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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Leviticus 11:20 All flying insects that walk on all fours are detestable to you.</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/leviticus/11-20.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/new9.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><meta property="og:image" content="https://biblehub.com/visuals/13/03_Lev_11_20.jpg" /><meta property="og:title" content="Leviticus 11:20 - Clean and Unclean Animals" /><meta property="og:site_name" content="Bible Hub" /><meta property="og:description" content="All flying insects that walk on all fours are detestable to you." /><script type="application/javascript" 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cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/ad20.htm" width="100%" height="48" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="/leviticus/11-19.htm" title="Leviticus 11:19">◄</a> Leviticus 11:20 <a href="/leviticus/11-21.htm" title="Leviticus 11:21">►</a></div></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="topverse"> <a href="#audio" class="clickchap2" title="Context and Audio Bible"> Audio </a> <a href="#crossref" class="clickchap2" title="Cross References"> Cross </a> <a href="#study" class="clickchap2" title="Study Bible"> Study </a> <a href="#commentary" class="clickchap2" title="Commentary"> Comm </a> <a href="#lexicon" class="clickchap2" title="Lexicon"> Heb </a> </div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheadingv"><b>Verse</b><a href="/bsb/leviticus/11.htm" class="clickchap" style="color:#001320" title="Click any translation name for full chapter">  (Click for Chapter)</a></div><div id="par"><span class="versiontext"><a href="/niv/leviticus/11.htm">New International Version</a></span><br />&#8220&#8217All flying insects that walk on all fours are to be regarded as unclean by you.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nlt/leviticus/11.htm">New Living Translation</a></span><br />“You must not eat winged insects that walk along the ground; they are detestable to you.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/esv/leviticus/11.htm">English Standard Version</a></span><br />“All winged insects that go on all fours are detestable to you.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/bsb/leviticus/11.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a></span><br />All flying insects that walk on all fours are detestable to you.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/kjv/leviticus/11.htm">King James Bible</a></span><br />All fowls that creep, going upon <i>all</i> four, <i>shall be</i> an abomination unto you.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nkjv/leviticus/11.htm">New King James Version</a></span><br />‘All flying insects that creep on <i>all</i> fours <i>shall be</i> an abomination to you.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb_/leviticus/11.htm">New American Standard Bible</a></span><br />‘All the winged insects that walk on <i>all</i> fours are detestable to you.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb/leviticus/11.htm">NASB 1995</a></span><br />All the winged insects that walk on all fours are detestable to you.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb77/leviticus/11.htm">NASB 1977 </a></span><br />‘All the winged insects that walk on <i>all</i> fours are detestable to you.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsb/leviticus/11.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a></span><br />‘All the swarming things that fly <i>and</i> that walk on <i>all</i> fours are detestable to you.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/amp/leviticus/11.htm">Amplified Bible</a></span><br />‘All winged insects that walk on all fours are detestable to you;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/csb/leviticus/11.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />“All winged insects that walk on all fours are to be abhorrent to you.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hcsb/leviticus/11.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />All winged insects that walk on all fours are to be detestable to you. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/asv/leviticus/11.htm">American Standard Version</a></span><br />All winged creeping things that go upon all fours are an abomination unto you.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/erv/leviticus/11.htm">English Revised Version</a></span><br />All winged creeping things that go upon all four are an abomination unto you.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gwt/leviticus/11.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a></span><br />"Every swarming, winged insect that walks across the ground like a four-legged animal is disgusting to you.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gnt/leviticus/11.htm">Good News Translation</a></span><br />All winged insects are unclean, <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/isv/leviticus/11.htm">International Standard Version</a></span><br />and any winged insect that crawls on four legs is detestable for you. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/msb/leviticus/11.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a></span><br />All flying insects that walk on all fours are detestable to you.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/net/leviticus/11.htm">NET Bible</a></span><br />"'Every winged swarming thing that walks on all fours is detestable to you.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nheb/leviticus/11.htm">New Heart English Bible</a></span><br />"'All flying insects that walk on all fours are an abomination to you.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wbt/leviticus/11.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a></span><br />All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination to you.