to which... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SWINE, THOUGH HE DIVIDE THE HOOF, AND BE CLOVENFOOTED. — Better, _And the swine, though he is clovenfooted, and entirely separateth the hoofs._ (See Leviticus 11:3.) Having given these illustrations of animals which comply with the first condition only — _i.e.,_ which are ruminant but not bi... [ Continue Reading ]
OF THEIR FLESH YE SHALL NOT EAT. — During the second Temple the prohibition was defined to extend to the smallest quantity. If any one ate a piece of flesh less even than the size of an olive he was chastised with stripes. AND THEIR CARCASE SHALL YE NOT TOUCH. — As contact with a human dead body, w... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE SHALL YE EAT. — The water animals, which, as we have seen, constitute the second division of the animal kingdom, now follow the land animals. They are discussed in Leviticus 11:9. Like the clean quadrupeds, the salt-water and the fresh-water fish must comply with two conditions to bring them w... [ Continue Reading ]
OF ALL THAT MOVE IN THE WATERS. — That is, apart from the fishes exhibiting the above-named signs, all other inhabitants of the water are forbidden. Hence all shell-fish, whether molluscs or crustaceans, and cetaceous animals, are unclean.... [ Continue Reading ]
YE SHALL HAVE IN ABOMINATION AMONG THE FOWLS. — The third of the four great divisions of the animal kingdom — viz., the birds of the air, in accordance with their proper sequence — is discussed in Leviticus 11:13. It will be seen that, whilst in the case of the two preceding divisions of the animal... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE VULTURE. — Rather, _the kite._ Its name in the original (_dââh_), which literally denotes _the swift, majestic and gliding flier,_ appropriately describes this bird, which sails with its expanded wings through the air, where it often pauses as if suspended, watching for its prey. Kites are v... [ Continue Reading ]
AND EVERY RAVEN. — The raven or the black bird (Song of Solomon 5:11), the bird of the night, as its name denotes in Heb., like the eagle, occurs frequently in the Bible. It preys upon putrid corpses (Proverbs 30:17), and is especially eager to pick out the eyes of the dead, and sometimes even attac... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE OWL. — Better, _and the ostrich,_ as the Authorised Version rightly renders it in the margin in three out of the eight passages in which it occurs, viz., Job 30:29; Isaiah 34:13; Isaiah 43:20; literally, _the daughter_ or _inhabitant of the desert._ The ostrich, which is the largest bird and... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LITTLE OWL. — With the exception of the parallel passage, Deuteronomy 14:16, this bird only occurs once more, in Psalms 102:6, where it is properly rendered in the Authorised Version by “owl,” omitting the word “little,” and is described as inhabiting deserted ruins. It not only feeds upon i... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SWAN. — The word here translated “swan,” which, besides the parallel list in Deut., also occurs in Leviticus 11:30, among the names of the lizards, denotes, according to tradition, another variety of the owl. Whatever difficulty there may be about the true import of the word, it is certainly... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE STORK. — Besides the parallel passage, Deuteronomy 14:18, the word (_chasidah_) here rendered “stork” also occurs in Job 39:13; Psalms 104:17; Jeremiah 8:7; Zechariah 5:9, and is so translated, except Job 39:13, where the Authorised Version has “wing” in the text and “stork” in the margin. I... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE FOWLS THAT CREEP. — Better, _all creeping things which have wings._ The swarming animals or insects, which, as we have seen, constitute the fourth class of the Hebrew division of the animal kingdom, are now discussed in Leviticus 11:20. From the fact that in the following verse several kinds... [ Continue Reading ]
OF EVERY FLYING CREEPING THING. — Rather, _of all winged creeping things._ Having laid down the general rule that those creatures which creep along upon their feet in the manner of quadrupeds, and which have also wings, must not be eaten, the Lawgiver now mentions those which form an exception. WHIC... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LOCUST AFTER HIS KIND. — Of the four species of locusts here specified as permitted to be eaten, this one called _arbe_ is the most frequently mentioned in the Bible. It occurs no less than twenty-four times, and is in four instances wrongly rendered in the Authorised Version by “grasshopper” (J... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT ALL OTHER FLYING CREEPING THINGS. — Better, _but all other winged creeping things._ Besides the above-named four species and their kindreds, all other locusts, as well as insects of any kind, are to be abhorred as food.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND FOR THESE YE SHALL BE UNCLEAN. — Rather, _and by these ye shall be defiled,_ that is, the beasts and animals specified in Leviticus 11:26. SHALL BE UNCLEAN UNTIL THE EVEN. — For coming in contact with the dead body of the animals contracts defilement for the rest of the day, and till the beginn... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHOSOEVER BEARETH. — But he who removed the carcase out of the camp or city, or from one place to another, not only contracted defilement for the rest of the day, but had to wash the clothes which he had on, since the pollution by carrying is greater than that by touching. During the time of the... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CARCASES OF EVERY BEAST. — The construction of this text constituted one of the differences between the Pharisees and the Sadducees during the second Temple. According to the Pharisees, or the National Church in the time of Christ, the phrase “that toucheth _them_” in the last part of this verse... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHATSOEVER GOETH UPON HIS PAWS. — Rather, _and whatsoever goeth upon his palms,_ that is, those animals whose feet are not divided into two parts, but which have feet with fingers like a hand, such as the lion, the bear, the ape, the wolf, the cat, &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE THAT BEARETH. — This is simply A resumption of Leviticus 11:25.... