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Leviticus 11

Leviticus 11 Summary, Context, and Full Chapter

Leviticus 11 gives Israel detailed food laws and cleanliness rules. It separates animals, birds, fish, and creeping creatures into clean and unclean groups, and it explains how contact with carcasses could make a person or object unclean. The chapter ends by tying these commands to holiness before the LORD.

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What happens in Leviticus 11?

The LORD tells Moses and Aaron which animals the Israelites may eat and which they must avoid. Land animals must have both a split hoof and chew the cud, while fish must have fins and scales. A long list of birds and flying insects is marked unclean, with a few locust-like insects allowed. The chapter also explains how touching dead animals, contaminated food, or certain objects spreads uncleanness, and when washing or destruction is required. The final reason given is covenant holiness: Israel is to live set apart because the LORD is holy.

Leviticus 11 follows the judgment on Nadab and Abihu in chapter 10 and moves into laws that shape Israel's daily life. These instructions are part of the broader holiness code, showing how the people were to live as a nation belonging to God. The chapter lays a foundation for later teaching about purity, reverence, and careful obedience.

Themes to notice

  • HolinessGod calls his people to reflect his holiness in ordinary choices and daily conduct.
  • Clean and uncleanThe chapter sets clear boundaries between what is permitted and what is forbidden.
  • Purity and contaminationIt shows how uncleanness could spread through contact and require cleansing.

Questions for Leviticus 11

  • What stands out to you about the level of detail in these cleanliness laws?
  • How does the repeated call to be holy shape the meaning of the food rules?
  • What do these instructions teach about God's concern for everyday life?

Read the full text of Leviticus 11 below, then open it in the reader to highlight, take notes, or ask follow-up Bible questions. No account is required to read.

Leviticus 11

Clean and Unclean Animals

1The LORD spoke again to Moses and Aaron, telling them,2“Say to the Israelites, ‘Of all the beasts of the earth, these ones you may eat:3You may eat any animal that has a split hoof completely divided and that chews the cud.

4But of those that only chew the cud or only have a divided hoof, you are not to eat the following:

The camel, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is unclean for you.

5The rock badger, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is unclean for you.

6The rabbit, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is unclean for you.

7And the pig, though it has a split hoof completely divided, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you.

8You must not eat their meat or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you.

9Of all the creatures that live in the water, whether in the seas or in the streams, you may eat anything with fins and scales.10But the following among all the teeming life and creatures in the water are detestable to you: everything in the seas or streams that does not have fins and scales.11They shall be an abomination to you; you must not eat their meat, and you must detest their carcasses.12Everything in the water that does not have fins and scales shall be detestable to you.

13Additionally, you are to detest the following birds, and they must not be eaten because they are detestable:

the eagle, the bearded vulture, the black vulture,

14the kite, any kind of falcon,

15any kind of raven,

16the ostrich, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk,

17the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl,

18the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey,

19the stork, any kind of heron,

the hoopoe, and the bat.

20All flying insects that walk on all fours are detestable to you.21However, you may eat the following kinds of flying insects that walk on all fours: those having jointed legs above their feet for hopping on the ground.22Of these you may eat any kind of locust, katydid, cricket, or grasshopper.23All other flying insects that have four legs are detestable to you.

24These creatures will make you unclean. Whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean until evening,25and whoever picks up one of their carcasses must wash his clothes, and he will be unclean until evening.

26Every animal with hooves not completely divided or that does not chew the cud is unclean for you. Whoever touches any of them will be unclean.27All the four-footed animals that walk on their paws are unclean for you; whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean until evening,28and anyone who picks up a carcass must wash his clothes, and he will be unclean until evening. They are unclean for you.

29The following creatures that move along the ground are unclean for you: the mole, the mouse, any kind of great lizard,30the gecko, the monitor lizard, the common lizard, the skink, and the chameleon.31These animals are unclean for you among all the crawling creatures. Whoever touches them when they are dead shall be unclean until evening.32When one of them dies and falls on something, that article becomes unclean; any article of wood, clothing, leather, sackcloth, or any implement used for work must be rinsed with water and will remain unclean until evening; then it will be clean.33If any of them falls into a clay pot, everything in it will be unclean; you must break the pot.34Any food coming into contact with water from that pot will be unclean, and any drink in such a container will be unclean.35Anything upon which one of their carcasses falls will be unclean. If it is an oven or cooking pot, it must be smashed; it is unclean and will remain unclean for you.36Nevertheless, a spring or cistern containing water will remain clean, but one who touches a carcass in it will be unclean.37If a carcass falls on any seed for sowing, the seed is clean;38but if water has been put on the seed and a carcass falls on it, it is unclean for you.

39If an animal that you may eat dies, anyone who touches the carcass will be unclean until evening.40Whoever eats from the carcass must wash his clothes and will be unclean until evening, and anyone who picks up the carcass must wash his clothes and will be unclean until evening.

41Every creature that moves along the ground is detestable; it must not be eaten.42Do not eat any creature that moves along the ground, whether it crawls on its belly or walks on four or more feet; for such creatures are detestable.43Do not defile yourselves by any crawling creature; do not become unclean or defiled by them.44For I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, because I am holy. You must not defile yourselves by any creature that crawls along the ground.45For I am the LORD, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt so that I would be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.

46This is the law regarding animals, birds, all living creatures that move in the water, and all creatures that crawl along the ground.47You must distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between animals that may be eaten and those that may not.’”

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