Levítico 11:23-43 RVA

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Leviticus 11:20-42

Here is the law, 1. Concerning flying insects, as flies, wasps, bees, etc.; these they might not eat (Lev. 11:20), nor indeed are they fit to be eaten; but there were several sorts of locusts which in those countries were very good meat, and much used: John Baptist lived upon them in the desert, and they are here allowed them, Lev. 11:21, 22. 2. Concerning the creeping things on the earth; these were all forbidden (Lev. 11:29, 30, and again, Lev. 11:41, 42); for it was the curse of the serpent... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Leviticus 11:43-47

Here is, I. The exposition of this law, or a key to let us into the meaning of it. It was not intended merely for a bill of fare, or as the directions of a physician about their diet, but God would hereby teach them to sanctify themselves and to be holy, Lev. 11:44. That is, 1. They must hereby learn to put a difference between good and evil, and to reckon that it could not be all alike what they did, when it was not all alike what they ate. 2. To maintain a constant observance of the divine... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 11:23

But all other flying creeping things ,.... Excepting the four sorts before mentioned, wherefore we rightly supply the word "other": which have four feet ; or more; the Vulgate Latin version adds, "only", but wrongly; for those that have more are unclean, and forbidden to be eaten, excepting those in the preceding verse; and most creeping things that fly have six feet, as the locusts themselves, reckoning their leaping legs into the number; though it may be observed, that those... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 11:24

And for these ye shalt be unclean ,.... That is, for eating them; or should they eat them they would be unclean: whosoever toucheth the carcass of them shall be unclean until the even ; not only he was unclean that ate them, but he that even touched their dead bodies was reckoned unclean; might not go into the tabernacle, nor have conversation with men, nor eat of the holy things, which were forbid men in any uncleanness; and though there is no mention of his washing himself, it may be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 11:25

And whosoever beareth ought of the carcass of them ,.... That carries them from one place to another, out of the camp, city, village, or house or field where they may lie; and though this is done with a good design, as being offensive or infectious, yet such an one shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even ; from whence both Jarchi and Aben Ezra infer, that the pollution by hearing or carrying is greater than that by touching; since such a man, so defiled, was obliged to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 11:26

The carcasses of every beast which divideth the hoof, and is not cloven footed ,.... As the camel: nor cheweth the cud ; though it may divide the hoof, as the swine; and on the other hand, such as may chew the cud, and yet not dividing the hoof, as the coney and hare; for the Scripture here, as Aben Ezra observes again, uses a short and concise way of speaking: these are unclean unto you ; to be reckoned by them such, and neither to be eaten nor touched: everyone that toucheth... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 11:27

Whatsoever goeth upon his paws ,.... Or "the palms" F4 על כפיו "super volas suas", Pagninus, Montanus, "super manus suas", Munster, Tigurine version, Drusius. of his hands; meaning such creatures, whose feet are not divided into two parts, but into many, like the fingers of an hand, as apes, lions, bears, wolves, foxes, dogs, cats, &c.; among all manner of beasts that go on all four ; this is added, to distinguish them from fowl, such as are clean; who walk but on two... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 11:28

And he that beareth the carcass of them ,.... Carries it upon any account, from place to place: shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even ; as he that bore the carcasses of any of the flying creeping things, Leviticus 11:25 . they are unclean to you ; even the carcasses of the one and of the other; and to all the Israelites, men, women, and children, as Aben Ezra observes. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 11:29

These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth ,.... As distinguished from those creeping things that fly, these having no wings as they; and which were equally unclean, neither to be eaten nor touched, neither their blood, their skin, nor their flesh, as the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it: and the Misnic doctors say F4 Misn. Meilah, c. 4. sect. 3. that the blood of a creeping thing and its flesh are joined together: and Maimonides F5 ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 11:30

And the ferret ,.... Whatever creature is here meant, it has its name in Hebrew from the cry it makes; and so the ferret has but one note in its voice, which is a shrill, but small, whining cry: it is used to drive rabbits out of their holes: the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions render the word by "mygale", the weasel mouse, or "mus areneus" of the Latins, the shrew or shrew mouse: it has something of the mouse and weasel, from whence it has its name in Greek, being of the size of the... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Leviticus 11:20-42

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Leviticus 11:43-47

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 11:23

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 11:24

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 11:25

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 11:26

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 11:27

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 11:28

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 11:29

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 11:30

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