Classification of Clean and Unclean Animals in Leviticus 11

Leviticus 11 outlines the dietary laws given to the Israelites, distinguishing between animals that are considered clean and those that are unclean, thereby dictating what may or may not be eaten ^{[1, 3, 13]}. This chapter is part of a larger section in Leviticus (chapters 1-17) that details the worship practices and laws of the Israelite community ^[6]. The regulations regarding clean and unclean animals are also recorded in Deuteronomy 14:1-21 ^[4].

Criteria for Clean and Unclean Animals

The criteria for classifying animals vary depending on their habitat:

Land Animals

For quadrupeds, the law specifies two primary characteristics for an animal to be considered clean: it must both chew the cud and have cloven hooves that are completely divided ^{[3, 13]}. If an animal possesses only one of these characteristics, it is deemed unclean ^{[2, 13]}. For example, the camel, rock badger (coney), and hare chew the cud but do not have divided hooves, making them unclean. The pig has divided hooves but does not chew the cud, also rendering it unclean ^[13]. Touching the carcass of such an animal would make a person unclean ^{[2, 13]}.

Aquatic Animals

Animals living in water are classified based on the presence of fins and scales ^{[5, 13]}. Only those aquatic creatures that possess both fins and scales are considered clean and permissible for consumption. Any creature from the water that lacks either fins or scales is unclean ^[13].

Birds

Leviticus 11 provides a list of specific birds that are considered unclean, rather than general criteria ^{[5, 11]}. This list includes various birds of prey, such as eagles, vultures, buzzards, and hawks, as well as owls, gulls, storks, herons, and bats ^{[11, 14]}. The general characteristic of many unclean birds is that they are birds of prey or marsh-birds that consume worms, carrion, or other animals ^[14].

Creeping Things and Insects

The law also addresses "creeping things" (sheretz) ^{[5, 11]}. Most creeping things are considered unclean. However, certain winged insects are permitted if they have four legs and "two hind legs for leaping" ^[5]. This category includes various types of locusts, crickets, and grasshoppers ^[11]. Other creeping things, such as the weasel, mouse, various types of lizards (including the gecko, which some rabbinical writers identified as a hedgehog), and the chameleon, are explicitly listed as unclean ^{[7, 11]}. The carcasses of these smaller creeping things also impart uncleanness upon touch ^[11].

Purpose and Interpretation

The distinction between clean and unclean animals was fundamental to Israelite life, serving to differentiate them from other nations ^{[1, 10]}. This division likely predates the Mosaic law, as a similar distinction appears in the account of Noah's Ark (Genesis 7:2) ^{[3, 4]}.

Various interpretations have been offered regarding the rationale behind these laws:

Holiness and Separation: A primary purpose was to promote holiness and separation for the Israelite people. By adhering to these dietary laws, Israel was reminded of its unique covenant relationship with God ^{[1, 10]}. Josephus notes that Moses set apart the tribe of Levi and purified them, and similar principles of purification extended to the people through these laws ^{[8, 9]}.
Health and Hygiene: Some commentators suggest that certain prohibitions were based on physiological grounds or the unwholesomeness of certain animals, particularly in warm climates ^[10]. For instance, many of the prohibited animals are scavengers or carriers of disease. However, this is not universally applied, as some animals deemed unclean are not inherently unhealthy.
Symbolic Meanings: The distinctions may also carry symbolic weight. For example, animals that do not fit neatly into their categories (e.g., a creature that flies but also creeps, or an animal that chews the cud but lacks cloven hooves) could symbolize disorder or impurity ^[14]. Keil and Delitzsch observe that many unclean land animals are predators, while unclean water animals are often "snake-like fishes and slimy shell-fish," and unclean birds are typically birds of prey or carrion-eaters ^[14].
Sacrificial Practice: The division of animals into clean and unclean was probably founded, in part, on the practice of sacrifice, as only clean animals could be offered to God ^[4].

The laws in Leviticus 11 were not merely suggestions but divine commands, requiring the Israelites to "make a difference between the unclean and the clean" ^{[1, 10]}. This distinction extended beyond food to include contact with carcasses, which could also render a person unclean ^{[2, 13]}. The New Testament, particularly in Acts 10, records a vision given to Peter that indicates a change in these dietary laws for Christians, signifying that God has cleansed what was once considered impure ^[12]. However, for the Israelites under the Mosaic covenant, these laws were a crucial aspect of their identity and obedience to God.

