Leviticus 11:14 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 11:14 mean?

Leviticus 11:14 names the vulture and the kite as birds the Israelites were not to eat. The verse is part of a list of birds treated as forbidden food, so the names identify the birds covered by that instruction.

God gives these instructions to Moses and Aaron for the Israelites. The phrase “after his kind” extends the entry beyond one particular bird to birds belonging to that kind.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 11:14

• “vulture” — דָּאָה (da’ah): This is the Hebrew bird name translated “vulture” in the KJV. The exact modern bird species intended by the name is uncertain.
• “kite” — אַיָּה (ayyah): This Hebrew name is often understood to refer to a bird of prey, such as a kite. The precise species is uncertain.
• “kind” — מִין (min): This word means a kind or group. Here, the KJV phrase “after his kind” points to a group of related birds rather than a single individual bird.

Why Leviticus 11:14 matters

• The list concerns food. Verse 13 introduces the birds as ones the Israelites “shall not be eaten,” which gives the names in verse 14 their purpose.
• The bird names were useful for identifying forbidden food, even though their exact match to modern species names is uncertain. The KJV gives the names as “vulture” and “kite.”