Deuteronomy 14:11 kjv
Of all clean birds ye shall eat.
Deuteronomy 14:11 nkjv
"All clean birds you may eat.
Deuteronomy 14:11 niv
You may eat any clean bird.
Deuteronomy 14:11 esv
"You may eat all clean birds.
Deuteronomy 14:11 nlt
"You may eat any bird that is ceremonially clean.
Deuteronomy 14 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Dt 14:3-20 | "You shall not eat any abomination... you may eat... but these you may not eat..." | Broader context of clean/unclean animals in Deuteronomy. |
| Lev 11:13-19 | "And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls... not be eaten, they are an abomination." | Detailed list of specific unclean birds, contrasting with Dt 14:11. |
| Lev 11:44-45 | "For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy..." | Dietary laws linked directly to the divine call for Israel's holiness. |
| Gen 9:3 | "Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things." | Broader permission for all living things as food given to Noah, pre-dating Mosaic restrictions. |
| Acts 10:11-15 | "...saw heaven opened... a vessel descending... 'What God has made clean, do not call common.'" | New Testament shift regarding food laws, spiritually interpreted for Gentiles. |
| Mark 7:18-19 | "And he said to them... '(Thus he declared all foods clean.)'" | Jesus' declaration marking a pivotal change in understanding ritual purity and food. |
| Rom 14:2-3 | "One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise..." | Food choices as matters of conscience for New Covenant believers, not strict law. |
| Rom 14:17 | "For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." | Emphasizes the spiritual over the physical nature of God's kingdom. |
| 1 Cor 8:8 | "Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do eat." | Christian freedom regarding food, cautioning against stumbling others. |
| Col 2:16-17 | "Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink... These are a shadow... the substance belongs to Christ." | Dietary laws seen as types fulfilled in Christ, no longer binding for judgment. |
| 1 Tim 4:3-5 | "...who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving... everything created by God is good..." | Paul warns against asceticism, affirming all good creation for consumption with gratitude. |
| Acts 15:28-29 | "For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit... to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled..." | The Jerusalem Council's reduced dietary requirements for Gentile converts. |
| 1 Sam 14:31-34 | "Then they struck down Philistines that day... and the people ate them with the blood. So they told Saul... the people are sinning against the LORD by eating with the blood." | Illustration of a specific sin related to consuming blood, which was universally forbidden. |
| Eze 4:12-14 | "And you shall eat it as a barley cake... Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles." | Ezekiel's symbolic defilement through food, representing Israel's exile and spiritual defilement. |
| Dt 14:2 | "For you are a holy people to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth." | Highlights the foundational reason for the laws: Israel's holiness and divine chosenness. |
| Ps 78:27-29 | "He rained meat on them like dust, feathered birds like the sand of the seas... And they ate and were well filled, for he gave them what they craved." | God's provision of birds (quail) for Israel, showing His power to feed them. |
| Num 11:31-33 | "Then a wind from the LORD sprang up, and it brought quail from the sea... But while the meat was still between their teeth... the anger of the LORD blazed among the people." | God's provision, yet also judgment when Israel craved birds disobediently. |
| Gen 7:1-3 | "...of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and of every creeping thing of the ground, two by two..." | Noah instructed to take clean animals/birds in multiples of seven for sacrifice and food. |
| Dt 12:15-16 | "However, you may slaughter and eat meat... The clean and the unclean alike may eat it, as if it were a gazelle or a deer. Only you shall not eat the blood..." | Distinguishes between ritual sacrifice laws and general meat consumption; blood still forbidden. |
| Matt 6:26 | "Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them." | Birds used as an example of God's provident care, connecting to human value. |
Deuteronomy 14 verses
Deuteronomy 14 11 Meaning
Deuteronomy 14:11 states that the Israelites were permitted to consume "any clean bird." This verse is an integral part of the broader dietary laws, known as Kashrut, given by God to His covenant people. It specifies a category of fowl that was permissible for eating, inherently distinguishing it from birds explicitly designated as "unclean" elsewhere in the same chapter and in parallel passages like Leviticus 11. These divinely ordained regulations served as a tangible means of separation, emphasizing Israel's unique status and their sanctified relationship with God.
