Leviticus 11:47 NIV

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 11:47

To make a difference between the unclean and the clean ,.... Whether of beasts, fish, fowl, and flying creeping things: and between the beast that may be eaten, and the beast that may not be eaten ; the former clause takes in all in general, this instances in a particular sort of creatures; and the first mentioned of which, that might be eaten, are, that part the hoof, are cloven footed, and chew the cud; and that might not, that chew the cud, but divide not the hoof, or divide the hoof,... 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 11:44-47

These concluding verses give a religious sanction to the previous regulations, and make them matters of sacred, not merely sanitary or political, obligation. They were to sanctify themselves , that is, to avoid uncleanness, because God is holy, and they were God's. They were thus taught that ceremonial cleanness of the body was a symbol of holiness of heart, and a means of attaining to the latter. For I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt. It is possible that Egypt... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Leviticus 11:44-47

These verses set forth the spiritual ground on which the distinction between clean and unclean is based. Compare the marginal references and Leviticus 10:10; Leviticus 20:25-26; 1 Peter 1:15-16.The basis of the obligation to maintain the distinction was the call of the Hebrews to be the special people of Yahweh. It was to he something in their daily life to remind them of the covenant which distinguished them from the nations of the world. By Jesus Christ it was revealed Matthew 15:11 to the... 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 11:47

make a difference: or, put, &c. Same word as in Leviticus 10:10 . may not be eaten. See Leviticus 20:26 , and compare Acts 10:11-16 . read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Leviticus 11:46-47

Leviticus 11:46-47. This is the law of the beasts, &c.— These two last verses are a kind of recapitulation of the laws contained in the whole chapter, respecting the distinction of animals into clean and unclean. Let Christians bless their God, that all these distinctions are now put an end to, by the publication of the law of liberty! (Colossians 2:20-23.) Let them thankfully enjoy this liberty, procured to them by Jesus Christ, without being seduced to those doctrines, which commanded... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Leviticus 11:47

47. make a difference between the unclean and the clean—that is, between animals used and not used for food. It is probable that the laws contained in this chapter were not entirely new, but only gave the sanction of divine enactment to ancient usages. Some of the prohibited animals have, on physiological grounds, been everywhere rejected by the general sense or experience of mankind; while others may have been declared unclean from their unwholesomeness in warm countries or from some reasons,... 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