These are they which are unclean to you among all that creep. Whoever touches them when they are dead shall be unclean until the evening. Anything they fall on when they are dead shall be unclean; whether it is any vessel of wood, or clothing, or skin, or sack, whatever vessel it is, with which any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the evening. Then it will be clean. Every earthen vessel into which any of them falls and all that is in it shall be unclean. You shall break it. All food which may be eaten which is soaked in water shall be unclean. All drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean. Everything whereupon part of their carcass falls shall be unclean; whether oven, or range for pots, it shall be broken in pieces. They are unclean, and shall be unclean to you. Nevertheless a spring or a cistern in which water is gathered shall be clean, but that which touches their carcass shall be unclean. If part of their carcass falls on any sowing seed which is to be sown, it is clean. But if water is put on the seed, and part of their carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you.
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Leviticus 11:31-38 sits inside this longer paragraph.
“ ‘These are they which are unclean to you among the creeping things that creep on the earth: the weasel, the rat, any kind of great lizard, the gecko, and the monitor lizard, the wall lizard, the skink, and the chameleon. These are they which are unclean to you among all that creep. Whoever touches them when they are dead shall be unclean until the evening. Anything they fall on when they are dead shall be unclean; whether it is any vessel of wood, or clothing, or skin, or sack, whatever vessel it is, with which any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the evening. Then it will be clean. Every earthen vessel into which any of them falls and all that is in it shall be unclean. You shall break it. All food which may be eaten which is soaked in water shall be unclean. All drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean. Everything whereupon part of their carcass falls shall be unclean; whether oven, or range for pots, it shall be broken in pieces. They are unclean, and shall be unclean to you. Nevertheless a spring or a cistern in which water is gathered shall be clean, but that which touches their carcass shall be unclean. If part of their carcass falls on any sowing seed which is to be sown, it is clean. But if water is put on the seed, and part of their carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you.
Parallel Translations
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These are they which are unclean to you among all that creep. Whoever touches them when they are dead shall be unclean until the evening.
Anything they fall on when they are dead shall be unclean; whether it is any vessel of wood, or clothing, or skin, or sack, whatever vessel it is, with which any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the evening. Then it will be clean.
Every earthen vessel into which any of them falls and all that is in it shall be unclean. You shall break it.
All food which may be eaten which is soaked in water shall be unclean. All drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean.
Everything whereupon part of their carcass falls shall be unclean; whether oven, or range for pots, it shall be broken in pieces. They are unclean, and shall be unclean to you.
Nevertheless a spring or a cistern in which water is gathered shall be clean, but that which touches their carcass shall be unclean.
If part of their carcass falls on any sowing seed which is to be sown, it is clean.
But if water is put on the seed, and part of their carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you.
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These are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even.
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.
And every earthen vessel, whereinto any of them falleth, whatsoever is in it shall be unclean; and ye shall break it.
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.
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.
Nevertheless a fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty of water, shall be clean: but that which toucheth their carcase shall be unclean.
And if any part of their carcase fall upon any sowing seed which is to be sown, it shall be clean.
But if any water be put upon the seed, and any part of their carcase fall thereon, it shall be unclean unto you.
Show all 3 translations
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These are they which are unclean to you among all that swarm; whosoever doth touch them, when they are dead, shall be unclean until the even.
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, wherewith any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; then shall it be clean.
And every earthen vessel whereinto any of them falleth, whatsoever is in it shall be unclean, and it ye shall break.
All food therein which may be eaten, that on which water cometh, shall be unclean; and all drink in every such vessel that may be drunk shall be unclean.
And every thing whereupon any part of their carcass falleth shall be unclean; whether oven, or range for pots, it shall be broken in pieces; they are unclean, and shall be unclean unto you.
Nevertheless a fountain or a cistern wherein is a gathering of water shall be clean; but he who toucheth their carcass shall be unclean.
And if aught of their carcass fall upon any sowing seed which is to be sown, it is clean.
But if water be put upon the seed, and aught of their carcass fall thereon, it is unclean unto you.
Examined in Scripture Analysis
Commandments (2)
The laws of the Torah, each cited and shown as a primary source.
Cross-references (28)
- Leviticus 15:12 (vv32, 33, 35) “ ‘The earthen vessel, which he who has the discharge touches, shall be broken; and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.
- Leviticus 6:28 (vv32, 33, 35) But the earthen vessel in which it is boiled shall be broken; and if it is boiled in a bronze vessel, it shall be scoured, and rinsed in…
- Titus 3:5 (v32) not by works of righteousness which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us through the washing of regeneration and…
- Leviticus 11:8 (v31) You shall not eat their meat. You shall not touch their carcasses. They are unclean to you.
