Deuteronomy 14:20 kjv
But of all clean fowls ye may eat.
Deuteronomy 14:20 nkjv
"You may eat all clean birds.
Deuteronomy 14:20 niv
But any winged creature that is clean you may eat.
Deuteronomy 14:20 esv
All clean winged things you may eat.
Deuteronomy 14:20 nlt
But you may eat any winged bird or insect that is ceremonially clean.
Deuteronomy 14 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Old Covenant Dietary Laws & Purpose | ||
| Lev 11:13-19 | "And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls...every raven after his kind; and the owl, and the night hawk..." | Lists unclean birds explicitly. |
| Deut 14:3 | "You shall not eat any abominable thing." | General prohibition against unclean things. |
| Deut 14:11 | "Of all clean fowls ye may eat." | Broader statement, similar to v. 20. |
| Lev 20:25 | "Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean...not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl..." | Purpose: distinction, avoiding defilement. |
| Lev 11:47 | "To make a difference between the unclean and clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten." | Defines the goal of dietary laws. |
| Num 11:31-33 | "There went forth a wind from the Lord...and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day's journey on this side...the people...desired exceedingly; and there went forth a plague." | Illustrates desire for forbidden/unwise food (quails) and its consequences. |
| Neh 8:10 | "Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet...for this day is holy unto our Lord." | Enjoying good food as part of blessing. |
| Psa 104:12 | "By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches." | God's provision for all creation. |
| Holiness and Separation | ||
| Deut 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." | Basis for the laws: Israel's holiness. |
| Ex 19:6 | "And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation." | God's design for Israel's identity. |
| Lev 11:44 | "For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy." | Divine holiness as the model. |
| Lev 20:26 | "And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine." | Separation as a means to holiness. |
| New Covenant Fulfillment and Liberty | ||
| Acts 10:11-15 | "And saw heaven opened...a great sheet, wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean...What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common." | Peter's vision signifies the abolition of ceremonial dietary laws. |
| Rom 14:2 | "For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs." | Dietary matters are issues of conscience, not salvation. |
| Rom 14:14 | "I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean." | Emphasizes internal conviction over external rule. |
| 1 Tim 4:4-5 | "For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer." | All food is good through Christ and prayer. |
| Col 2:16-17 | "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ." | Ceremonial laws (including diet) are a shadow pointing to Christ. |
| Heb 9:9-10 | "Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation." | Dietary laws were temporary carnal ordinances. |
| Mark 7:18-19 | "Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?" | Jesus declares all foods clean. |
| Acts 15:28-29 | "For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication..." | Practical guidance for Gentile believers post-Law. |
Deuteronomy 14 verses
Deuteronomy 14 20 Meaning
Deuteronomy 14:20 grants permission to the Israelites to consume any bird that is considered "clean" according to the Mosaic Law. This verse reiterates and summarizes a specific aspect of the broader dietary laws established by God, emphasizing that within the category of winged creatures, only those declared clean were permissible for food, while all others were prohibited. This served to maintain their distinct identity and holiness as God's chosen people.
Deuteronomy 14 20 Context
Deuteronomy 14 is primarily concerned with establishing distinctions for Israel as a holy people set apart by God. It directly follows the declaration in verse 2 that Israel is "a holy people to the Lord your God" and His treasured possession. The chapter outlines various dietary laws, delineating between clean and unclean animals, fish, and birds. These regulations serve as a practical outworking of their consecrated status, emphasizing their unique relationship with God compared to the surrounding nations. Verse 20 specifically falls within the section addressing winged creatures (Deut 14:11-20), allowing consumption of all "clean" birds after listing the prohibited "unclean" ones (Deut 14:12-18), mirroring the more extensive list found in Leviticus 11. Historically, these laws were given to Israel as they stood on the threshold of the Promised Land, reinforcing their identity and calling to be a separate and pure nation.
Deuteronomy 14 20 Word analysis
- וְכֹל (v'khol): "And all" or "and every."
- Significance: This phrase indicates a comprehensive permission within the specified category. It does not mean "all birds in general" but "all types of birds that are clean." It functions as an inclusive permission once the forbidden categories are understood.
