And the glede, and the kite, and the vulture after his kind,

DEUTERONOMY 14:13KJV
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Deuteronomy 14:13 (KJV)

What does Deuteronomy 14:13 mean?

Deuteronomy 14:13 lists specific birds—the glede, the kite, and the vulture (along with their kinds)—that the Israelites were not allowed to eat. This verse is part of a larger section where Moses, speaking to the people of Israel, details which animals are considered clean or unclean for food according to the law.

Moses is giving instructions from God to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. The focus here is on dietary laws that set Israel apart from other nations, emphasizing holiness and obedience. The verse singles out certain birds of prey, which were commonly seen as unclean, likely because they ate carrion and were associated with impurity.

The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 14:13

  • glede (רָאָה, ra'ah): This word is often understood as a type of bird of prey, possibly a kind of vulture or kite. The exact species is uncertain, but it refers to a scavenging bird, which helps explain why it is listed as unclean.
  • kite (דָּאָה, da'ah): This term refers to another bird of prey, likely a kite, which is known for feeding on dead animals. Its inclusion underlines the general rule against eating scavenging birds.
  • vulture (דַּיָּה, dayyah): This word points to a vulture, a bird that feeds on carrion. The vulture’s diet and habits made it unfit for consumption according to Israelite law.
  • kind (מִין, min): This word means "kind" or "species," indicating that not just the specific birds named, but all similar birds in their group, are included in the prohibition.

Why Deuteronomy 14:13 matters

  • Deuteronomy 14:13 clarifies that the dietary laws were not just about individual species but extended to all birds of the same kind, making the rules broader and more comprehensive.
  • The verse highlights the importance of ritual purity and the distinct identity of Israel, as these food laws set them apart from neighboring peoples who might eat such birds.
  • By specifying scavenging birds, the law reflects a concern for health and symbolic cleanliness, as these birds were associated with death and decay.

Where else these words appear

“vulture” Hebrew H1772 · used in 2 verses

  • Isaiah 34:15 There shall the great owl make her nest, and lay, and hatch, and gather under her shadow: there shall the vultures also be gathered, every one with her mate.

“kite” Hebrew H344 · used in 3 verses

  • Leviticus 11:14 And the vulture, and the kite after his kind;
  • Job 28:7 There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not seen:

“kind” Hebrew H4327 · used in 18 verses

  • Genesis 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
  • Genesis 6:20 Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive.
  • Leviticus 11:22 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.