Focused Passage

Leviticus 11:29-38

Clean and Unclean Creatures: Holiness in Daily Life

The LORD instructs Moses and Aaron concerning clean and unclean land animals, water creatures, birds, flying insects, swarming creatures, carcass contamination, household impurity, and the theological purpose of these distinctions: Israel must be holy because the LORD is holy.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

29The following creatures that move along the ground are unclean for you: the mole, the mouse, any kind of great lizard,

30the gecko, the monitor lizard, the common lizard, the skink, and the chameleon.

31These animals are unclean for you among all the crawling creatures. Whoever touches them when they are dead shall be unclean until evening.

32When one of them dies and falls on something, that article becomes unclean; any article of wood, clothing, leather, sackcloth, or any implement used for work must be rinsed with water and will remain unclean until evening; then it will be clean.

33If any of them falls into a clay pot, everything in it will be unclean; you must break the pot.

34Any food coming into contact with water from that pot will be unclean, and any drink in such a container will be unclean.

35Anything upon which one of their carcasses falls will be unclean. If it is an oven or cooking pot, it must be smashed; it is unclean and will remain unclean for you.

36Nevertheless, a spring or cistern containing water will remain clean, but one who touches a carcass in it will be unclean.

37If a carcass falls on any seed for sowing, the seed is clean;

38but if water has been put on the seed and a carcass falls on it, it is unclean for you.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 29

Original words

The followingוְזֶ֤הH2088Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - masculine singularcreaturesבַּשֶּׁ֖רֶץH8318Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularthat moveהַשֹּׁרֵ֣ץH8317Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularalongעַל־H5921Prepositionthe groundהָאָ֑רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singularare uncleanהַטָּמֵ֔אH2931Article | Adjective - masculine singularfor youלָכֶם֙Preposition | second person masculine pluralthe moleהַחֹ֥לֶדH2467Article | Noun - masculine singularthe mouseוְהָעַכְבָּ֖רH5909Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singularany kindלְמִינֵֽהוּ׃H4327Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularof great lizardוְהַצָּ֥בH6632Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 30

Original words

the geckoוְהָאֲנָקָ֥הH604Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singularthe monitor lizardוְהַכֹּ֖חַH3581Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singularthe common lizardוְהַלְּטָאָ֑הH3911Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singularthe skinkוְהַחֹ֖מֶטH2546Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singularand the chameleonוְהַתִּנְשָֽׁמֶת׃H8580Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 31

Original words

These [animals]אֵ֛לֶּהH428Pronoun - common pluralare uncleanהַטְּמֵאִ֥יםH2931Article | Adjective - masculine pluralfor youלָכֶ֖םPreposition | second person masculine pluralamong allבְּכָל־H3605Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructthe crawling creaturesהַשָּׁ֑רֶץH8318Article | Noun - masculine singularWhoeverכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructtouchesהַנֹּגֵ֧עַH5060Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularthemבָּהֶ֛םPreposition | third person masculine pluralwhen they are deadבְּמֹתָ֖םH4194Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine pluralshall be uncleanיִטְמָ֥אH2930Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularuntilעַד־H5704Prepositioneveningהָעָֽרֶב׃H6153Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 32

Original words

Whenוְכֹ֣לH3605Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularone of themאֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativediesבְּמֹתָ֜םH4194Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine pluraland fallsיִפֹּל־H5307Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularonעָלָיו֩H5921Preposition | third person masculine singularsomethingמֵהֶ֨ם׀Preposition-m | Pronoun - third person masculine plural[that article] becomes uncleanיִטְמָ֗אH2930Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularanyמִכָּל־H3605Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructarticleכְּלִי־H3627Noun - masculine singular constructof woodעֵץ֙H6086Noun - masculine singular. . .א֣וֹH176Conjunctionclothingבֶ֤גֶדH899Noun - masculine singular. . .אוֹ־H176Conjunctionleatherעוֹר֙H5785Noun - masculine singular. . .א֣וֹH176Conjunctionsackclothשָׂ֔קH8242Noun - masculine singularor anyכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructimplementכְּלִ֕יH3627Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativeusedיֵעָשֶׂ֥הH6213Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularfor workמְלָאכָ֖הH4399Noun - feminine singularmust be rinsed with waterבַּמַּ֧יִםH4325Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural. . .יוּבָ֛אH935Verb - Hofal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularand will remain uncleanוְטָמֵ֥אH2930Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularuntilעַד־H5704Prepositioneveningהָעֶ֖רֶבH6153Article | Noun - masculine singularthen it will be cleanוְטָהֵֽר׃H2891Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 33