- Leviticus 11:24-25 (v31) “ ‘By these you will become unclean: whoever touches their carcass shall be unclean until the evening. Whoever carries any part of their…
Show all 24 cross-references
- Leviticus 11:33 (v35) Every earthen vessel into which any of them falls and all that is in it shall be unclean. You shall break it.
- Leviticus 11:35 (v33) Everything whereupon part of their carcass falls shall be unclean; whether oven, or range for pots, it shall be broken in pieces. They are…
- Leviticus 14:45 (v33) He shall break down the house, its stones, and its timber, and all the house’s mortar. He shall carry them out of the city into an unclean…
- Proverbs 15:8 (v34) The sacrifice made by the wicked is an abomination to Yahweh, but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
- Proverbs 21:4 (v34) A high look and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, is sin.
- Proverbs 21:27 (v34) The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination— how much more, when he brings it with a wicked mind!
- Proverbs 28:8 (v34) He who increases his wealth by excessive interest gathers it for one who has pity on the poor.
- Jeremiah 48:38 (v33) On all the housetops of Moab, and in its streets, there is lamentation everywhere; for I have broken Moab like a vessel in which no one…
- Zechariah 13:1 (v36) “In that day there will be a spring opened to David’s house and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.
- John 4:14 (v36) but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well…
- 1 Corinthians 15:37 (v37) That which you sow, you don’t sow the body that will be, but a bare grain, maybe of wheat, or of some other kind.
- 2 Corinthians 5:1-7 (v35) For we know that if the earthly house of our tent is dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the…
- 2 Corinthians 5:1-8 (v33) For we know that if the earthly house of our tent is dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the…
- Philippians 3:21 (v33) who will change the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working by which he is able even to…
- Titus 1:15 (v34) To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their mind and their conscience…
- Titus 2:14 (v32) who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for…
- 1 Peter 1:23 (v37) having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which lives and remains forever.
- 1 John 3:9 (v37) Whoever is born of God doesn’t commit sin, because his seed remains in him, and he can’t sin, because he is born of God.
- 1 John 5:18 (v37) We know that whoever is born of God doesn’t sin, but he who was born of God keeps himself, and the evil one doesn’t touch him.
24 distinct cross-references across this passage (28 total citations).
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (16 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
Private notes
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv32, 36, 38 As a bottle or bag.
As a bottle or bag.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv31–38 Lev 11:31 These [are] unclean to you among all…
Lev 11:31 These [are] unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even.
Ver. 31. Touch them, when they be dead.] There is no kind of living creature that is defiled while it is alive, or that defileth while it is alive, save man only, saith Maimony. Others note that there were more remarkable expressions of God’s anger upon man’s sin in the dead body of a man than of a beast. The one made unclean but till evening: the other seven days.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv34, 36, 37, 38 That on which such water cometh: the meaning is,…
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 sooner receive the pollution in itself, and convey it to the food so dressed.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv31–38 These are unclean to you of all that creep,....…
These are unclean to you of all that creep,.... Unfit for food, and not to be touched, at least when dead, as in the next clause, that is, these eight sorts of creeping things before mentioned, as the Targum of Jonathan expresses it, and these only, as Maimonides says (r):
whosoever doth touch them when they are dead shall be unclean until the even; for touching them while alive did not defile, only when dead; and this the Jews interpret, while they are in the case in which they died, that is, while they are moist; for, as Ben Gersom says, if they are so dry, as that they cannot return to their moisture, they do not defile; for which reason, neither the bones, nor nails, nor nerves, nor skin of these creeping things, defile; but, they say (s), while the back bone is whole, and the bones cleave to it, then a creeping thing is reckoned moist, and while it is so it defiles. (r) Hilchot, Abot Hatumaot, c. 4. sect. 14. (s) Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Niddah, c. 7. sect. 1.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv34, 36, 37, 38 That on which such water cometh - That flesh…
That on which such water cometh - That flesh or herbs or other food which is dressed in water, in a vessel so polluted, shall be unclean; not so, if it be food which is eaten dry, as bread, or fruits; the reason of which difference seems to be this, that the water did sooner receive the pollution in itself, and convey it to the food so dressed.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv32, 33, 35, 36, 37 Verse 32. Any vessel of wood] Such as the…
Verse 32. Any vessel of wood] Such as the wooden bowls still in use among the Arabs. Or raiment, or skin - any trunks or baskets covered with skins, another part of the furniture of an Arab tent; the goat-skins, in which they churn their milk, may be also intended. Or sack - any hair-cloth used for the purpose of transporting goods from place to place.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv34, 36, 38 Lev 11:34. That on which such water cometh —…
Lev 11:34. That on which such water cometh — That flesh, or herbs, or other food which is dressed in water, in a vessel so polluted, shall be unclean: not so, if it be food which is eaten dry, as bread, or fruits; the reason of which difference seems to be this, that the water did sooner receive the pollution in itself, and convey it to the food so dressed. All this was intended to teach them to avoid carefully every thing that was polluted in their common actions. Not only the vessels of the sanctuary, but every pot in Jerusalem and Judah must be holiness to the Lord, Zec 14:20. The laws in these cases were very critical, and the observance of them would be difficult, and the exceptions also were very nice: but it was all designed to exercise them to a constant care and exactness in their obedience. And we, who by Christ are delivered from these burdensome observances, are hereby taught not to be less circumspect in the more weighty matters of the law. We ought as industriously to preserve our precious souls from the pollutions of sin, and as speedily to cleanse them when they are polluted, as they were to preserve and cleanse their bodies and household goods from these ceremonial pollutions.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv33, 35 Earthen vessel - See the marginal references.
