Verse 12
Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters ,.... Which is repeated that they might take particular notice of this law, and be careful to observe it, this being the only sign given:
that shall be an abomination unto you ; the Targum of Jonathan says, that not only the flesh of such fish, but the broth, and pickles made of them, were to be an abomination; which contradicts what Pliny F20 Nat. Hist. l. 31. c. 8. relates, that the Jews made a pickle of fishes that lacked scales; so Grotius understands him: this law of the Jews is taken notice of by Porphyry F21 De Abstinentia, l. 4. c. 14. , who says, it is forbidden all the Jews to eat horse flesh, or fishes that lack scales, or any animal that has but one hoof: and Pliny F23 Nat. Hist. l. 32. c. 2. , from an ancient author, Cassius Hemina, makes mention of a law of Numa, forbidding the use of fish that had not scales, in feasts made for the gods.
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