Levitico 11
La Nuova Diodati
11 Poi l'Eterno parlò a Mosè e ad Aaronne, dicendo loro:
2 «Parlate ai figli d'Israele e dite: Questi sono gli animali che potrete mangiare fra tutte le bestie che sono sulla terra.
3 Potete mangiare di ogni animale che ha lo zoccolo spaccato e il piede diviso e che rumina.
4 Ma fra quelli che ruminano e fra quelli che hanno lo zoccolo spaccato, non mangerete questi: il cammello, perché rumina, ma non ha lo zoccolo spaccato; per voi è impuro;
5 il coniglio, perché rumina, ma non ha lo zoccolo spaccato; per voi è impuro;
6 la lepre, perché rumina, ma non ha lo zoccolo spaccato; per voi è impura;
7 il porco, perché ha lo zoccolo spaccato e il piede diviso, ma non rumina; per voi è impuro.
8 Non mangerete della loro carne e non toccherete i loro corpi morti; per voi essi sono impuri.
9 Questi potete mangiare fra tutti gli animali che sono nell'acqua. Potete mangiare tutti quelli che nell'acqua hanno pinne e squame, tanto nei mari che nei fiumi.
10 Ma tutti quelli che non hanno né pinne né squame, tanto nei mari che nei fiumi, tutti quelli che si muovono nell'acqua e tutti quelli che vivono nell'acqua sono un abominio per voi.
11 Essi saranno un abominio per voi; non mangerete della loro carne e avrete in abominio i loro corpi morti.
12 Tutto ciò che nell'acqua non ha pinne e squame sarà un abominio per voi.
13 Fra gli uccelli avrete in abominio questi; non si devono mangiare, sono un abominio: l'aquila, l'ossifraga e il falco pescatore;
14 Il nibbio e ogni specie di falchi;
15 ogni specie di corvi;
16 lo struzzo, il barbagianni, il gabbiano e ogni specie di sparvieri;
17 il gufo, il cormorano l'ibis;
18 il cigno, il pellicano, l'avvoltoio;
19 la cicogna, ogni specie di aironi, l'upupa e il pipistrello.
20 Vi sarà pure in abominio ogni insetto alato che cammina su quattro zampe.
21 Però, fra tutti gli insetti alati che camminano su quattro piedi, potete mangiare quelli che hanno le gambe sopra i piedi per saltare sulla terra.
22 Di questi potete mangiare: ogni specie di locuste, ogni specie di cavallette, ogni specie di grilli e ogni specie di acridi.
23 Ogni altro insetto alato che ha quattro zampe sarà un abominio per voi.
24 Questi animali vi renderanno impuri; chiunque tocca il loro corpo morto sarà impuro fino alla sera.
25 Chiunque trasporta i loro corpi morti si laverà le vesti, e sarà impuro fino alla sera.
26 Ogni animale che ha lo zoccolo spaccato, ma non ha il piede diviso e che non rumina è impuro per voi; chiunque lo toccherà sarà impuro.
27 Fra tutti gli animali quadrupedi, quelli che camminano sulla pianta dei piedi sono impuri per voi; chiunque tocca il loro corpo morto sarà impuro fino alla sera.
28 Chiunque trasporta il loro corpo morto si laverà le vesti e sarà impuro fino alla sera. Per voi essi sono impuri.
29 Fra gli animali che strisciano sulla terra, questi sono impuri per voi: la talpa, Il topo e ogni specie di lucertola.
30 il geco, il varano, la lucertola, la lumaca e il camaleonte.
31 Questi animali fra tutti quelli che strisciano sono impuri per voi; chiunque li tocca quando sono morti, sarà impuro fino alla sera.
32 Qualsiasi cosa su cui uno di essi cadesse quando sono morti sarà impura; sia essa un utensile di legno o vestito o pelle o sacco o qualsiasi oggetto usato per lavoro, dev'essere messa in acqua, e sarà impura fino alla sera; poi sarà pura.
33 Qualsiasi vaso d'argilla entro cui uno di essi cade, lo romperete; e tutto ciò che si trova in esso sarà impuro.
34 Ogni cibo commestibile su cui cade l'acqua di tale vaso sarà impuro; e ogni sorso che possa essere preso da esso sarà impuro.
35 Qualsiasi cosa su cui cada una parte del loro corpo morto, sia essa il forno o il fornello, sarà spezzato; essi sono impuri e saranno da voi ritenuti impuri.
36 Però una fonte o una cisterna, dove si raccoglie acqua sarà pura, ma qualunque cosa tocca i loro corpi morti sarà impura.
37 E se una parte dei loro corpi morti cade su qualsiasi semente da seminare, questa rimarrà pura;
38 ma se è messa dell'acqua sulla semente e se una parte dei loro corpi morti vi cade sopra è impura per voi.