Earthen vessel - See the marginal references.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv33, 34, 36, 38 Broken. See chap. vi. 28, where a similar injunction…
Broken. See chap. vi. 28, where a similar injunction is given. (Menochius) --- And (ver. 35,) ovens and pots, made of earthenware, according to Pollux are to be destroyed. (Tirinus)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On v31 whosoever doth touch them, when . . . dead,…
whosoever doth touch them, when . . . dead, shall be unclean until the even--These regulations must have often caused annoyance by suddenly requiring the exclusion of people from society, as well as the ordinances of religion. Nevertheless they were extremely useful and salutary, especially as enforcing attention to cleanliness. This is a matter of essential importance in the East, where venomous reptiles often creep into houses and are found lurking in boxes, vessels, or holes in the wall; and the carcass of one of them, or a dead mouse, mole, lizard, or other unclean animal, might be inadvertently touched by the hand, or fall on clothes, skin bottles, or any article of common domestic use. By connecting, therefore, the touch of such creatures with ceremonial defilement, which required immediately to be removed, an effectual means was taken to prevent the bad effects of venom and all unclean or noxious matter.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv32, 33, 36, 37 32. Vessel… must be put into water — This…
32. Vessel… must be put into water — This explains the baptism of cups, and pots, and brazen vessels, (Mar_7:4,) and “divers washings” mentioned in Heb_9:10, as characteristic of the Jews.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv31, 32, 34, 35, 36, 37 31. creep] swarm.
31. creep] swarm.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv31–38 (31) These are unclean.—Better, these are the most unclean,…
(31) These are unclean.—Better, these are the most unclean, as Lev_11:29. That is, the eight animals thus enumerated are pre-eminently unclean of all the creeping things.
When they be dead.—The phrase, “whosoever doth touch them when they be dead,” is simply another expression for “whosoever toucheth the carcase of them,” which is used in Lev_11:24. Defilement is only contracted when their dead bodies are touched, but not if touched when alive. According to the canon which obtained during the second Temple, “there is no kind of living creature that becomes defiled while it is alive, or defiles when it is alive, save man only.”
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On v31 Vers. 31-38. As the little animals just mentioned weasels,…
Vers. 31-38. As the little animals just mentioned weasels, mice, and lizards are more likely than those of a larger size to be found dead in domestic utensils and clothes, a further warning as to their defiling character is added, with tales for daily use. The words translated ranges for pots (verse 35) should rather be rendered covered pots, that is, pots or kettles with lids to them. Seed which is to be sown, that is, seed corn, is not defiled by contact with these dead animals, unless it has been wetted by water being put on it, in which case the moisture would convey the corruption into the seeds.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv31, 34, 36 General Information:
General Information:
Yahweh continues telling Moses and Aaron which animals the people are to consider unclean.
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these are the animals which will be unclean to you
These animals that God declared to be unfit for people to touch or eat are spoken of as if they were physically unclean. (See: Metaphor)
Whoever touches them ... will be unclean
A person who is unacceptable for God's purposes because he has touched one of these dead animals is spoken of as if he were physically unclean. (See: Metaphor)
until evening
"until sunset"
that thing will be unclean
Something that God has declared to be unfit for people to touch because one of these dead animals has fallen on it is spoken of as if it were physically unclean. It is spoken of as physically clean after it has been washed. (See: Metaphor)
Then it will be clean
Something that God has declared to be fit for people to touch after it has been washed is spoken of as if it were physically clean. (See: Metaphor)
whatever it is used for, it must be put into water
This can be translated in active form. AT: "however you use it, you must put it into water" (See: Active or Passive)
translationWords
clean
die
sackcloth
clean
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv32, 36, 37 11:32-40 Dead animals could make things and people unclean.…
11:32-40 Dead animals could make things and people unclean. Even a clean animal that died without having its blood drained was considered unclean (11:39-40). When a person became unclean from contact with an animal’s carcass, it lasted only until evening. Household articles that came into contact with a carcass had to be purified (11:25, 28, 32, 40) or destroyed (11:33, 35).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.