Leviticus 11:7 kjv
And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be cloven-footed, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.
Leviticus 11:7 nkjv
and the swine, though it divides the hoof, having cloven hooves, yet does not chew the cud, is unclean to you.
Leviticus 11:7 niv
And the pig, though it has a divided hoof, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you.
Leviticus 11:7 esv
And the pig, because it parts the hoof and is cloven-footed but does not chew the cud, is unclean to you.
Leviticus 11:7 nlt
The pig has evenly split hooves but does not chew the cud, so it is unclean.
Leviticus 11 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 11:3 | "Whatever divides the hoof, having cloven hooves and chewing the cud—that you may eat." | Criteria for clean animals |
| Lev 11:8 | "You shall not eat of their flesh nor touch their carcass... they are unclean to you." | Consequence for unclean animals |
| Deut 14:6 | "And every animal that has cloven hooves and chews the cud among the animals, you may eat." | Reiteration of clean animal criteria |
| Deut 14:8 | "Also the swine... is unclean to you; you shall not eat their meat or touch their dead carcass." | Parallel prohibition for swine |
| Lev 11:44 | "For I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy." | Purpose of purity laws: holiness |
| Isa 65:4 | "...who remain among the graves, And spend the night in the tombs; Who eat swine’s flesh, And the broth of abominable things..." | Condemnation of consuming swine’s flesh |
| Isa 66:17 | "Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves, to go to the gardens after an idol in the midst, eating swine's flesh..." | Idolatry linked with swine consumption |
| Mk 7:19 | "(Thus He declared all foods clean.)" | New Covenant: Jesus declares all foods clean |
| Acts 10:14-15 | "But Peter said, 'Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.' And the voice spoke again... 'What God has cleansed you must not call common.'" | Peter's vision, removal of dietary distinctions |
| Acts 11:7-9 | "And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ But I said, ‘Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.’ But the voice answered me again from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’" | Peter's vision reiterated, acceptance of Gentiles |
| Acts 15:20 | "but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood." | Jerusalem Council, no general food laws for Gentiles |
| Rom 14:2-3 | "One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables... The one who eats, let him not despise the one who abstains..." | Christian liberty concerning food |
| Rom 14:17 | "For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." | Spiritual priorities over ritual food laws |
| 1 Cor 8:8 | "But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse." | Food's insignificance in Christian faith |
| Col 2:16-17 | "So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come..." | Food laws as shadows, fulfilled in Christ |
| 1 Tim 4:3-5 | "...forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving..." | Condemnation of ascetic food prohibitions |
| 2 Cor 6:17 | "Therefore 'Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.'" | Spiritual separation, not literal food |
| Ezek 4:14 | "Then I said, 'Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, my soul has not been defiled; for from my youth until now I have not eaten what died of itself or was torn by beasts, nor has abominable flesh ever come into my mouth.'" | Prophet's adherence to dietary laws |
| Deut 14:3 | "You shall not eat any abominable thing." | Broad command against unclean food |
| Lev 20:25 | "You shall therefore distinguish between clean animals and unclean, between unclean birds and clean..." | Requirement to differentiate between clean/unclean |
| Acts 10:28 | "And he said to them, 'You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.'" | Racial barriers broken, spiritual interpretation |
| Lev 5:2 | "Or if a person touches any unclean thing, whether the carcass of an unclean beast or the carcass of unclean livestock or the carcass of unclean creeping things, and it is hidden from him and he is unclean and guilty." | Touching unclean things brings impurity |
| 2 Pt 2:22 | "But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: 'A dog returns to his own vomit,' and, 'A sow that has washed has returned to her wallowing in the mire.'" | Pig as metaphor for return to sin/uncleanness |
Leviticus 11 verses
Leviticus 11 7 Meaning
Leviticus 11:7 establishes the swine (pig) as an unclean animal, forbidden for consumption by the Israelites. This prohibition is based on a specific dual criterion for clean land animals: having a divided or cloven hoof and chewing the cud. The swine possesses the divided hoof but does not chew the cud, thus failing to meet both required characteristics and rendering it ritually impure for the people of God.
Leviticus 11 7 Context
Leviticus chapter 11 details a comprehensive list of animals, birds, fish, and creeping things that are declared clean or unclean for consumption by the Israelites. This chapter is part of the larger section of Mosaic Law focused on ritual purity, cleanliness, and holiness, which distinguishes Israel as a people set apart for YHWH. The context reveals God's meticulous instructions for His people, guiding their daily lives to reflect their covenant relationship with Him. These dietary laws (kashrut) were not arbitrary but served to create a tangible boundary between Israel and surrounding pagan nations, reinforcing their unique identity and their commitment to a holy God. The criteria given (chewing cud and divided hoof for land animals) were specific divine decrees, emphasizing obedience and conformity to God's ordained order rather than solely hygiene or health. The pig, explicitly mentioned in verse 7, is highlighted as an animal that fails one of the two core requirements, making its prohibition significant within the broader system of ritual distinction.