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE ALSO SHALL BE UNCLEAN. — Better, _And these shall be the most unclean._ As Leviticus 11:24 have been occupied with the discussion of the defilement caused by the carcases of unclean quadrupeds, which, as we have seen, belong to the first class of the animal kingdom, the Lawgiver now enumerates... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE FERRET. — The ancient legal authorities explain this name (_anâkâh_)_,_ which only occurs here in the Hebrew Scriptures, by _kipor_ or _kipod,_ “an animal whose body is entirely covered with sharp prickles, and when touched the creature draws in its legs and rolls itself up in a ball.” Its s... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE ARE UNCLEAN. — Better, _these are the most unclean,_ as Leviticus 11:29. That is, the eight animals thus enumerated are pre-eminently unclean of all the creeping things. WHEN THEY BE DEAD. — The phrase, “whosoever doth touch them when they be dead,” is simply another expression for “whosoever... [ Continue Reading ]
AND UPON WHATSOEVER ANY OF THEM. — Better, _and upon whatsoever aught of them,_ that is, not only if the whole carcase fell upon any of the specified vessels were the vessels in question defiled, but if a portion of the carcase came in contact with the utensils it made them unclean. (See Leviticus 1... [ Continue Reading ]
AND EVERY EARTHEN VESSEL. — The case, however, is different with regard to vessels made of clay and burned in the kiln. WHEREINTO ANY OF THEM FALLETH. — Better, _where into aught of them falleth,_ that is, into which any of the aforesaid portion of a defiling carcase falls (see Leviticus 11:32). Wh... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT ON WHICH SUCH WATER COMETH. — Better, _upon which water cometh,_ that is, all food which is prepared with water for eating becomes defiled when the carcase of such an unclean reptile falls on it. The same is the case with any beverage which is drank from any kind of vessel; if the said carcase... [ Continue Reading ]
AND EVERY THING. — That is, not only the above named garments and utensils become defiled by the said carcases, or any portion of them, falling on them, but also everything else is subject to the same pollution. OVEN, as the context shows, is an earthen vessel or baking-pot for making thin unleaven... [ Continue Reading ]
NEVERTHELESS A FOUNTAIN OR PIT, WHEREIN THERE IS PLENTY OF WATER. — Better, _But wells and cisterns being gatherings together of water._ But if the unclean carcase, or any portion of it, happens to fall or to be thrown into wells or cisterns, they are to be treated as large collections of water, suc... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF ANY PART OF THEIR CARCASE. — The principle which underlies the immunity from pollution of living water is also at the basis of the exception of living plants. Hence if the carcase or a portion of a dead reptile is found among grain destined for sowing, the quantity of wheat in which it is dis... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF ANY WATER BE PUT UPON THE SEED. — The case, however, is different when the grain is moistened, because the fluid softens the corn, and thus enables the defilement of the carcase to penetrate into its very fibres. The wet corn therefore is regarded in the same light as porous clay vessels whic... [ Continue Reading ]
AND if ANY BEAST. — That is, a clean animal, which is both bisulcous and ruminant, but which has not been properly slaughtered, having died from any disease or accident. During the second Temple, the law here enacted was restricted to quadrupeds, domestic or wild, but was not applicable to birds and... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE THAT EATETH. — That is, ignorantly, since for wilful transgression the transgressor incurred the penalty of excision. (See Numbers 15:30; Deuteronomy 14:21.) HE ALSO THAT BEARETH THE CARCASE. — Removing the carcase of a clean quadruped which died, defiled the person who carried it quite as m... [ Continue Reading ]
AND EVERY CREEPING THING. — Besides the eight reptiles which defile by touching their carcase, and which are enumerated in Leviticus 11:29, all other creeping things upon the earth, with the exception of those specified in Leviticus 11:21, are to be treated as an abomination, and must not be eaten,... [ Continue Reading ]
WHATSOEVER GOETH UPON THE BELLY. — IN explanation of the general statement made in the preceding verse, three classes of creeping things are here adduced. (1) Those which move by the aid of the under part of the stomach, here described as “going upon the belly,” as serpents (see Genesis 3:14) and se... [ Continue Reading ]
YE SHALL NOT MAKE YOUR SELVES ABOMINABLE. — By eating the unclean creatures which are constantly characterised in this book as “abominable” (see Leviticus 7:21; Leviticus 11:10; Leviticus 11:20; Leviticus 11:23; Leviticus 11:41) — a term which only occurs twice more in the Hebrew Scriptures (Isaiah... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD. — As the Lord who is their God is Himself holy, His people, in order to enjoy perfect communion with Him, must also be holy. Hence they must abstain from all these objects of defilement which mar that holy communion. Appealing to this declaration, the Apostle Paul uses th... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT BRINGETH YOU UP OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT. — Having in a marvellous way delivered them from the land of bondage to be their God in a peculiar sense (comp. 2 Samuel 7:23), the Holy One of Israel had a special claim upon His redeemed people that they should obey His laws and keep themselves holy a... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS IS THE LAW OF THE BEASTS. — This is a recapitulation of the different classes of animals proscribed in the dietary laws. It will, however, be seen that in this summary they are not enumerated in the same order in which they are discussed in the chapter before us. In the dietary law the order of... [ Continue Reading ]
TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. — Better, _that ye may put difference,_ as the Authorised Version renders the same word in Leviticus 10:10. That is, the design of the dietary law is to enable both the administrators of the law and the people to distinguish, by the characteristics and criteria specified above,... [ Continue Reading ]