Leviticus 20 25

Leviticus 20:25 kjv

Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean.

Leviticus 20:25 nkjv

You shall therefore distinguish between clean animals and unclean, between unclean birds and clean, and you shall not make yourselves abominable by beast or by bird, or by any kind of living thing that creeps on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean.

Leviticus 20:25 niv

"?'You must therefore make a distinction between clean and unclean animals and between unclean and clean birds. Do not defile yourselves by any animal or bird or anything that moves along the ground?those that I have set apart as unclean for you.

Leviticus 20:25 esv

You shall therefore separate the clean beast from the unclean, and the unclean bird from the clean. You shall not make yourselves detestable by beast or by bird or by anything with which the ground crawls, which I have set apart for you to hold unclean.

Leviticus 20:25 nlt

"You must therefore make a distinction between ceremonially clean and unclean animals, and between clean and unclean birds. You must not defile yourselves by eating any unclean animal or bird or creature that scurries along the ground. I have identified them as being unclean for you.

Leviticus 20 verses

Leviticus 20 25 Meaning

Leviticus 20:25 instructs the Israelites to consistently make a clear distinction between ritually clean and unclean animals, both beasts and birds, and anything that crawls on the ground. This separation, which God Himself established, is essential to prevent defiling themselves and to maintain their holy status as God's chosen people, distinct from the defiling practices of surrounding nations. It emphasizes that their dietary choices and animal classifications are not arbitrary, but divinely mandated expressions of holiness.

Leviticus 20 25 Context

Leviticus Chapter 20 serves as a powerful reiteration of the holiness laws and their severe consequences, particularly the punishments for various sins that defile the land and the people. The chapter outlines capital penalties for offenses like child sacrifice to Molech (vv. 1-5), consulting mediums (v. 6), dishonoring parents (v. 9), and various sexual abominations (vv. 10-21). The recurring theme is the necessity for Israel to remain separate from the practices of the nations around them (vv. 23), emphasizing that their holy God requires a holy people. Verse 25, therefore, is not merely a dietary rule but a summary statement. It connects the practical distinction of clean and unclean foods from Chapter 11 with the broader call for Israel's moral and ritual separation from defilement, reinforcing the foundational principle that their identity as a distinct, holy nation is predicated on adherence to God's demarcations. This helps them inherit and thrive in the land that God promises.

Leviticus 20 25 Word analysis

• You shall therefore make a distinction (וְהִבְדַּלְתֶּם - vehivdalttem): Derived from the root בָדַל (badal), meaning "to divide, separate, distinguish." This term signifies not merely knowing the difference, but actively applying that knowledge to set things apart. It is a fundamental concept in the Bible, found from Creation (Gen 1:4, 6, 7, 14, 18), where God "separated" light from darkness, and later applies to the separation of Israel from other nations (Lev 20:24, 26). Here, it's a command for human action reflecting divine principle.
• between the clean beast (בֵּין הַבְּהֵמָה הַטְּהֹרָה - bein habbehemah haṭṭəhorah) and the unclean (לַטְּמֵאָה - laṭṭəmē'ah):
  • Clean (טהור - tahor): Ritually pure, fit for consumption and sacrifice according to Mosaic Law. Implies spiritual acceptability.
  • Unclean (טמא - ṭameh): Ritually impure, unfit for consumption and requiring purification if touched. These terms often extend beyond diet to moral and cultic purity.
  • Beast (בהמה - behemah): Typically refers to land animals, particularly large domestic ones, but also broadly refers to wild animals.
• and between the unclean fowl (וּבֵין הָעוֹף הַטָּמֵא - u·vein ha'of haṭṭame') and the clean (לַטָּהֹור - laṭṭahor):
  • Fowl (עוף - oph): Birds of the sky. The dietary laws classify them into categories of clean (like pigeons, doves) and unclean (like birds of prey).
• and you shall not make your souls detestable (וְלֹא תְשַׁקְּצוּ אֶת־נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם - ve’lo’ teṣhaqqaṣu ’et-nafshoteikhem):
  • Detestable (שקץ - sheqetz): From the root שָׁקַץ (shaqats), meaning "to make an abomination, to detest, to defile." This is a strong word, signifying something inherently disgusting or abhorrent to God, causing defilement. It directly connects a physical act (eating forbidden food) to spiritual defilement of the "soul" (נפש - nephesh), emphasizing the holistic nature of biblical purity. Eating these things not only defiles the body but contaminates the person's very being in relation to God.
  • Souls (נפש - nephesh): In Hebrew thought, nephesh refers to the whole person, their life, inner being, desires. So, defiling the "soul" implies defiling the entire self, compromising their spiritual relationship with God.
• by beast or by fowl or by anything with which the ground crawls (בַּבְּהֵמָה וּבָעוֹף וּבְכֹל אֲשֶׁר תִּרְמֹשׂ הָאֲדָמָה - babbehemah uva'of uvekhol ’asher tirmos ha’adamah):
  • Crawls (רמשׂ - ramas): Refers to creatures that swarm or crawl, including insects, reptiles, and sometimes small mammals. Lev 11 details strict prohibitions against these as unclean.
• which I have separated for you as unclean (אֲשֶׁר הִבְדַּלְתִּי לָכֶם לְטַמֵּא - ’asher hivdalttiy lakhem letaame’): This crucial phrase reiterates the divine authority for these distinctions. God is the one who "separated" (badal - same root as in "make a distinction") these creatures, explicitly designating them as unclean. This removes human subjectivity from the classification and grounds it in God's holy character. The purpose is "for you" (lakhem), emphasizing it's for Israel's benefit—to live distinct and holy lives.