Deuteronomy 14 11 Context
Deuteronomy chapter 14 largely reiterates and builds upon the dietary laws and tithing regulations established in earlier books of the Pentateuch, primarily Leviticus. The preceding verses in Deuteronomy 14 emphatically define Israel's identity as a distinct, holy people chosen by the Lord (Dt 14:2), a status that serves as the theological underpinning for these unique dietary practices. These laws were given to separate Israel from the nations around them, who engaged in practices such as specific mourning rituals (Dt 14:1) or consumption of animals considered abhorrent by the Lord. Verse 11, specifically granting permission for "any clean bird," exists within a more extensive enumeration of animals (mammals, marine life, and birds) declared either clean or unclean for consumption (Dt 14:4-20). The Mosaic covenant established these regulations as a core component of Israel's unique covenant with Yahweh, fostering their holiness and influencing all aspects of their daily existence, including food.
Deuteronomy 14 11 Word analysis
You may eat (תּאֹכְלוּ - to'khe'lu):
- This is a plural verb in the imperfect tense, directed at the Israelite community, conveying both a divine command and a grant of permission. It signifies the authority by which food is declared permissible.
- Significance: It highlights God's sovereignty in defining human allowances and restrictions. Eating, a fundamental aspect of life, becomes an act under divine supervision, emphasizing God's role as provider and lawgiver.
any (כֹּל - kol):
- A Hebrew word meaning "all," "every," or "any." Here, it signifies complete inclusiveness within the specified category. If a bird is classified as "clean," there are no further exceptions preventing its consumption.
- Significance: This emphasizes the comprehensive nature of the permission once an animal meets the purity criteria, preventing ambiguity and extending full liberty within the given boundaries.
clean (טְהוֹרָה - tehorah):
- This adjective denotes a state of "purity" or "ritual acceptability" in God's eyes, distinct from physical hygiene. It stands in direct contrast to tameh (טָמֵא), meaning "unclean" or "impure." The categorization of an animal as clean or unclean is based solely on divine declaration, not human observation or scientific understanding.
- Significance: This term is fundamental to the entire system of Mosaic law and its concept of ritual holiness. It underlines that purity is divinely defined, not inherently discoverable. The dietary laws serve as a tangible daily reminder of Israel's separation unto God and the importance of ceremonial purity in approaching Him and maintaining their covenant relationship.
bird (צִפּוֹר - tsippor):
- This noun is a general term for "bird," "fowl," or "sparrow," encompassing various winged creatures. It differentiates this category from four-footed animals or aquatic life mentioned elsewhere in the dietary laws.
- Significance: It precisely identifies the animal category to which the divine permission applies. It points to a broader set of laws that delineate which specific types of birds (e.g., scavengers or birds of prey often found to be unclean in Leviticus) are excluded from the "clean" category.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "You may eat any clean bird": This phrase, though short, summarizes God's generous provision while simultaneously setting distinct boundaries. It exists in implicit contrast with the long list of specific "unclean" birds that follow (Dt 14:12-18) and are more fully detailed in Leviticus 11. This permission for clean birds reinforced God's provision for His people and the clear dietary limits He established, thereby differentiating them from surrounding pagan nations who had different, often ritually defiling, food practices. These regulations helped forge Israel's unique identity, fostered discipline, and served as tangible, daily reminders of their covenant with a holy God. Thus, the act of eating itself became an exercise in obedience and a constant reflection on their holy identity.
Deuteronomy 14 11 Bonus section
While the precise modern zoological identification of all birds listed as unclean in parallel passages (like Lev 11) is still debated by scholars, the consistent pattern indicates that birds of prey and scavengers (e.g., eagles, vultures, ravens) are typically among the forbidden, likely due to their diet or association with death. This provided not only ritual distinction but also had incidental practical implications related to avoiding disease carriers, although hygiene was not the primary stated reason. The essence of the "clean/unclean" distinction was less about the biological attributes of the animals themselves and more about obedience to a divine command, designed to foster a consecrated and disciplined people set apart for God. These regulations profoundly impacted daily life, requiring constant conscious adherence and reinforcing Israel's covenant identity with every meal.
Deuteronomy 14 11 Commentary
Deuteronomy 14:11 concisely declares Israel's divine permission to consume "any clean bird." This command operates within a detailed system of dietary laws that served crucial theological purposes beyond mere physical well-being. By specifying clean versus unclean foods, God established clear boundaries, cultivating a sense of holiness and discipline within His people. These laws distinguished Israel from the surrounding nations, who often consumed animals or performed rituals deemed abhorrent by Yahweh, thereby reinforcing Israel's unique status as a chosen and set-apart nation in covenant with God. The dietary distinctions served as a constant, practical reminder of their identity and God's absolute sovereignty. In the New Testament, through Christ's redemptive work and Peter's vision (Acts 10), these Old Covenant dietary laws are revealed as a shadow or pedagogical tool that pointed to a deeper spiritual truth: the cleansing of all people for inclusion into God's family and the preeminence of inward purity over external ritual adherence.