Leviticus 11 3

Leviticus 11:3 kjv

Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is cloven-footed, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.

Leviticus 11:3 nkjv

Among the animals, whatever divides the hoof, having cloven hooves and chewing the cud?that you may eat.

Leviticus 11:3 niv

You may eat any animal that has a divided hoof and that chews the cud.

Leviticus 11:3 esv

Whatever parts the hoof and is cloven-footed and chews the cud, among the animals, you may eat.

Leviticus 11:3 nlt

You may eat any animal that has completely split hooves and chews the cud.

Leviticus 11 verses

Leviticus 11 3 Meaning

Leviticus 11:3 delineates the primary characteristics of land animals that were considered ceremonially clean for the Israelites to eat under the Mosaic Law. It states that any animal with a divided or cloven hoof, that also chews the cud, is permissible for consumption. This verse sets forth a dual criterion for determining the dietary cleanness of land mammals, marking a significant distinction between clean and unclean foods within the Israelite covenant. These regulations were part of God's broader instruction for holiness and separation for His people.

Leviticus 11 3 Context

Leviticus chapter 11 opens the comprehensive instructions concerning clean and unclean animals, a crucial aspect of Israelite ritual purity and dietary law within the Mosaic Covenant. This chapter directly follows a section on priestly duties and the consumption of holy offerings (Lev 10), emphasizing the constant need for the Israelites, especially the priests, to distinguish between the holy and the common, the clean and the unclean. These dietary laws were foundational to Israel's identity as a people set apart for God. They provided a framework for daily life that reminded them of their unique relationship with Yahweh and His demand for holiness, creating visible boundaries between them and the surrounding Gentile nations, whose diets often included animals considered unclean or were linked to idolatrous practices. The laws also reinforced an understanding of life and death, health, and sin.

Leviticus 11 3 Word analysis

• Any (כֹּל, kol): Hebrew term meaning "all, every, whole." This signifies comprehensiveness, applying the rule universally to all creatures within the specified category, without exception. It indicates that the criteria apply to every land animal to be considered for consumption.
• animal (בְּהֵמָה, behemah): Refers specifically to land-dwelling, often domesticated, four-footed beasts. It differentiates from marine life (dag) or birds (‘oph), establishing the particular domain for these rules. The term points to typical livestock animals known to the ancient Israelites.
• that has a divided hoof (מַפְרֶסֶת פַּרְסָה, maphseret parsa): Literally, "splitting the hoof."
  • maphseret (מַפְרֶסֶת): The active participle form of the verb "to split" or "to cleave," indicating the hoof is literally split.
  • parsa (פַּרְסָה): "Hoof." This criterion specifies that the animal's foot must be completely cloven, meaning fully separated into two distinct parts from top to bottom.
  • Significance: This physical characteristic denotes the mode of locomotion, indicating how the animal moves and grounds itself. Some ancient interpretations associated a cloven hoof with 'walking uprightly' or 'discerning two paths,' perhaps symbolic of the clean distinct walk of a righteous person, who is able to distinguish between good and evil, and not just blindly tread.
• and chews the cud (וְגֵרָה עָלָה, ve-goereth gerah): Literally, "and brings up cud."
  • goereth (גֵּרָה): The active participle form of the verb "to chew" or "to ruminate."
  • gerah (גֵּרָה): "Cud," the regurgitated food that is re-chewed. This refers to the physiological process of rumination, where food is partially digested in one stomach chamber, brought back up, chewed again, and then fully digested.
  • Significance: This characteristic speaks to the digestive process. Symbolically, chewing the cud has often been linked to 'meditation' or 're-digesting' spiritual truths, internalizing God's word deeply and thoughtfully. It suggests proper processing and thorough absorption, perhaps contrasting with hasty or superficial spiritual intake.
• among the animals (בַּבְּהֵמָה, ba-behemah): A slight reiteration, emphasizing that these specific traits must be found within the category of land animals (behemah), ensuring clarity and restricting the application to this group.
• that you may eat (אֹתָהּ תֹּאכֵלוּ, otah tokhl): Explicit permission for consumption. This clarifies the purpose of the classification: for dietary purposes. It underscores that these are not merely observations but binding regulations governing what Israel could partake in as part of their covenant obligations.

Words-group analysis:

• "that has a divided hoof and chews the cud": This specific combination of two distinct biological features is crucial. It’s a dual, non-negotiable requirement. Animals lacking even one of these criteria are unclean (as shown in Lev 11:4-7). This duality can be seen as representing the comprehensive and distinctive nature of God's holiness—both external conduct (how one walks) and internal spiritual nourishment (what one takes in and how it's processed). The absence of either trait renders an animal unacceptable, just as a life of holiness requires both outwardly visible righteousness and inwardly cultivated godliness.

Leviticus 11 3 Bonus section

The selection of these particular animal characteristics (cloven hoof and cud-chewing) may have served multiple purposes:

• Hygienic/Health: While often debated, some scholars suggest practical benefits, as animals meeting these criteria (like cattle, sheep, goats) tend to be herbivores and less likely to carry certain parasites or diseases compared to many non-ruminants (e.g., pigs) or scavengers.
• Distinctiveness from Paganism: Many of the animals explicitly deemed unclean were used in pagan worship or eaten in contexts related to idolatry. The dietary laws created a clear boundary, separating Israel from practices that were spiritually defiling. This distinction reinforced Israel's unique status as God's chosen people, ensuring they would not partake in practices common among the nations that glorified false gods.
• Symbolic Theology: As mentioned in the word analysis, these traits have profound symbolic potential within a broader biblical framework of holiness. A divided hoof suggests a careful, deliberate walk, avoiding confusion, while chewing the cud points to thorough internal digestion, mirroring spiritual reflection and proper assimilation of divine truth. This turns everyday eating into a spiritual lesson, prompting reflection on living a life set apart for God in both external conduct and internal thought.

Leviticus 11 3 Commentary

Leviticus 11:3 is more than a mere dietary guideline; it is a foundational pillar for Israel's unique identity as a holy nation, separate from the surrounding peoples. By providing explicit criteria for clean land animals, God instills a practical means of teaching obedience, distinction, and awareness of holiness in everyday life. The chosen characteristics—cloven hoof (signifying a clean walk, stability, or distinction between paths) and chewing the cud (symbolizing rumination, deep internal processing, or meditation on God's word)—have often been interpreted symbolically to represent outward purity in conduct and inward spiritual reflection. These regulations served to remind Israel daily of their covenant with God and their call to reflect His perfect character. Ultimately, the New Testament reveals that these physical laws were shadows, fulfilled in Christ, who declared all foods clean (Mk 7:19) and taught that true defilement comes not from what enters the mouth, but from what proceeds from the heart. However, the underlying principles of self-control, discernment, and distinction for the glory of God remain valid.