Leviticus 20 25 Bonus section

The classification of animals into clean and unclean in Leviticus is often debated by scholars. Some view them primarily through a lens of hygiene and public health for the ancient Israelites. Others see them as purely symbolic, designed to teach a lesson about order, chaos, and the proper boundaries God established in creation. A strong scholarly perspective is that these laws serve as an act of resistance against pagan cults, many of which involved animal sacrifices or consumption that were abhorrent to Yahweh. By consuming only certain animals and abstaining from others, Israel was constantly reminded of its unique covenant identity and separation from the surrounding nations, who often partook in "detestable" practices with no such dietary distinctions. Thus, these laws were part of God's strategy to prevent assimilation and maintain the spiritual integrity of His people, making their daily eating habits a tangible reminder of their covenant obligations and God's holiness.

Leviticus 20 25 Commentary

Leviticus 20:25 powerfully reiterates a core principle of Israelite life: the necessity of making distinctions and maintaining separation according to God's decree. It ties directly back to the detailed dietary laws in Leviticus 11, transforming what might seem like arbitrary food regulations into a fundamental aspect of the covenant people's identity and holiness. The distinction between clean and unclean animals is not just a matter of hygiene or personal preference; it is a profound theological statement.

The Hebrew word badal ("to distinguish, separate") is central, linking this command to God's own creative acts (separating light from darkness) and His calling of Israel to be a distinct, holy nation from the world around them. By adhering to these dietary laws, Israelites physically and ritually embodied their spiritual separation from the defiled ways of the Canaanites and other nations. The term sheqetz ("detestable," "abomination") is especially strong, highlighting the inherent defiling nature of the forbidden things and the severe spiritual consequence for the individual's "soul" or whole being. Eating what is unclean does not merely make one dirty; it spiritually contaminates and alienates the person from God’s presence, making them "detestable" in His sight.

This verse therefore serves as a summary and conclusion to the chapter's focus on maintaining ritual purity as an outflow of holiness, and avoiding practices that defile the individual and the land, potentially leading to being cut off from the community. It underscores that God’s holy character necessitates a holy people who reflect His distinction between the sacred and profane, the pure and the defiling. While the literal food laws have been fulfilled and superseded in the New Covenant through Christ's declaration (Mk 7:18-19) and Peter's vision (Acts 10:15), the underlying principle of discernment, separation from spiritual defilement, and striving for holiness remains a timeless imperative for believers. We are called to "come out from among them and be separate" (2 Cor 6:17), distinguishing between what honors God and what defiles us in a spiritual sense.