John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 11:9
These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters ,.... In the waters of the sea, or in rivers, pools, and ponds; meaning fishes; for though some persons abstain from eating them entirely, as the Egyptian priests, as Herodotus F13 Euterpe, sive, l. 2. c. 37. relates; and it was a part of religion and holiness, not with the Egyptians only, but with the Syrians and Greeks, to forbear eating them F14 Plutarch. Sympos. p. 730. ; and Julian F15 Orat. 5. p. 330. gives two... read more
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