Original words

If any of themמֵהֶ֖םPreposition-m | Pronoun - third person masculine pluralfallsיִפֹּ֥לH5307Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularintoאֶל־H413Preposition. . .תּוֹכ֑וֹH8432Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularaוְכָל־H3605Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructclayחֶ֔רֶשׂH2789Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativepotכְּלִי־H3627Noun - masculine singular constructeverythingכֹּ֣לH3605Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁ֧רH834Pronoun - relativeinבְּתוֹכ֛וֹH8432Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularit will be uncleanיִטְמָ֖אH2930Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular-וְאֹת֥וֹH853Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker | third person masculine singularyou must break [the pot]תִשְׁבֹּֽרוּ׃H7665Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Verse 34

Original words

Anyמִכָּל־H3605Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructvvvיֵאָכֵ֗לH398Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularvvvאֲשֶׁ֨רH834Pronoun - relativefoodהָאֹ֜כֶלH400Article | Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativecomingיָב֥וֹאH935Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularinto contactעָלָ֛יוH5921Preposition | third person masculine singularwith water [from that pot]מַ֖יִםH4325Noun - masculine pluralwill be uncleanיִטְמָ֑אH2930Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularand anyוְכָל־H3605Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructdrinkיִשָּׁתֶ֔הH8354Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .מַשְׁקֶה֙H4945Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativein such aבְּכָל־H3605Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructcontainerכְּלִ֖יH3627Noun - masculine singularwill be uncleanיִטְמָֽא׃H2930Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 35

Original words

Anythingוְ֠כֹלH3605Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularupon whichאֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativeone of their carcassesמִנִּבְלָתָ֥ם׀H5038Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine pluralfallsיִפֹּ֨לH5307Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular-עָלָיו֮H5921Preposition | third person masculine singularwill be uncleanיִטְמָא֒H2930Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularIf it is an ovenתַּנּ֧וּרH8574Noun - common singularor cooking potוְכִירַ֛יִםH3600Conjunctive waw | Noun - mdit must be smashedיֻתָּ֖ץH5422Verb - QalPass - Imperfect - third person masculine singularitהֵ֑םH1992Pronoun - third person masculine pluralis uncleanטְמֵאִ֣יםH2931Adjective - masculine pluraland will remainיִהְי֥וּH1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluraluncleanוּטְמֵאִ֖יםH2931Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine pluralfor youלָכֶֽם׃Preposition | second person masculine plural
Verse 36

Original words

Neverthelessאַ֣ךְH389Adverba springמַעְיָ֥ןH4599Noun - masculine singularor cisternוּב֛וֹרH953Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularcontainingמִקְוֵה־H4723Noun - masculine singular constructwaterמַ֖יִםH4325Noun - masculine pluralwill remainיִהְיֶ֣הH1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularcleanטָה֑וֹרH2889Adjective - masculine singularbut one who touchesוְנֹגֵ֥עַH5060Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singulara carcass in itבְּנִבְלָתָ֖םH5038Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine pluralwill be uncleanיִטְמָֽא׃H2930Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 37

Original words

Ifוְכִ֤יH3588Conjunctiona carcassמִנִּבְלָתָ֔םH5038Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine pluralfallsיִפֹּל֙H5307Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularonעַל־H5921Prepositionanyכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructseedזֶ֥רַעH2233Noun - masculine singularfor sowingזֵר֖וּעַH2221Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relative-יִזָּרֵ֑עַH2232Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular[the seed]הֽוּא׃H1931Pronoun - third person masculine singularis cleanטָה֖וֹרH2889Adjective - masculine singular
Verse 38

Original words

but ifוְכִ֤יH3588Conjunctionwaterמַ֙יִם֙H4325Noun - masculine pluralhas been putיֻתַּן־H5414Verb - QalPass - Imperfect - third person masculine singularonעַל־H5921Prepositionthe seedזֶ֔רַעH2233Noun - masculine singularand a carcassמִנִּבְלָתָ֖םH5038Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine pluralfallsוְנָפַ֥לH5307Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularon itעָלָ֑יוH5921Preposition | third person masculine singularitה֖וּאH1931Pronoun - third person masculine singularis uncleanטָמֵ֥אH2931Adjective - masculine singularfor youלָכֶֽם׃סPreposition | second person masculine plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.