Sources

Leviticus “Leviticus 11:47 (BSB) — You must distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between animals that may be eaten and those that may not.’””
Leviticus ““‘Every animal which parts the hoof, and is not cloven-footed, nor chews the cud, is unclean to you. Everyone who touches them shall be unclean. -- Leviticus 11:26”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Animal — An organized living creature endowed with sensation. The Levitical law divided animals into clean and unclean, although the distinction seems to have existed before the Flood (Gen. 7:2). The clean could be offered in sacrifice and eaten. All animals that had not cloven hoofs and did not chew the cud were unclean. The list of clean and unclean quadrupeds is set forth in the Levitical law (Deut. 14:3-20; Lev. 11).”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Clean — The various forms of uncleanness according to the Mosaic law are enumerated in Lev. 11-15; Num. 19. The division of animals into clean and unclean was probably founded on the practice of sacrifice. It existed before the Flood (Gen. 7:2). The regulations regarding such animals are recorded in Lev. 11 and Deut. 14:1-21. The Hebrews were prohibited from using as food certain animal substances, such as (1) blood; (2) the fat covering the intestines, termed the caul; (3) the fat on the intestines, called the mesentery; (4) the fat of the kidneys; and (5) the fat t”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Unclean Meats — These were things strangled, or dead of themselves or through beasts or birds of prey; whatever beast did not both part the hoof and chew the cud; and certain other smaller animals rated as "creeping things;" certain classes of birds mentioned in Levi 11 and Deuteronomy 14 twenty or twenty-one in all; whatever in the waters had not both fins and scales whatever winged insect had not besides four legs the two hindlegs for leaping; Besides things offered in sacrifice to idols; and ail blood or whatever contained it (save perhaps the blood of fish, as wou”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Leviticus — The third book of the Pentateuch; so called in the Vulgate, after the LXX., because it treats chiefly of the Levitical service. In the first section of the book (1-17), which exhibits the worship itself, there is, (1.) A series of laws (1-7) regarding sacrifices, burnt-offerings, meat-offerings, and thank-offerings (1-3), sin-offerings and trespass-offerings (4; 5), followed by the law of the priestly duties in connection with the offering of sacrifices (6; 7). (2.) An historical section (8-10), giving an account of the consecration of Aaron and his sons ”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Ferret — one of the unclean creeping things mentioned in (Leviticus 11:30) The animal referred to was probably a reptile of the lizard tribe (the gecko). The rabbinical writers seen to have identified this animal with the hedgehog.”
Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 11, section 1: . Of The Purifications. 1. Moses took out the tribe of Levi from communicating with the rest of the people, and set them apart to be a holy tribe; and purified them by water taken from perpetual springs, and with such sacrifices as were usually offered to God on the like occasions. He delivered to them also the tabernacle, and the sacred vessels, and the other curtains, which were made for covering the tabernacle, that they might minister under the conduct of the priests, who had been already consecrated to God. 2. He also deter”
Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 11, section 1: . Of The Purifications.”
Leviticus (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Leviticus 11:47: make a difference between the unclean and the clean--that is, between animals used and not used for food. It is probable that the laws contained in this chapter were not entirely new, but only gave the sanction of divine enactment to ancient usages. Some of the prohibited animals have, on physiological grounds, been everywhere rejected by the general sense or experience of mankind; while others may have been declared unclean from their unwholesomeness in warm countries or from some reasons, which are now imperfectly known, connected with contempora”
Leviticus (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Leviticus 11 (introduction): INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 11 This chapter treats of creatures clean and unclean, as fit or not fit to be eaten; and first of beasts, whose signs are given, Lev 11:1 then of fishes, which are likewise described, Lev 11:9 after that of fowls, and those that are not to be eaten are particularly named, Lev 11:13 next of creeping things, which are distinguished into two sorts, as flying creeping things, of which those that are unclean, their carcasses are not even to be touched, as neither the carcasses of unclean beasts, Lev 11:20 and creeping things on ”
Acts (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Acts 10:14: 10:14 See Lev 11 for a description of animals that Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean.”
Leviticus (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Leviticus 11 (introduction): Laws concerning clean and unclean animals, Lev 11:1, Lev 11:2. Of Quadrupeds, those are clean which divide the hoof and chew the cud, Lev 11:3. Those to be reputed unclean which do not divide the hoof, though they chew the cud, Lev 11:4-6. Those to be reputed unclean also which, though they divide the hoof, do not chew the cud, Lev 11:7. Whosoever eats their flesh, or touches their carcasses, shall be reputed unclean, Lev 11:8. Of Fish, those are clean, and may be eaten which have fins and scales, Lev 11:9. Those which have not fins and scales to be ”
Leviticus (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Leviticus 11:46: Lev 11:46, Lev 11:47 contain the concluding formula to the whole of this law. If we take a survey, in closing, of the animals that are enumerated as unclean and not suitable for food, we shall find that among the larger land animals they were chiefly beasts of prey, that seize upon other living creatures and devour them in their blood; among the water animals, all snake-like fishes and slimy shell-fish; among birds, the birds of prey, which watch for the life of other animals and kill them, the marsh-birds, which live on worms, carrion, and all kinds of imp”

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