Translation: ESV
And the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying to them,
God desires to set apart every aspect of his people's daily life through holiness.
▸Leviticus 11 begins the dietary laws, with God speaking to both Moses and Aaron together.
Leviticus 11 begins the dietary laws, with God speaking to both Moses and Aaron together. These food laws were not mere hygiene regulations but were covenantal identity markers that set Israel apart as a holy people distinct from surrounding nations.
"Speak to the people of Israel, saying, These are the living things that you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth.
God sets apart even his people's daily meals according to the principle of holiness.
▸God distinguishes between animals the Israelites may eat and those they may not.
Whatever parts the hoof and is cloven-footed and chews the cud, among the animals, you may eat.
The standard for cleanness is not simple; both conditions must be met — teaching that God's standard admits no compromise.
▸Two criteria define a clean land animal: fully split hooves and chewing the cud.
Nevertheless, among those that chew the cud or part the hoof, you shall not eat these: The camel, because it chews the cud but does not part the hoof, is unclean to you.
Partially meeting God's standards is not sufficient. Complete obedience is required.
▸The camel chews the cud but does not have fully divided hooves, making it unclean.
And the pig, because it parts the hoof and is cloven-footed but does not chew the cud, is unclean to you.
God's people must maintain their identity through a way of life that is distinct from the world.
▸The pig has split hooves but does not chew the cud, making it unclean.
These you may eat, of all that are in the waters. Everything in the waters that has fins and scales, whether in the seas or in the rivers, you may eat.
Though the standards for cleanness differ in each domain (land, water, sky), God desires distinction and order in every realm.
▸The criteria for clean water creatures are fins and scales.
"And these you shall detest among the birds; they shall not be eaten; they are detestable: the eagle, the bearded vulture, the black vulture,
Israel must follow the principles of God's holiness even at the table, keeping far from what is detestable.
▸For birds, rather than a list of clean ones, a list of unclean ones is given.
For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming thing that crawls on the ground.
The basis for God's people being holy is that God himself is holy, and this applies to every area of life.
▸The theological basis of the food laws is stated clearly.
For I am the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy."
Those who have been saved must respond with a holy life worthy of that salvation.
▸The Exodus event is presented as another basis for the command to be holy.
to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean and between the living creature that may be eaten and the living creature that may not be eaten."
God's people must live holy lives by discerning between what is holy and what is unclean.
▸This verse is the concluding summary of all of Leviticus 11.