Every raven after his kind;

LEVITICUS 11:15KJV
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Leviticus 11:15 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 11:15 mean?

Leviticus 11:15 states that every kind of raven is included in the list of birds that the Israelites were not allowed to eat. This verse is part of a larger section where God gives Moses and Aaron instructions about which animals are considered clean or unclean for the people of Israel.

In this chapter, God is speaking to Moses and Aaron, giving them detailed food laws for the Israelites as they journey through the wilderness. The mention of "every raven after his kind" means not just the common raven, but all birds in the raven family. This rule is part of a broader set of guidelines meant to set Israel apart from other nations and to teach them about holiness in everyday life.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 11:15

  • "raven" (עֹרֵב, ʿorev): This Hebrew word refers specifically to the raven, but in this context, it also covers all related birds, such as crows and similar species. The raven was seen as an unclean bird, likely because it is a scavenger.
  • "kind" (מִין, min): This word means "kind" or "species." Its use here shows that the law covers not just one bird, but all birds that are of the same general type as the raven.

Why Leviticus 11:15 matters

  • Leviticus 11:15 clarifies that the prohibition is not limited to just one bird, but applies to all birds in the raven family, preventing confusion about which birds are included.
  • This verse helps the reader see how specific and thorough the food laws were, showing that God wanted the Israelites to pay close attention to details in their daily lives.
  • By including all kinds of ravens, the verse connects to the larger theme of Leviticus 11, which is about distinguishing between clean and unclean animals as part of Israel’s identity and relationship with God.

Where else these words appear

“raven” Hebrew H6158 · used in 10 verses

  • Genesis 8:7 And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth.
  • 1 Kings 17:6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.
  • Proverbs 30:17 The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.

“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 11:29 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,