Lev. 11 From the laws concerning the priests, he now comes to those which belong to all the people. Beasts clean and unclean, Lev. 11:1–8. Of fishes, Lev. 11:9–12. Of fowls and creeping things, Lev. 11:13–23. In touching of a dead carcass, Lev. 11:24–28. Other creatures unclean, Lev. 11:29–43.

The Lord spake to both Moses and Aaron, because the cognizance of the following matters belonged to both; the priest was to direct the people about the things forbidden or allowed where any doubt or difficulty arose, and the magistrate was to see the direction here given followed.

Though every creature of God be good and pure in itself, as appears from Gen. 1:31, Matt. 15:11, Rom. 14:14; yet it pleased God to make a difference between clean and unclean, and to restrain the use of them, which he did in general and in part before the flood, Gen.

Cloven-footed, to wit, is divided into two parts only, as in the coney, swine, &c., whereas the horse, camel, &c. have their hoofs entire and undivided. This clause is added only to explain and limit the former, as appears from Lev. 11:26; for the feet or hoofs of dogs, cats, &c.

The camel was a usual food in Arabia, but yielding bad nourishment, as Galen notes. Divideth not the hoof, to wit, so as to have his foot cloven in two, which being expressed Lev.

Some understand by the Hebrew word shaphan, a mountain mouse, which were of a much greater size than ordinary mice, and were used by the Arabians for food.

The Jews would not so much as name the swine, but called it another or a strange thing, lest the naming of it should tempt them to eat this meat, which was so commonly used and so much esteemed by others.

Ye shall not touch, to wit, in order to eating, as may be gathered by comparing this with Gen. 3:3, Col. 2:21. For since the fat and the skins of some of the forbidden creatures were useful for medicinal and other good uses, and were used by good men; see Matt.

Whatsoever hath fins and scales, to wit, both of them; such fishes being both more cleanly and more wholesome food than others. The names of them are not particularly mentioned, partly because most of them wanted names, the fishes not being brought to Adam and named by him as other creatures were;…

i.e. Either of the smaller sort of fishes, or of the greater, which are called here living creatures or beasts, as some of them are called the beasts of the sea by other authors.

An abomination unto you, to wit, for food. This clause is added to show that they were neither abominable in their own nature, nor for the food of other nations; and consequently when the partition-wall between Jews and Gentiles was taken away, these distinctions of meats were to cease.

The true signification of these and the following Hebrew words is now lost, as the Jews at this day confess, which not falling out without God’s singular providence may intimate the cessation or abolition of this law, the exact observation whereof since Christ came is become impossible.

i.e. According to the several kinds of birds, known by this general name, which includes, besides ravens properly so called, crows, rooks, pies, &c.

The owl, Heb. the daughter of the owl, which he mentions as the best of the kind both for sex and age, and therefore more desired for food than the elder or males. And it is hereby implied, that the very youngest and best of all the other kinds are forbidden, and much more the rest.

All fowls that crawl or creep upon the earth, and so degenerate from their proper nature, which is to fly, and are of a mongrel kind; which may intimate that apostates and mongrels in religion are abominable in the sight of God, and in conversation with men.

Which have legs above their feet. The truth of this translation may seem evident, both from the following clause, to leap withal, and especially from the next verse, where one of this kind is the locusts, which, as it is manifest, have two legs wherewith they leap, besides the four feet upon which…

Locusts, though unusual in our food, were commonly eaten by the Ethiopians, Libyans, Parthians, and other eastern people bordering upon the Jews, which is expressly affirmed by Diodorus Siculus, Aristotle, Pllny, St. Hierom, and others, as well as Matt. 3:4.

i.e. All such except those now mentioned; the word other being here understood out of the former verse, without which there might seem to be a contradiction between this and that verse.

And such were excluded both from the courts of God’s house, and from free conversation with other men. Until the even; which possibly might signify that even the smallest defilements could not be cleansed but by the death of Christ, who was to come and offer up himself in the evening, or end, or…

Whosoever beareth, or, taketh away, out of the place where haply it may lie, by which others may be either offended or polluted.

The word carcasses is easily to be understood out of Lev. 11:24–25, where it is expressed.

Upon his paws, Heb. upon his hands, i.e. which hath feet divided into several]parts like fingers, as dogs, eats, apes, bears, &c.

That on which such water cometh: the meaning is, that flesh or herbs, or other food which is dressed in water, to wit, in a vessel so polluted, shall be unclean; not so, if it be food which is eaten dry, as bread, fruits, &c., the reason of which difference seems to be this, that the water did…

Wherein there is plenty of water; of which no solid reason can be given, whilst such unclean things remain in them, but only the will of the Lawgiver, and his merciful condescension to men’s necessities, water being scarce in those countries; and for the same reason God would have the ceremonial…

Partly because this was necessary provision for man; and partly because such seed would not be used for man’s food till it had received many alterations in the earth, whereby such pollution was taken away. See John 12:24, 1 Cor. 15:36.

The reason of the difference is, partly because wet seed doth sooner receive and longer retain any pollution; and partly because such seed was not fit to be sown presently; and therefore that necessity which justified the use of the dry seed, which was speedily to be sown, could not be pretended in…

If any beast die; either of itself, or being killed by some wild beast, in which cases the blood was not poured forth, as it was when they were killed by men either for food or sacrifice.

He that eateth, to wit, unwittingly; for if he did it knowingly, it was a presumptuous sin against an express law, Deut. 14:21, and therefore punished with cutting off, Num. 15:30.

Except those before expressly excepted above Lev. 11:21–22

Upon the belly, as worms and snakes. Upon all four as toads and divers serpents. More feet, to wit, more than four, as caterpillars, &c.

Ye shall be holy; by which he gives them to understand, that all these cautions and prohibitions about the eating or touching of these creatures was not for any real uncleanness in them, all being God’s good creatures, but only that by the diligent observation of these rules they might learn with…