39 Se muore un animale che vi è permesso mangiare, colui che ne toccherà il corpo morto sarà impuro fino alla sera.
40 Colui che mangia di quel corpo morto laverà le sue vesti e sarà impuro fino alla sera; parimenti colui che trasporta quel corpo morto laverà le sue vesti e sarà impuro fino alla sera.
41 Ogni cosa che striscia sulla terra un abominio; non lo dovete mangiare.
42 Fra tutti gli animali che strisciano sulla terra, non mangerete alcuno di quei che camminano sul ventre, che camminano su quattro zampe, o di quelli che hanno molte zampe, poiché sono un abominio.
43 Non rendetevi abominevoli con alcuno di questi animali che strisciano; non rendetevi impuri con essi, così da divenire contaminati.
44 Poiché io sono l'Eterno, il vostro DIO; santificatevi dunque e siate santi, perché io sono santo; non contaminatevi con alcuno di questi animali che strisciano sulla terra.
45 Poiché io sono l'Eterno che vi ho fatto salire dal paese d'Egitto, per essere il vostro DIO; siate dunque santi, perché io sono santo.
46 Questa è la legge relativa ai quadrupedi, agli uccelli e a ogni essere vivente che si muove nelle acque, e a ogni essere che striscia sulla terra.
47 affinché sappiate distinguere tra l'impuro e il puro, e tra l'animale che si può mangiare e quello che non si deve mangiare».
Leviticus 11
The Voice
11 The Eternal One addressed Moses and Aaron again.
Now that Aaron and his sons have been set aside as priests, it is time to instruct them on one of their major duties, that is, helping God’s covenant people understand the difference between purity and impurity. Impurity is a constant challenge and threat to holiness, and God has called His people to be holy. But many actions and circumstances in life put holiness in jeopardy. God knows that His people need help figuring these things out. That’s one of the reasons He sets aside Aaron’s family as priests and gives them these instructions.
It is important to note that purity and impurity, as understood here, are much more than what is sanitary or unsanitary. The ritual purity instructions encompass nearly every aspect of social and religious life in Israel.
Eternal One: 2 Go talk to the Israelites and explain to them which animals of the earth you may and may not eat. 3 You are allowed to eat any animals with split hooves divided into two parts or that chew the cud. 4 But from those animals with split hooves or that chew the cud, you are not allowed to eat camels. Because they only chew the cud and do not have split hooves, camels are impure to you. 5 In the same way, the rock badger chews the cud but does not have split hooves. Therefore, rock badgers are impure to you. 6 Also the hare chews the cud, but it does not have split hooves. Therefore, they are impure to you. 7 The pig has split hooves divided into two parts, but it does not chew the cud. Therefore pigs are impure to you. 8 Do not eat their meat or touch their dead bodies, for they are impure to you.
9 You are certainly allowed to eat these creatures of the water: any fish with fins and scales that swim in the seas or rivers. 10 But any finless or scaleless fish that comes from the abundance of water-life in the seas or rivers, and any other creatures living in the water, are detestable to you. 11 Recognize and treat them for what they are: detestable. You are not allowed to eat their meat, and their dead bodies are repulsive to you. 12 Any finless or scaleless fish or animal or insect in the seas or rivers is detestable to you.
13 Also among the creatures of the air, there are some you should detest as well. Do not eat the eagle, the bearded vulture, or the black vulture, 14 the kite and all kinds of buzzards, 15 any sort of crow, 16 the ostrich, the owl, the seagull, all kinds of hawks, 17 the little owl, the cormorant, the screech owl, 18 the white owl, the pelican, the carrion vulture, 19 the stork, all kinds of herons, the hoopoe, and the bat.
20 Also, any insect that can fly and move around on four legs is detestable. 21 But you are allowed to eat any flying, four-legged insect that has joints above its feet for jumping. 22 You may eat the following insects: locusts, destructive locusts, desert locusts, and grasshoppers. 23 But any other flying, four-legged insects are detestable.
Have you noticed how often faith and food come together? One of the most authentic expressions of our spiritual lives has to do with the table where we gather with family and friends to bless God for the goodness the earth provides. These regulations recorded here helped Israel to maintain its status as God’s chosen and holy people. Kosher laws, as they are called, are unique to Israel’s covenant with the Eternal One. They aren’t God’s laws for everyone; they serve as a cultural boundary-marker indicating what kinds of meat should be eaten.
Eternal One: 24 Also you will become impure until dusk if you touch the carcass of any creature. 25 A person who picks up any part of its carcass must wash his clothes and remain impure until dusk. 26 All animals that do not chew cud or have split hooves that are not in two parts are impure to you. Anyone who has contact with them becomes impure. 27 Also, any four-legged animals that walk on paws are impure to you. Anyone who has contact with their carcasses will be impure until dusk. 28 And anyone who carries their carcass is to wash his clothes and remain impure until dusk. They are impure to you as well.
