The carcases of every beast which divideth the hoof, and is not clovenfooted, nor cheweth the cud, are unclean unto you: every one that toucheth them shall be unclean.

LEVITICUS 11:26KJV
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Leviticus 11:26 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 11:26 mean?

Leviticus 11:26 says that any animal carcass from a beast that has a split hoof but is not completely cloven-footed, and does not chew the cud, is considered unclean for the Israelites; anyone who touches such a carcass also becomes unclean. This verse sets out a specific rule about which animals are ritually pure or impure according to Israelite law.

In this part of Leviticus, God is giving Moses instructions for the Israelites about clean and unclean animals, focusing on what can and cannot be eaten or touched. The verse highlights the importance of both physical characteristics—having a fully split hoof and chewing the cud—for an animal to be considered clean. These rules are part of a larger section on ritual purity and daily life for the Israelite community.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 11:26

  • "Beast" (בְּהֵמָה, behemah, H929) refers broadly to land animals, not just wild creatures but also domesticated ones, making the rule widely applicable.
  • "Divideth" (פָּרַס, paras, H6536) and "hoof" (פַּרְסָה, parsah, H6541) together describe the physical trait of the animal’s foot, which is a key marker for ritual status.
  • "Clovenfooted" (שָׁסַע, shasa, H8157; שֶׁסַע, shesa, H8156) means the hoof is split all the way through, not just partially. This detail clarifies that only animals with a fully divided hoof meet the requirement.
  • "Cheweth" (עָלָה, 'alah, H5927) and "cud" (גֵּרָה, gerah, H1625) refer to the animal’s digestive process, another sign of cleanness.
  • "Unclean" (טָמֵא, tame, H2931) and "unclean" (verb, טָמֵא, tama, H2930) show both the state of the animal and the result for anyone who touches it, stressing the seriousness of ritual impurity.
  • "Toucheth" (נָגַע, naga, H5060) means even contact with the carcass, not just eating, brings impurity, expanding the rule’s reach.

Why Leviticus 11:26 matters

  • Leviticus 11:26 clarifies that not all animals with hooves are clean; both a fully split hoof and chewing the cud are required, preventing misunderstandings about which animals are acceptable.
  • The verse emphasizes that ritual impurity is not just about eating but also about physical contact, showing the thoroughness of the purity laws.
  • This instruction fits into a larger pattern in Leviticus of defining boundaries for the Israelite community, shaping daily habits and religious identity through concrete, everyday choices.

Where else these words appear

“clovenfooted” Hebrew H8157 · used in 4 verses

  • Leviticus 11:3 Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.
  • Leviticus 11:7 And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.
  • Deuteronomy 14:6 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.

“clovenfooted” Hebrew H8156 · used in 8 verses

  • Leviticus 1:17 And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof, but shall not divide it asunder: and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon the fire: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
  • Leviticus 11:7 And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.
  • Deuteronomy 14:7 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.

“cud” Hebrew H1625 · used in 9 verses

  • Leviticus 11:3 Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.
  • Leviticus 11:5 And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
  • Deuteronomy 14:6 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.

“divideth” Hebrew H6536 · used in 12 verses

  • Leviticus 11:3 Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.
  • Leviticus 11:6 And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
  • Deuteronomy 14:8 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.