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Deuteronomy 14:4-8

These are the animals which you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, the deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the chamois. Every animal that parts the hoof, and has the hoof split in two and chews the cud, among the animals, you may eat. Nevertheless these you shall not eat of them that chew the cud, or of those who have the hoof split: the camel, the hare, and the rabbit. Because they chew the cud but don’t part the hoof, they are unclean to you. The pig, because it has a split hoof but doesn’t chew the cud, is unclean to you. You shall not eat their meat. You shall not touch their carcasses.

World English Bible · Public Domain
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Deuteronomy 14:4-8 sits inside this longer paragraph.

You shall not eat any abominable thing. These are the animals which you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, the deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the chamois. Every animal that parts the hoof, and has the hoof split in two and chews the cud, among the animals, you may eat. Nevertheless these you shall not eat of them that chew the cud, or of those who have the hoof split: the camel, the hare, and the rabbit. Because they chew the cud but don’t part the hoof, they are unclean to you. The pig, because it has a split hoof but doesn’t chew the cud, is unclean to you. You shall not eat their meat. You shall not touch their carcasses. These you may eat of all that are in the waters: you may eat whatever has fins and scales. You shall not eat whatever doesn’t have fins and scales. It is unclean to you. Of all clean birds you may eat. But these are they of which you shall not eat: the eagle, the vulture, the osprey, the red kite, the falcon, the kite after its kind, every raven after its kind, the ostrich, the owl, the seagull, the hawk after its kind, the little owl, the great owl, the horned owl, the pelican, the vulture, the cormorant, the stork, the heron after its kind, the hoopoe, and the bat. All winged creeping things are unclean to you. They shall not be eaten. Of all clean birds you may eat.

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Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    These are the animals which you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat,

    the deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the chamois.

    Every animal that parts the hoof, and has the hoof split in two and chews the cud, among the animals, you may eat.

    Nevertheless these you shall not eat of them that chew the cud, or of those who have the hoof split: the camel, the hare, and the rabbit. Because they chew the cud but don’t part the hoof, they are unclean to you.

    The pig, because it has a split hoof but doesn’t chew the cud, is unclean to you. You shall not eat their meat. You shall not touch their carcasses.

  • KJV King James Version

    These are the beasts which ye shall eat: the ox, the sheep, and the goat,

    The hart, and the roebuck, and the fallow deer, and the wild goat, and the pygarg, and the wild ox, and the chamois.

    And every beast that parteth the hoof, and cleaveth the cleft into two claws, and cheweth the cud among the beasts, that ye shall eat.

    Nevertheless these ye shall not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the cloven hoof; as the camel, and the hare, and the coney: for they chew the cud, but divide not the hoof; therefore they are unclean unto you.

    And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcase.

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  • JPS JPS Tanakh (1917)

    These are the beasts which ye may eat: the ox, the sheep, and the goat,

    the hart, and the gazelle, and the roebuck, and the wild goat, and the pygarg, and the antelope, and the mountain-sheep.

    And every beast that parteth the hoof, and hath the hoof wholly cloven in two, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that ye may eat.

    Nevertheless these ye shall not eat of them that only chew the cud, or of them that only have the hoof cloven: the camel, and the hare, and the rock-badger, because they chew the cud but part not the hoof, they are unclean unto you;

    and the swine, because he parteth the hoof but cheweth not the cud, he is unclean unto you; of their flesh ye shall not eat, and their carcasses ye shall not touch.

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Examined in Scripture Analysis

Contradictions (1)

Questions where the Bible appears to say two different things, with the passages on each side set together.

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Cross-references (18)

  • Leviticus 11:26-27 (v8) “ ‘Every animal which has a split hoof that isn’t completely divided, or doesn’t chew the cud, is unclean to you. Everyone who touches them…
  • Isaiah 65:4 (v8) who sit among the graves, and spend nights in secret places; who eat pig’s meat, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels;
  • Isaiah 66:3 (v8) He who kills an ox is as he who kills a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, as he who breaks a dog’s neck; he who offers an offering, as he who…
  • Isaiah 66:17 (v8) “Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves to go to the gardens, behind one in the middle, eating pig’s meat, abominable things,…
  • Luke 15:15-16 (v8) He went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs. He wanted to fill his…
Show all 18 cross-references
  • 2 Peter 2:22 (v8) But it has happened to them according to the true proverb, “The dog turns to his own vomit again,” and “the sow that has washed to…
  • Leviticus 11:2-45 (v4) “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘These are the living things which you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth.…
  • Leviticus 11:5 (v7) The hyrax, because it chews the cud but doesn’t have a parted hoof, is unclean to you.
  • 1 Kings 4:23 (v4) ten head of fat cattle, twenty head of cattle out of the pastures, and one hundred sheep, in addition to deer, and gazelles, and roebucks,…
  • Psalms 1:1-2 (v6) Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand on the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers; but…
  • Proverbs 18:1 (v6) A man who isolates himself pursues selfishness, and defies all sound judgment.
  • Matthew 7:22-23 (v7) Many will tell me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty…
  • Matthew 7:26 (v7) Everyone who hears these words of mine, and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man, who built his house on the sand.
  • Acts 10:14 (v4) But Peter said, “Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.”
  • 2 Corinthians 6:17 (v6) Therefore “ ‘Come out from among them, and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘Touch no unclean thing. I will receive you.
  • 2 Timothy 3:5 (v7) holding a form of godliness, but having denied its power. Turn away from these, also.
  • Titus 1:16 (v7) They profess that they know God, but by their deeds they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work.
  • 2 Peter 2:18-22 (v7) For, uttering great swelling words of emptiness, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by licentiousness, those who are indeed escaping…

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

Explain this passage (16 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On v4 This ceremonial Law instructed the Jews to seek a…

This ceremonial Law instructed the Jews to seek a spiritual pureness, even in their meat and drink.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.

John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv5–6 Deu 14:5 The hart, and the roebuck, and the…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On v4 Of which see Le 11. The small differences between…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv4–6 The hart, the roebuck, and the fallow deer,.... All…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv4–5 Verse 4. These are the beasts which ye shall…
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On v5 Deu 14:5. The pygargs — A kind of goat.…
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv5, 7 Buffle. Hebrew yachmur, which some translate "the fallow-deer." The…
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On v5 OF BEASTS. (Deu 14:4-8)
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv4, 5, 7 4. Ox,… sheep,… goat — These seem to be…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv4–8 4. These are the beasts which ye shall eat]…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv4–6 (4) These are the beasts which ye shall eat.—The…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv4–5 Vers. 4-20. The regulations here concerning food, and the…
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On v4 The beasts which ye shall eat.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On v7 (See Scofield "Lev 11:6").
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv6, 8 that parts the hoof
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv6–8 14:6 split hooves and chews the cud: These criteria…
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