And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

LEVITICUS 11:6KJV
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Leviticus 11:6 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 11:6 mean?

Leviticus 11:6 places the hare among the animals the Israelites were not to eat. The verse describes the hare as chewing the cud but lacking a divided hoof, so it does not meet both features required for a land animal to be eaten.

The verse presents the instruction as coming from God through Moses and Aaron to the Israelites. “Chewing the cud” pictures food being brought back up and chewed again. Hares do chew some food a second time, but by eating soft droppings rather than bringing food back from the stomach.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 11:6

  • “cheweth” — עָלָה (ʿalah): The word often means “to bring up.” Paired with “cud,” it describes food coming up for further chewing.
  • “unclean” — טָמֵא (ṭameʾ): The word describes something classed as unclean under these instructions. Here, it tells the Israelites that the hare is not permitted as food.

Why Leviticus 11:6 matters

  • One matching feature is not enough to make a land animal suitable for food. Leviticus 11:3 gives two features together: a divided hoof and chewing the cud.
  • “Unclean unto you” marks the hare’s place in Israel’s food instructions. The phrase is about whether the Israelites may eat the animal, rather than whether its fur or surroundings are dirty.

Where else these words appear

“hare” Hebrew H768 · used in 2 verses

  • 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 11:7 And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.
  • Deuteronomy 14:8 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.

“hoof” Hebrew H6541 · used in 16 verses

  • Exodus 10:26 Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God; and we know not with what we must serve the LORD, until we come thither.
  • Leviticus 11:26 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.
  • Jeremiah 47:3 At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his strong horses, at the rushing of his chariots, and at the rumbling of his wheels, the fathers shall not look back to their children for feebleness of hands;