Leviticus 11 7 Word analysis
And the swine (וְאֶת־הַחֲזִיר – ve’et-hakhazir): The Hebrew term for swine is חֲזִיר (khazir). This specifically refers to the pig, wild boar, or domesticated pig. The swine is singled out as a crucial example of an unclean animal because it superficially meets one criterion (divided hoof) but fails the second (not chewing cud). Its unique status, shared with no other land animal, makes it a prime illustration of the rigid two-part test for purity. The explicit mention underscores its definitive unclean status within the prescribed categories, contrasting it with the camel, rock badger, and hare (Lev 11:4-6) which chew the cud but do not divide the hoof.
though he divide the hoof (כִּי־מַפְרִיס פַּרְסָה – ki maphris parsa): The verb מַפְרִיס (maphris) means "to split" or "to divide," referring to the anatomical division of the hoof. פַּרְסָה (parsa) denotes the "hoof." This phrase explicitly acknowledges that the swine does possess the characteristic of a split hoof. This indicates a superficial conformity to one criterion for clean animals.
and be clovenfooted (וְשֹׁסַע שֹׁסַע – ve'shosa' shosa'): The Hebrew word שֹׁסַע (shosa') is a descriptive term for being "cleaved" or "completely divided." The repetition of the word ("cloven, cloven") in the original Hebrew, common for emphasis, stresses that the hoof is truly and perfectly divided into two distinct parts, further affirming its possession of this characteristic.
yet he cheweth not the cud (וְהוּא גֵּרָה לֹא יִגָּר – ve’hu gerah lo yigar): The critical part that defines the pig as unclean. גֵּרָה (gerah) means "cud" (the regurgitated food). The phrase emphasizes that it does not possess this necessary characteristic. Cud-chewing is characteristic of ruminants (like cattle, sheep, goats) which possess a multiple-chambered stomach to process plant matter by regurgitation and re-mastication. The pig is not a ruminant. The absence of this digestive process is the crucial missing link in its categorization.
he is unclean to you (טָמֵא הוּא לָכֶם – tame hu lakem): The word for "unclean" is טָמֵא (tame). This term signifies ritual impurity or defilement, distinct from physical dirtiness or inherent moral evil. Something declared tame cannot be eaten, touched, or sometimes even come into contact with the holy things or people, based on the specific context of the law. The phrase "to you" (lakem) underscores that this commandment is specifically for the Israelites, establishing a unique standard of living and separation for them as God's covenant people. It is a divine categorization that sets them apart.
Leviticus 11 7 Bonus section
The consistent dietary distinction found in Leviticus 11, particularly with the swine, served multiple purposes beyond hygiene.
- Symbolic Order: Scholars suggest that the categories of clean and unclean animals were designed to reinforce the divine order in creation. Animals that did not conform perfectly to their categories (e.g., land animals that don't fit the 'perfect' land animal mold of chewing cud AND having a cloven hoof) were considered chaotic or anomalous and thus unclean.
- Anti-syncretism: In a world where neighboring cultures often sacrificed pigs in pagan rites or consumed pork readily, Israel's strong prohibition against pork consumption created a tangible barrier against religious assimilation and idolatry. It forced a choice and identified them solely with YHWH.
- Self-Discipline: Adherence to such specific and often inconvenient dietary laws cultivated a spirit of obedience and self-discipline within the nation, reinforcing their identity as a peculiar people committed to God's directives above cultural norms.
- Enduring Metaphor: Even after the literal dietary laws were lifted in the New Covenant, the pig remained a powerful symbol of uncleanness and defilement, particularly when describing those who revert to sin or revel in impurity (e.g., 2 Pt 2:22). This demonstrates the lasting conceptual weight of these Old Testament categories.
Leviticus 11 7 Commentary
Leviticus 11:7 provides a stark and memorable example of God's covenant instructions regarding purity. The prohibition of the pig is a central element in Israel's dietary laws, signifying both a boundary marker and a pedagogical tool for understanding holiness. While some suggest hygienic reasons for these laws, the biblical text consistently bases the classification on observed physical characteristics—the absence or presence of specific traits. The pig perfectly illustrates the divine criteria: possessing one required feature (divided hoof) but failing another (not chewing cud). This precise categorization taught the Israelites about obedience, the meticulousness of God's demands, and the necessity of being distinct and separate (holy) unto Him. The inability to distinguish "clean" from "unclean" animals was viewed as a failure to distinguish between "holy and unholy, between clean and unclean" (Lev 10:10). This dietary command also served as a clear distinction from pagan cultures that readily consumed pork, underscoring Israel's unique identity as a consecrated nation under the Almighty. In the New Testament, through the atoning work of Christ and Peter's vision in Acts 10, the literal dietary restrictions were abolished, symbolizing a shift from external, ceremonial cleanliness to internal, spiritual purity. However, the underlying principle of living a life separated for God and choosing what aligns with His will remains.