- צִפּוֹר (tzippor): "bird," "fowl."
- Significance: This is a general Hebrew term referring to flying creatures, specifically birds. In the context of dietary laws, it encompasses various species, distinct from land animals or aquatic creatures, which have their own classifications.
- טְהוֹרָה (tehorah): "clean," "pure."
- Significance: This is a crucial term in the Old Testament law, defining what is ceremonially acceptable to God. The definition of "clean" (pure/acceptable) for birds is determined not by inherent intuition, but by divine revelation, specifically through the inverse—by identifying what is unclean (Deut 14:12-18; Lev 11:13-19). "Clean" signifies permissible for consumption, contrasting with what is forbidden as "abominable" or defiling. Its meaning is solely from the biblical law's explicit categorization.
- תֹּאכֵלוּ (tokhelu): "you shall eat," "you may eat."
- Significance: This is an imperative or jussive verb, indicating permission or a command. Here, it denotes explicit divine authorization for consumption. It's a statement of permissible action for the Israelite community, in contrast to prohibitions for "unclean" things.
- Word-group analysis:
- וְכֹל צִפּוֹר טְהוֹרָה (v'khol tzippor tehorah): "And all clean bird" or "And every clean bird."
- This phrase clearly defines the scope of permission. The key lies in "clean bird," which pre-supposes a revealed standard of what constitutes clean and unclean within the bird species. It's not a generic permission but a precise one, constrained by the preceding prohibitions. The emphasis is on discerning God's classification.
- וְכֹל צִפּוֹר טְהוֹרָה (v'khol tzippor tehorah): "And all clean bird" or "And every clean bird."
Deuteronomy 14 20 Bonus section
The selection of clean and unclean animals often perplexed commentators who sought a purely rational or natural explanation (e.g., hygiene, association with pagan gods). However, the most robust understanding from a biblical perspective is that the categories are fundamentally arbitrary divine commands given as a test of obedience and a visible symbol of God's covenant with Israel, fostering their distinctiveness. It's about God's revelation and Israel's response, rather than inherent goodness or badness of the animals themselves outside of God's command. This allows for the subsequent divine declaration of all foods being clean under the New Covenant without contradiction, as the purpose of the laws was fulfilled in Christ, not their intrinsic nature.
Deuteronomy 14 20 Commentary
Deuteronomy 14:20, seemingly a simple permission to eat clean birds, functions as a concise summary within the broader context of Israel's divinely mandated dietary laws. These laws were not merely arbitrary rules but integral to their identity as a holy nation, separate unto the Lord (Deut 14:2). The explicit declaration that "you may eat any clean bird" necessarily presupposes the detailed list of unclean birds provided immediately before (Deut 14:12-18) and more comprehensively in Leviticus 11. Thus, "clean" is defined by what is not prohibited, underscoring the nature of the Mosaic Law as a specific revelation from God.
The purpose of these dietary distinctions was multi-faceted. Primarily, they were a practical means of fostering holiness and distinctiveness, symbolizing Israel's separation from the defiled practices of surrounding pagan nations. Consuming certain animals was often linked to idolatrous rituals or reflected the chaotic aspects of creation. By adhering to God's ordained categories, Israel demonstrated their obedience and alignment with His order and purity. While there might have been secondary health or hygienic benefits, the theological reason of covenant identity and consecration to God was paramount.
Under the New Covenant, the ceremonial dietary laws, including those for clean and unclean birds, were abolished by Christ. This profound shift is highlighted in passages like Acts 10 (Peter's vision) and Mark 7 (Jesus declaring all foods clean), where the barriers distinguishing Jew and Gentile through such laws are dismantled. Colossians 2:16-17 reveals that these regulations were "a shadow of the things to come," with Christ being the "substance." Therefore, for New Covenant believers, the command in Deuteronomy 14:20, along with the other Old Testament dietary codes, no longer holds literal force for consumption. However, the underlying principles of holiness, obedience to God, distinction from the world's defiling influences, and honoring God in all things (1 Cor 10:31) remain timeless for the follower of Christ, though expressed through transformed hearts and minds rather than outward dietary restrictions.