29 These small creatures that scamper about the earth are impure to you: small rodents, great lizards, 30 geckos, monitor lizards, other lizards, sand reptiles, and chameleons. 31 These small creatures of the earth are impure to you. Anyone who touches their remains will be impure until dusk. 32 If one of the carcasses touches an object you intend to use—such as a piece of wood, an article of clothing, an animal hide, or a sack—then that item is impure and should soak in water until dusk. After that, it will be pure again. 33 If one of the carcasses falls into any container made of clay, the substance within the container will become impure and you should destroy the container. 34 If any food in the container that is ready to eat is touched by water, then the food becomes impure. Any drink from a contaminated container will become impure as well. 35 If any part of a dead body touches something—say, an oven or stove—then that oven or stove must be destroyed. They are impure and will always be impure to you. 36 However if a carcass falls into a spring or a container accumulating water, the water will be ritually pure because it is continually renewed. But the person who pulls the carcass out of the water will be ritually impure. 37 If any part of the dead body has contact with a seed that is to be planted, then the seed remains ritually pure because it is dry. 38 But if the seed becomes wet and any part of a dead body touches it, then the seed is ritually impure.
39 If a clean animal dies naturally, whoever touches the carcass will be impure until dusk. 40 And if anyone eats some of its meat, then that person is to wash his clothes and remain impure until dusk. Anyone who touches the dead body is to wash his clothes and remain impure until dusk.
41 Any swarming creature that scurries along the ground is detestable to you and must not be eaten. Do not consume any of them! 42 Also do not eat any creature that moves on its belly, walks on four legs, or has multiple pairs of feet, for they are detestable to you. 43 Do not defile yourselves by having contact with any of the swarming creatures. Do not become impure by having contact with any of them. 44 For I am the Eternal One, your God. You are to consecrate yourselves and be holy, for I am holy.[a] Do not cause yourselves to become impure by having contact with any swarming creature that crawls along the ground. 45 I am the Eternal One who led you out of the land of Egypt to be your God. Therefore, you are to be holy, for I am holy.[b]
46 So this is God’s instruction concerning animals, birds, creatures that live in the waters, and small creatures that move along the ground, 47 so that the people will be able to distinguish between what animals are ritually acceptable and ritually unacceptable, and what is to be eaten and what is not to be eaten.
Footnotes
Leviticus 11
New King James Version
Foods Permitted and Forbidden(A)
11 Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying to them, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, (B)‘These are the animals which you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth: 3 Among the animals, whatever divides the hoof, having cloven hooves and chewing the cud—that you may eat. 4 Nevertheless these you shall (C)not eat among those that chew the cud or those that have cloven hooves: the camel, because it chews the cud but does not have cloven hooves, is [a]unclean to you; 5 the [b]rock hyrax, because it chews the cud but does not have cloven hooves, is [c]unclean to you; 6 the hare, because it chews the cud but does not have cloven hooves, is unclean to you; 7 and the swine, though it divides the hoof, having cloven hooves, yet does not chew the cud, (D)is unclean to you. 8 Their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch. (E)They are unclean to you.
9 (F)‘These you may eat of all that are in the water: whatever in the water has fins and scales, whether in the seas or in the rivers—that you may eat. 10 But all in the seas or in the rivers that do not have fins and scales, all that move in the water or any living thing which is in the water, they are [d]an (G)abomination to you. 11 They shall be an abomination to you; you shall not eat their flesh, but you shall regard their carcasses as an abomination. 12 Whatever in the water does not have fins or scales—that shall be an abomination to you.
13 (H)‘And these you shall regard as an abomination among the birds; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, the vulture, the buzzard, 14 the kite, and the falcon after its kind; 15 every raven after its kind, 16 the ostrich, the short-eared owl, the sea gull, and the hawk after its kind; 17 the little owl, the fisher owl, and the screech owl; 18 the white owl, the jackdaw, and the carrion vulture; 19 the stork, the heron after its kind, the hoopoe, and the bat.
20 ‘All flying insects that creep on all fours shall be an abomination to you. 21 Yet these you may eat of every flying insect that creeps on all fours: those which have jointed legs above their feet with which to leap on the earth. 22 These you may eat: (I)the locust after its kind, the destroying locust after its kind, the cricket after its kind, and the grasshopper after its kind. 23 But all other flying insects which have four feet shall be an abomination to you.
Unclean Animals
24 ‘By these you shall become [e]unclean; whoever touches the carcass of any of them shall be unclean until evening; 25 whoever carries part of the carcass of any of them (J)shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening: 26 The carcass of any animal which divides the foot, but is not cloven-hoofed or does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. Everyone who touches it shall be unclean. 27 And whatever goes on its paws, among all kinds of animals that go on all fours, those are unclean to you. Whoever touches any such carcass shall be unclean until evening. 28 Whoever carries any such carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. It is unclean to you.
