Focused Passage

Leviticus 11:41-47

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

41Every creature that moves along the ground is detestable; it must not be eaten.

42Do not eat any creature that moves along the ground, whether it crawls on its belly or walks on four or more feet; for such creatures are detestable.

43Do not defile yourselves by any crawling creature; do not become unclean or defiled by them.

44For I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, because I am holy. You must not defile yourselves by any creature that crawls along the ground.

45For I am the LORD, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt so that I would be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.

46This is the law regarding animals, birds, all living creatures that move in the water, and all creatures that crawl along the ground.

47You must distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between animals that may be eaten and those that may not.’”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 41

Original words

Everyוְכָל־H3605Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructcreatureהַשֶּׁ֖רֶץH8318Article | Noun - masculine singularthat movesהַשֹּׁרֵ֣ץH8317Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularalongעַל־H5921Prepositionthe groundהָאָ֑רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singularis detestableשֶׁ֥קֶץH8263Noun - masculine singularitה֖וּאH1931Pronoun - third person masculine singularmust notלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particlebe eatenיֵאָכֵֽל׃H398Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 42

Original words

Do notלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particleeatתֹאכְל֖וּםH398Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | third person masculine pluralany creatureהַשֶּׁ֖רֶץH8318Article | Noun - masculine singularthat movesהַשֹּׁרֵ֣ץH8317Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularalongעַל־H5921Prepositionthe groundהָאָ֑רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singularwhetherכֹּל֩H3605Noun - masculine singularit crawlsהוֹלֵ֨ךְH1980Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularonעַל־H5921Prepositionits bellyגָּח֜וֹןH1512Noun - masculine singularorוְכֹ֣ל׀H3605Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularwalksהוֹלֵ֣ךְH1980Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularonעַל־H5921Prepositionfourאַרְבַּ֗עH702Number - feminine singularorעַ֚דH5704Preposition. . .כָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructmoreמַרְבֵּ֣הH7235Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular constructfeetרַגְלַ֔יִםH7272Noun - fd. . .לְכָל־H3605Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular constructforכִּי־H3588Conjunctionsuch [creatures]הֵֽם׃H1992Pronoun - third person masculine pluralare detestableשֶׁ֥קֶץH8263Noun - masculine singular
Verse 43

Original words

Do notאַל־H408Adverbdefileתְּשַׁקְּצוּ֙H8262Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markeryourselvesנַפְשֹׁ֣תֵיכֶ֔םH5315Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine pluralby anyבְּכָל־H3605Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructcrawling creatureהַשֶּׁ֖רֶץH8318Article | Noun - masculine singular. . .הַשֹּׁרֵ֑ץH8317Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singulardo notוְלֹ֤אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlebecome uncleanתִֽטַּמְּאוּ֙H2930Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralor defiledוְנִטְמֵתֶ֖םH2930Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine pluralby themבָּֽם׃Preposition | third person masculine plural
Verse 44

Original words

Forכִּ֣יH3588ConjunctionIאֲנִ֣יH589Pronoun - first person common singularam the LORDיְהוָה֮H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֒H430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine pluralconsecrate yourselves, thereforeוְהִתְקַדִּשְׁתֶּם֙H6942Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine pluraland beוִהְיִיתֶ֣םH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine pluralholyקְדֹשִׁ֔יםH6918Adjective - masculine pluralbecauseכִּ֥יH3588ConjunctionIאָ֑נִיH589Pronoun - first person common singularam holyקָד֖וֹשׁH6918Adjective - masculine singularYou must notוְלֹ֤אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particledefileתְטַמְּאוּ֙H2930Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markeryourselvesנַפְשֹׁ֣תֵיכֶ֔םH5315Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine pluralby anyבְּכָל־H3605Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructcreatureהַשֶּׁ֖רֶץH8318Article | Noun - masculine singularthat crawlsהָרֹמֵ֥שׂH7430Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularalongעַל־H5921Prepositionthe groundהָאָֽרֶץ׃H776Article | Noun - feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Here and in verse 45; cited in 1 Peter 1:16
Verse 45

Original words

Forכִּ֣י׀H3588ConjunctionIאֲנִ֣יH589Pronoun - first person common singularam the LORDיְהוָ֗הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularwho brought you upהַֽמַּעֲלֶ֤הH5927Article | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular-אֶתְכֶם֙H853Direct object marker | second person masculine pluralout of the landמֵאֶ֣רֶץH776Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular constructof Egyptמִצְרַ֔יִםH4714Noun - proper - feminine singularso that I would beלִהְיֹ֥תH1961Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructyourלָכֶ֖םPreposition | second person masculine pluralGodלֵאלֹהִ֑יםH430Preposition-l | Noun - masculine pluraltherefore beוִהְיִיתֶ֣םH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine pluralholyקְדֹשִׁ֔יםH6918Adjective - masculine pluralbecauseכִּ֥יH3588ConjunctionIאָֽנִי׃H589Pronoun - first person common singularam holyקָד֖וֹשׁH6918Adjective - masculine singular
Verse 46

Original words

Thisזֹ֣אתH2063Pronoun - feminine singularis the lawתּוֹרַ֤תH8451Noun - feminine singular constructregarding animalsהַבְּהֵמָה֙H929Article | Noun - feminine singularbirdsוְהָע֔וֹףH5775Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singularallוְכֹל֙H3605Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructlivingהַֽחַיָּ֔הH2416Article | Adjective - feminine singularcreaturesנֶ֣פֶשׁH5315Noun - feminine singularthat moveהָרֹמֶ֖שֶׂתH7430Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singularin the waterבַּמָּ֑יִםH4325Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine pluraland allוּלְכָל־H3605Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular constructcreaturesנֶ֖פֶשׁH5315Noun - feminine singularthat crawlהַשֹּׁרֶ֥צֶתH8317Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singularalongעַל־H5921Prepositionthe groundהָאָֽרֶץ׃H776Article | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 47

Original words

You must distinguishלְהַבְדִּ֕ילH914Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructbetweenבֵּ֥יןH996Prepositionthe uncleanהַטָּמֵ֖אH2931Article | Adjective - masculine singularand the cleanהַטָּהֹ֑רH2889Article | Adjective - masculine singular. . .וּבֵ֤יןH996Conjunctive waw | Prepositionbetweenוּבֵ֣יןH996Conjunctive waw | Prepositionanimalsהַֽחַיָּה֙H2416Article | Noun - feminine singularthat may be eatenהַֽנֶּאֱכֶ֔לֶתH398Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine singular. . .וּבֵין֙H996Conjunctive waw | Prepositionand thoseהַֽחַיָּ֔הH2416Article | Noun - feminine singularthatאֲשֶׁ֖רH834Pronoun - relativemay notלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particle-תֵאָכֵֽל׃פH398Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular

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.