Leviticus 11:16

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Leviticus 11:9-19

Here is, 1. A general rule concerning fishes, which were clean and which not. All that had fins and scales they might eat, and only those odd sorts of water-animals that have not were forbidden, Lev. 11:9, 10. The ancients accounted fish the most delicate food (so far were they from allowing it on fasting-days, or making it an instance of mortification to eat fish); therefore God did not lay much restraint upon his people in them; for he is a Master that allows his servants not only for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 11:16

And the owl ,.... The great and little owls being after mentioned, it seems best, by the word here used, to understand the "ostrich" with the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, the Oriental versions, and the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan: the account which Pliny F16 Nat. Hist. l. 10. c. 1. Vid. Aristot. de Part. Animal. l. 4. c. 14. gives of the African and Ethiopic ostriches is this; that they are the largest of birds, and almost of the kind of beasts; that they exceed the height of a... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Leviticus 11:16

The owl - היענה בת bath haiyaanah , the daughter of vociferation, the female ostrich, probably so called from the noise they make. "In the lonesome part of the night," says Dr. Shaw, "the ostriches frequently make a very doleful and hideous noise, sometimes resembling the roar of the lion; at other times, the hoarser voice of the bull or ox." He adds, "I have heard them groan as if in the deepest agonies." - Travels, 4th edition, p. 455. The ostrich is a very unclean animal, and eats its... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 11:1-47

PART III UNCLEANNESS , CEREMONIAL AND MORAL : ITS REMOVAL OR ITS PUNISHMENT SECTION I The second section deals with the uncleanness contracted every year by the whole congregation, to be annually atoned for on the great Day of Atonement ( Leviticus 16:1-34 ), followed by a parenthetical chapter as to the place in which sacrifice is to be offered—sacrifice being the means by which purification from uncleanness is to be effected ( Leviticus 17:1-16 ). The... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 11:13-19

The unclean birds are those which are gross feeders, devourers of flesh or offal, and therefore offensive to the taste, beginning with the eagle and vulture tribe. It is probable that the words translated owl ( Leviticus 11:16 ), night hawk ( Leviticus 11:16 ), cuckow ( Leviticus 11:16 ) should be rendered, ostrich, owl, gull, and perhaps for swan ( Leviticus 11:18 ), heron ( Leviticus 11:19 ), lapwing ( Leviticus 11:19 ), should be substituted ibis, great plover,... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Leviticus 11:13-19

As far as they can be identified, the birds here mentioned are such as live upon animal food. They were those which the Israelites might have been tempted to eat, either from their being easy to obtain, or from the example of other nations, and which served as types of the entire range of prohibited kinds.Leviticus 11:13The eagle - Rather, the great vulture, which the Egyptians are known to have ranked as the first among birds. Compare 2 Samuel 1:23; Psalms 103:5; Proverbs 23:5, etc.The... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Leviticus 11:14-16

Leviticus 11:14-16. The vulture and the kite Known birds of prey. Every raven All interpreters agree that the Hebrew word ערב , gnoreb, signifies raven, from gnereb, evening, on account of its colour. After his kind Including crows, rooks, pyes. The owl The original word, literally daughter of the echo, signifies a bird which inhabits desolate places, as appears from Isaiah 13:21; Jeremiah 50:32, where the same word occurs. This description agrees well to the owl. It must be... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Leviticus 11:1-47

11:1-15:33 CLEANNESS AND UNCLEANNESSSince Israel’s God was holy, Israel itself had to be holy (11:44-45). One duty of the priests was to distinguish between what was holy and unholy, clean and unclean (10:10). This holiness was to extend to every part of the people’s lives, including the food they ate and their bodily cleanliness. Those who broke any of the laws of cleanliness were considered unclean and had to be ceremonially cleansed before they could join again in the full religious life of... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Leviticus 11:16

ouckow. Probably = sea-gull. read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Leviticus 11:16

Leviticus 11:16. And the cuckow— The didapper, or seamew. Bochart after the LXX and Vulgate. read more

Group of Brands