📖 Leviticus — Chapter 11 (KJV)
Read the complete King James Version chapter below, then explore the passage sections, check what you remember, and keep your private study notes.
Scripture source: Project Gutenberg KJV, ebook 10.
Leviticus 11:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them,
Leviticus 11:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth.
Leviticus 11:3 Whatsoever Rparteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.
Leviticus 11:4 Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
Leviticus 11:5 And Rthe coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
Leviticus 11:6 And Rthe hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
Leviticus 11:7 And the Rswine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.
Leviticus 11:8 Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; Rthey are unclean to you.
Leviticus 11:9 These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat.
Leviticus 11:10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, Rthey shall be an abomination unto you:
Leviticus 11:11 They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination.
Leviticus 11:12 Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.
Leviticus 11:13 And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: Rthe eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray,
Leviticus 11:14 And the vulture, and the kite after his kind;
Leviticus 11:15 REvery raven after his kind;
Leviticus 11:16 And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind,
Leviticus 11:17 And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl,
Leviticus 11:18 And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle,
Leviticus 11:19 And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.
Leviticus 11:20 All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you.
Leviticus 11:21 Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth;
Leviticus 11:22 Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind.
Leviticus 11:23 But all other flying creeping things, which have four feet, shall be an abomination unto you.
Leviticus 11:24 And for these ye shall be unclean: whosoever toucheth the carcase of them shall be unclean until the even.
Leviticus 11:25 And whosoever beareth ought of the carcase of them shall Rwash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.
Leviticus 11:26 The carcases of every beast which divideth the hoof, and is not clovenfooted, nor cheweth the cud, are unclean unto you: every one that toucheth them shall be unclean.
Leviticus 11:27 And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on all four, those are unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even.
Leviticus 11:28 And he that Rbeareth the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: they are unclean unto you.
Leviticus 11:29 These also shall be unclean unto you among the Rcreeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind,
Leviticus 11:30 And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole.
Leviticus 11:31 These are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even.
Leviticus 11:32 And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any work is done, Rit must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; so it shall be cleansed.
Leviticus 11:33 And every earthen vessel, whereinto any of them falleth, whatsoever is in it shall be unclean; and Rye shall break it.
Leviticus 11:34 Of all meat which may be eaten, that on which such water cometh shall be unclean: and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean.
Leviticus 11:35 And every thing whereupon any part of their carcase falleth shall be unclean; whether it be oven, or ranges for pots, Rthey shall be broken down: for they are unclean and shall be unclean unto you.
Leviticus 11:36 Nevertheless Ra fountain or pit, Twherein there is plenty of water, shall be clean: but that which toucheth their carcase shall be unclean.
Leviticus 11:37 And if any part of their carcase fall upon any Rsowing seed which is to be sown, it shall be clean.
Leviticus 11:38 But if any water be put upon the seed, and any part of their carcase fall thereon, it shall be unclean unto you.
Leviticus 11:39 And if any beast, of which ye may eat, die; he that toucheth the carcase thereof shall be unclean until the even.
Leviticus 11:40 And he that Reateth of the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: he also that beareth the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.
Leviticus 11:41 And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination; it shall not be eaten.
Leviticus 11:42 Whatsoever Rgoeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon all four, or whatsoever Thath more feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they are an abomination.
Leviticus 11:43 RYe shall not make Tyourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby.
Leviticus 11:44 For RI am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Leviticus 11:45 For I am the LORD Rthat bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
Leviticus 11:46 RThis is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth:
Leviticus 11:47 To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.
📚 Study This Chapter
📖 What We’re Reading
Leviticus 11:1–23 — Animals Israel May and May Not Eat
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
The LORD gives Israel distinctions among land animals, water creatures, birds, and flying creeping things. Permitted land animals both divide the hoof and chew the cud; water creatures must have fins and scales. The passage names prohibited birds and permitted kinds of leaping creatures. These are the food distinctions given to Israel in this law.
Key Truth: Israel is taught to observe the distinctions the LORD appoints.
Check What You Remember
1. What must a permitted land animal chew? (Leviticus 11:3)
Find it in Leviticus 11:3 (KJV).
2. Name both features required of permitted water creatures. (Leviticus 11:9)
Find it in Leviticus 11:9 (KJV).
3. Which bird is listed first in verse 13? (Leviticus 11:13)
Find it in Leviticus 11:13 (KJV).
📖 What We’re Reading
Leviticus 11:24–40 — Contact with Carcases
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
The passage describes uncleanness after contact with animal carcases and gives instructions about washing, containers, and affected objects. Some objects are washed; an affected earthen vessel must be broken. Here clean and unclean describe a person's or object's status under these ritual laws.
Key Truth: The laws include both food choices and the handling of uncleanness.
Check What You Remember
1. What must someone carrying a carcase wash? (Leviticus 11:25)
Find it in Leviticus 11:25 (KJV).
2. What happened to an affected earthen vessel? (Leviticus 11:33)
Find it in Leviticus 11:33 (KJV).
3. Until when was someone touching the carcase in verse 39 unclean? (Leviticus 11:39)
Find it in Leviticus 11:39 (KJV).
📖 What We’re Reading
Leviticus 11:41–47 — Be Holy, for I Am Holy
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
Israel is forbidden to eat the creeping things described here. The LORD ties these distinctions to his holiness and to his bringing them out of Egypt. The chapter closes by stating the purpose of distinguishing clean from unclean and what may be eaten from what may not.
Key Truth: The LORD calls the people he delivered to holiness.
Check What You Remember
1. Why does the LORD say Israel should be holy? (Leviticus 11:44)
Find it in Leviticus 11:44 (KJV).
2. From what land did the LORD bring Israel? (Leviticus 11:45)
Find it in Leviticus 11:45 (KJV).
3. Name both statuses distinguished in verse 47. (Leviticus 11:47)
Find it in Leviticus 11:47 (KJV).
Advanced Questions and Answers
Study this chapter’s wording, patterns, contrasts, and meaning in greater depth.
1. Why do the camel and swine fail the permitted land-animal test in different ways?
2. How do water-creature rules apply across seas and rivers?
3. How does an affected earthen vessel differ from the wooden vessel described nearby?
4. How does adding water change the seed case when a carcase falls on it?
5. How do the final commands connect holiness with God’s identity and deliverance?
Notes
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