“Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth.”
Cross references: : Gen. 7:2 ; Deut. 14:1 ; Acts 10:14 Or, whereof ye may eat.
“Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted , and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.”
He noteth four sorts of beasts, some chew the cud only, and some have only the foot cleft: others neither chew the cud, nor have the hoof cleft: the fourth both chew the cud and have the hoof divided, which may be eaten.
“Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.”
God would that hereby for a time they should be discerned as his people from the Gentiles.
“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, they shall be an abomination unto you:”
As little fish engendered of the slime. As they which come of generation.
“And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray,”
Or, gryphon, as it is in the Greek.
“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;”
Or, have no bowings on their feet.
“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.”
These were certain kinds of grasshoppers, which are not now properly known.
“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.”
Or, hath not his foot cloven in two.
“These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind,”
Or, crocodile. The green frog that sitteth on the bushes.
“Nevertheless a fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty of water, shall be clean: but that which toucheth their carcase shall be unclean. wherein: Heb. a gathering together of waters”
So much of the water as toucheth it.
“But if any water be put upon the seed, and any part of their carcase fall thereon, it shall be unclean unto you.”
He speaketh of seed that is laid to sleep before it be sown.
“For I 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.”
He showeth why God did choose them to be his people, 1 Pet. 1:15 .