Leviticus 11:20

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Leviticus 11:1-23

Distinctions between clean and unclean animals 11:1-23We have here the same threefold division of animals that inhabit the land, sea, and air as the one that appears in the story of creation (Genesis 1:20-23)."It has long been recognized . . . that the order of the purity laws in Leviticus 11 follows that of the creation of animal life in Genesis 1 (Rashi). Moreover, just as in Genesis 1 God distinguished ’good’ and ’evil’ in his new creation, so also in Leviticus 11 God distinguished the... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Leviticus 11:1-47

1. Uncleanness due to contact with certain animals ch. 11"This chapter contains a selected list of creatures that divides each type of creature into various classes of purity. According to the final verse in the chapter, the decisive question was whether a class of animals was unclean or clean. The goal of the distinctions was to determine whether an animal could be eaten. The notion of uncleanness and cleanness is specifically applied in this chapter to the question of holiness. Violating any... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Leviticus 11:20-23

These verses deal with insects. Perhaps the fact that certain insects swarmed rather than flew in a more direct and "natural" way made them unclean. Locusts that hopped may have been clean since this is the normal form of locomotion for birds, which they resembled. The varieties of locusts that crawled were unclean, perhaps because that appeared to be abnormal movement for this insect. [Note: Douglas, p. 56.] read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Leviticus 11:1-34

(Leviticus 11-16) The Law of Clean and UncleanThis section deals with the subject of ceremonial uncleanness and the method of its purification. Four main types of uncleanness are referred to, viz. that of meats (Leviticus 11:1-23), of carcases (Leviticus 11:24), of leprosy (Leviticus 13, 14), and of certain bodily functions and conditions (Leviticus 12, 15). The effect of ceremonial uncleanness is that it disqualifies a person for the worship of God. Its duration varies according to the cause,... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Leviticus 11:1-47

Law of Clean and Unclean MeatsThe animals whose flesh may or may not be eaten are treated in four classes, viz. large land animals (Leviticus 11:3-8), water animals (Leviticus 11:9-12), birds (Leviticus 11:13-19), winged creeping things (Leviticus 11:20-23).3. Of the large land animals, those are clean which both chew the cud and divide the hoof. Unless they satisfy both these conditions they are unclean and cannot be eaten. The practical effect of this is to exclude all of prey. The flesh of... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Leviticus 11:20

(20) 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 11:20-23. From the fact that in the following verse several kinds of locusts are exempted, it is evident that the phrase “creeping things which have wings” denotes insects.Going upon all four.—That is, the insects in question not only fly but also creep. The... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Leviticus 11:1-47

CLEAN AND UNCLEAN ANIMALS, AND DEFILEMENT BY DEAD BODIESLeviticus 11:1-47WITH chapter 11 begins a new section of this book, extending to the end of chapter 15, of which the subject is the law concerning various bodily defilements, and the rites appointed for their removal.The law is given under four heads, as follows:I. Clean and Unclean Animals, and Defilement by Dead Bodies: Leviticus 11:1-47.II. The Uncleanness of Childbirth: Leviticus 12:1-8.III. The Uncleanness of Leprosy: Leviticus... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Leviticus 11:1-40

III. HOLINESS DEMANDED 1. The Clean and the Unclean CHAPTER 11 1. Concerning the beasts on the earth (Leviticus 11:1-8 ) 2. Concerning things in the water (Leviticus 11:9-12 ) 3. Concerning flying and creeping things (Leviticus 11:13-23 ) 4. Concerning defilement with dead bodies (Leviticus 11:24-40 ) The chapters which form the third section of Leviticus are by some taken to give evidence that not Moses, but another person arranged the material of the book. Even men who do not deny... read more

L.M. Grant

L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible - Leviticus 11:1-47

ANIMALS ALLOWED OR DISALLOWED FOR FOOD (vv. 1-8) Never since the flood has man been commanded to be a vegetarian. After the flood Noah was told, “every moving thing that lives shall be food for you” (Genesis 9:3). Nothing at that time was forbidden, except the eating of blood, a matter that has not changed through the ages. However, under law, and under law only, God put strict limits on what animals, birds or water creatures were permitted to Israel to eat. These laws were never put upon... read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - Leviticus 11:1-47

WHAT TO EAT AND WHAT NOT TO EAT We begin at this chapter the consideration of that section of the book previously designated as The Law of the Clean and Unclean. Let us gather the facts by a series of questions, and then seek to learn what they mean. Read the verses and answer the questions, for that is the only way to approach a mastery of the lesson. How is “beasts” translated in the RV? What creatures might Israel eat (Leviticus 11:3 )? What exceptions were made (Leviticus 11:4-7 )?... read more

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