29 ‘These also shall be unclean to you among the creeping things that creep on the earth: the mole, (K)the mouse, and the large lizard after its kind; 30 the gecko, the monitor lizard, the sand reptile, the sand lizard, and the chameleon. 31 These are unclean to you among all that creep. Whoever (L)touches them when they are dead shall be unclean until evening. 32 Anything on which any of them falls, when they are dead shall be [f]unclean, whether it is any item of wood or clothing or skin or sack, whatever item it is, in which any work is done, (M)it must be put in water. And it shall be unclean until evening; then it shall be clean. 33 Any (N)earthen vessel into which any of them falls (O)you shall break; and whatever is in it shall be unclean: 34 in such a vessel, any edible food upon which water falls becomes unclean, and any drink that may be drunk from it becomes unclean. 35 And everything on which a part of any such carcass falls shall be unclean; whether it is an oven or cooking stove, it shall be broken down; for they are unclean, and shall be unclean to you. 36 Nevertheless a spring or a cistern, in which there is plenty of water, shall be clean, but whatever touches any such carcass becomes unclean. 37 And if a part of any such carcass falls on any planting seed which is to be sown, it remains clean. 38 But if water is put on the seed, and if a part of any such carcass falls on it, it becomes [g]unclean to you.
39 ‘And if any animal which you may eat dies, he who touches its carcass shall be (P)unclean until evening. 40 (Q)He who eats of its carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. He also who carries its carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening.
41 ‘And every creeping thing that creeps on the earth shall be [h]an abomination. It shall not be eaten. 42 Whatever crawls on its belly, whatever goes on all fours, or whatever has many feet among all creeping things that creep on the earth—these you shall not eat, for they are an abomination. 43 (R)You shall not make [i]yourselves [j]abominable with any creeping thing that creeps; nor shall you make yourselves unclean with them, lest you be defiled by them. 44 For I am the Lord your (S)God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and (T)you shall be holy; for I am holy. Neither shall you defile yourselves with any creeping thing that creeps on the earth. 45 (U)For I am the Lord who brings you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. (V)You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
46 ‘This is the law [k]of the animals and the birds and every living creature that moves in the waters, and of every creature that creeps on the earth, 47 (W)to distinguish between the unclean and the clean, and between the animal that may be eaten and the animal that may not be eaten.’ ”
Footnotes
- Leviticus 11:4 impure
- Leviticus 11:5 rock badger
- Leviticus 11:5 impure
- Leviticus 11:10 detestable
- Leviticus 11:24 impure
- Leviticus 11:32 impure
- Leviticus 11:38 impure
- Leviticus 11:41 detestable
- Leviticus 11:43 Lit. your souls
- Leviticus 11:43 impure
- Leviticus 11:46 concerning
Leviticus 11
King James Version
11 And the Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them,
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth.
3 Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.
4 Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
5 And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
6 And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
7 And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.
8 Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.
9 These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat.
10 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:
11 They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination.
12 Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.
13 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,
14 And the vulture, and the kite after his kind;
15 Every raven after his kind;
16 And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind,
17 And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl,
18 And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle,
19 And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.
20 All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you.
21 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;
22 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.
23 But all other flying creeping things, which have four feet, shall be an abomination unto you.
24 And for these ye shall be unclean: whosoever toucheth the carcase of them shall be unclean until the even.
25 And whosoever beareth ought of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.
26 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.
27 And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on all four, those are unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even.
28 And he that beareth the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: they are unclean unto you.
29 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,
30 And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole.
31 These are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even.
32 And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; so it shall be cleansed.
33 And every earthen vessel, whereinto any of them falleth, whatsoever is in it shall be unclean; and ye shall break it.
34 Of all meat which may be eaten, that on which such water cometh shall be unclean: and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean.
35 And every thing whereupon any part of their carcase falleth shall be unclean; whether it be oven, or ranges for pots, they shall be broken down: for they are unclean and shall be unclean unto you.
36 Nevertheless a fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty of water, shall be clean: but that which toucheth their carcase shall be unclean.
37 And if any part of their carcase fall upon any sowing seed which is to be sown, it shall be clean.
38 But if any water be put upon the seed, and any part of their carcase fall thereon, it shall be unclean unto you.
39 And if any beast, of which ye may eat, die; he that toucheth the carcase thereof shall be unclean until the even.
40 And he that eateth of the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: he also that beareth the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.
41 And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination; it shall not be eaten.
42 Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon all four, or whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they are an abomination.
43 Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby.
44 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.
45 For I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
46 This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth:
47 To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.
Copyright © 1991 by La Buona Novella s.c.r.l.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
