Leviticus 11 27

Leviticus 11:27 kjv

And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on all four, those are unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcass shall be unclean until the even.

Leviticus 11:27 nkjv

And whatever goes on its paws, among all kinds of animals that go on all fours, those are unclean to you. Whoever touches any such carcass shall be unclean until evening.

Leviticus 11:27 niv

Of all the animals that walk on all fours, those that walk on their paws are unclean for you; whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean till evening.

Leviticus 11:27 esv

And all that walk on their paws, among the animals that go on all fours, are unclean to you. Whoever touches their carcass shall be unclean until the evening,

Leviticus 11:27 nlt

Of the animals that walk on all fours, those that have paws are unclean. If you touch the carcass of such an animal, you will be defiled until evening.

Leviticus 11 verses

Leviticus 11 27 Meaning

Leviticus 11:27 establishes that any four-footed animal that moves on paws is ceremonially unclean for the Israelites. Furthermore, if a person touches the carcass (dead body) of such an animal, they will become ritually impure until evening, requiring a purification ritual to regain cleanness.

Leviticus 11 27 Context

Leviticus chapter 11 details comprehensive laws concerning clean and unclean animals for the Israelites. This verse, specifically Leviticus 11:27, belongs to a larger section (verses 24-40) that outlines general rules regarding contamination through contact with any unclean animal's carcass, irrespective of whether the animal was typically considered clean or unclean while alive. The primary aim of these regulations was to define Israel's holiness and distinction as a people set apart for God. By observing these laws, they were visually and practically differentiated from the surrounding Canaanite cultures, who often revered or consumed animals declared an abomination by Yahweh. This distinction reinforced the concept that Yahweh, the God of Israel, is holy, and therefore His people must live holy lives, extending even to what they eat and touch. The historical context reflects a deliberate separation from idolatrous practices and general health considerations (though secondary) by avoiding animals often associated with disease, predation, or decay in a hot climate.

Leviticus 11 27 Word analysis

• And whatever goes (וְכֹ֣ל הַהֹלֵ֗ךְ - ve-khol ha-holekh): Literally "and all the going" or "and all that walks." This signifies a comprehensive statement encompassing every instance within the specified category.
• on all its paws (עַל־כַּפָּיו֙ - al-kappāv): Kappāv (plural of kaf) refers to the 'palm' of the hand or 'sole' of the foot. In the context of animals, it means paws. This term specifically distinguishes these animals from those with cloven hooves, like cattle or deer, which are deemed clean. The structure of their feet—pads for walking—is the key defining feature here for uncleanness.
• among all the animals (בְּכָל־הַֽחַיָּ֖ה - be-khol ha-chayyāh): Ḥayyāh is a general term for wild beasts or living creatures of the land, emphasizing this applies to non-domesticated or common land animals.
• that go on all fours (הַהֹלֶ֥כֶת עַל־אַרְבַּ֗ע - ha-holekhet al-arba'): "That walks on four (legs)." This explicitly defines the category as quadrupeds, narrowing the scope further from flying or swimming creatures and confirming they are four-legged mammals.
• are unclean to you (טְמֵאִ֥ים הֵם֙ לָכֶֽם - ṭᵉmē’îm hēm lāḵem): Ṭāmē’ means ritually impure or ceremonially defiled. It does not imply moral impurity or sin but a state that precludes participation in sacred activities or close proximity to the holy. The phrase "to you" stresses this distinction is specifically for Israel under the covenant.
• Whoever touches (כָּל־הַנֹּגֵ֥עַ - kol ha-nogea'): "Anyone touching." This emphasizes the direct physical contact required for impurity to be transferred.
• their carcass (בְּנִבְלָתָ֖ם - b'nivlātām): Niblātām (from nevelah) means their dead body or unslaughtered carcass. The defilement comes specifically from touching the dead body, which is intrinsically associated with death and the decay that represents the opposite of life and God's holiness.
• shall be unclean (יִטְמָ֑א - yiṭmā'): "He will become unclean." This is a declarative statement of consequence, an automatic change in ritual status.
• until the evening (עַד־הָעָֽרֶב - ʿad hāʿārev): A common temporal marker for ritual impurities, signifying a temporary state. It implies that at sunset, the impure state ceases, usually after bathing and/or waiting, allowing the person to return to full communal and ritual participation the next day.

Words-group analysis:

• "Whatever goes on all its paws, among all the animals that go on all fours": This detailed description precisely identifies a class of animals. It systematically excludes creatures that fly, swim, or crawl low to the ground, focusing specifically on mammals characterized by padded feet. This group largely includes carnivores (like dogs, cats), omnivores (bears, rats), and some small burrowing creatures, many of whom are predatory, scavengers, or pests.
• "are unclean to you": This phrase clearly states the ritual status assigned by God to these animals specifically for Israel. It underscores the divine mandate for distinction and purity.
• "Whoever touches their carcass shall be unclean until the evening": This section describes the mechanism of contamination (touching), the object causing contamination (the dead body), and the specific, temporary nature of the resultant impurity, including its duration ("until evening"), implying a readily available means of purification (washing).

Leviticus 11 27 Bonus section

• Typological Significance: The constant need for purification from seemingly minor external defilements (like touching an animal carcass) reinforced the Israelites' dependence on God's system of atonement and cleansing. This pointed forward to the ultimate and final purification offered through Christ's sacrifice, which cleanses not just the body but the conscience from the defilement of sin (Heb 9:13-14).
• Wisdom in God's Law: While the primary reason for these laws was holiness and separation, many scholars note that the animals declared unclean (pigs, various rodents, most carnivores) were also often associated with disease or were scavengers in a warm climate without refrigeration, highlighting a practical, if secondary, layer of divine wisdom embedded within the ceremonial law for the well-being of the community.
• Internal vs. External Purity: The New Testament (Mark 7:18-23, Acts 10:15) reveals that ceremonial food and purity laws are no longer binding for New Covenant believers. Jesus taught that defilement comes from within (evil thoughts, greed, pride) rather than from what goes into or from touching external objects. This does not nullify the Old Testament laws as meaningless but reveals their intended purpose as a temporary guide leading to a greater, spiritual truth.

Leviticus 11 27 Commentary

Leviticus 11:27 forms a part of God's purity code for ancient Israel, clearly defining which four-footed land animals are considered ceremonially unclean based on their foot structure – those with "paws" rather than cloven hooves or chewing the cud. The law extends this uncleanness beyond mere consumption; even touching the carcass of such an animal would result in temporary ritual impurity, lasting until the evening.

The theological rationale behind these laws is multifaceted: primarily, it underscores God's call for Israel to be a "holy nation" (Lev 11:44-45; 19:2; Ex 19:6). By defining clean and unclean, God provided tangible boundaries, distinguishing His people from surrounding pagan cultures that might have consumed or even venerated these animals. The categories often aligned with symbolic purity: animals with characteristics like cloven hooves and chewing cud represented orderly and perhaps 'safe' or domesticated life, whereas those with paws, often predators or scavengers, symbolized wildness, chaos, or death. Touching a carcass, irrespective of the animal's prior status, conveyed impurity due to death itself being the antithesis of life, which flows from God. The temporary nature of this impurity—lasting "until the evening"—highlights its ceremonial, rather than moral, dimension and indicates that a person can readily return to a state of purity through prescribed washings and the passage of time. While health benefits were likely an incidental outcome, the primary emphasis was always on spiritual separation, discipline, and identification with the holiness of Yahweh. These specific dietary and purity laws prefigured the need for a deeper cleansing, ultimately fulfilled by Christ, who established a New Covenant where internal purity, not external ritual, holds supreme.