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/web/leviticus/11.htm">World English Bible</a></span><br />“‘All flying insects that walk on all fours are an abomination to you. <div class="vheading2"><b>Literal Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsv/leviticus/11.htm">Literal Standard Version</a></span><br />Every teeming creature which is flying, which is going on four [legs]—it [is] an abomination to you.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/ylt/leviticus/11.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a></span><br /> Every teeming creature which is flying, which is going on four -- an abomination it is to you.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/slt/leviticus/11.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a></span><br />All creeping birds going upon four, it is an abomination to you.<div class="vheading2"><b>Catholic Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/drb/leviticus/11.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a></span><br />Of things that fly, whatsoever goeth upon four feet, shall be abominable to you. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cpdv/leviticus/11.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a></span><br />Of all that flies, whatever steps upon four feet shall be abominable to you.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nabre/leviticus/11.htm">New American Bible</a></span><br />The various winged insects that walk on all fours are loathsome for you.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nrsvce/leviticus/11.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a></span><br />All winged insects that walk upon all fours are detestable to you.<div class="vheading2"><b>Translations from Aramaic</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lamsa/leviticus/11.htm">Lamsa Bible</a></span><br />All species that creep, going upon all fours, are unclean to you.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hpbt/leviticus/11.htm">Peshitta Holy Bible Translated</a></span><br />And every offspring of flying creatures that walks on four is defiled to you.<div class="vheading2"><b>OT Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/jps/leviticus/11.htm">JPS Tanakh 1917</a></span><br />All winged swarming things that go upon all fours are a detestable thing unto you.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/sep/leviticus/11.htm">Brenton Septuagint Translation</a></span><br />And all winged creatures that creep, which go upon four feet, are abominations to you.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/parallel/leviticus/11-20.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></span></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv"><b>Audio Bible</b></div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NWs_V1RyMFo?start=2527" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="vheadingv"><b>Context</b></div><span class="hdg"><a href="/bsb/leviticus/11.htm">Clean and Unclean Animals</a></span><br>…<span class="reftext">19</span>the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe, and the bat. <span class="reftext">20</span><span class="highl"><a href="/hebrew/3605.htm" title="3605: kōl (N-msc) -- The whole, all. Or kowl; from kalal; properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every.">All</a> <a href="/hebrew/5775.htm" title="5775: hā·‘ō·wp̄ (Art:: N-ms) -- Flying creatures. From uwph; a bird, often collectively.">flying</a> <a href="/hebrew/8318.htm" title="8318: še·reṣ (N-msc) -- Swarmers, swarming things. From sharats; a swarm, i.e. Active mass of minute animals.">insects</a> <a href="/hebrew/1980.htm" title="1980: ha·hō·lêḵ (Art:: V-Qal-Prtcpl-ms) -- To go, come, walk. Akin to yalak; a primitive root; to walk.">that walk</a> <a href="/hebrew/5921.htm" title="5921: ‘al- (Prep) -- Properly, the same as al used as a preposition; above, over, upon, or against in a great variety of applications.">on</a> <a href="/hebrew/702.htm" title="702: ’ar·ba‘ (Number-fs) -- Four. Masculine oarbaah; from raba'; four.">all fours</a> <a href="/hebrew/8263.htm" title="8263: še·qeṣ (N-ms) -- Detestation, detestable thing. From shaqats; filth, i.e. an idolatrous object.">are detestable</a> <a href="/hebrew/1931.htm" title="1931: hū (Pro-3ms) -- He, she, it. "></a> <a href="/hebrew/lā·ḵem (Prep:: 2mp) -- ">to you.</a> </span><span class="reftext">21</span>However, you may eat the following kinds of flying insects that walk on all fours: those having jointed legs above their feet for hopping on the ground.…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><span class="crossverse"><a href="/deuteronomy/14-19.htm">Deuteronomy 14:19</a></span><br />All flying insects are unclean for you; they may not be eaten.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/acts/10-12.htm">Acts 10:12-15</a></span><br />It contained all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth, as well as birds of the air. / Then a voice said to him: “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!” / “No, Lord!” Peter answered. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/genesis/7-14.htm">Genesis 7:14</a></span><br />they and every kind of wild animal, livestock, crawling creature, bird, and winged creature.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/matthew/23-24.htm">Matthew 23:24</a></span><br />You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/mark/7-18.htm">Mark 7:18-19</a></span><br />“Are you still so dull?” He asked. “Do you not understand? Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him, / because it does not enter his heart, but it goes into the stomach and then is eliminated.” (Thus all foods are clean.)<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/romans/14-14.htm">Romans 14:14</a></span><br />I am convinced and fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ezekiel/8-10.htm">Ezekiel 8:10</a></span><br />So I went in and looked, and engraved all around the wall was every kind of crawling creature and detestable beast, along with all the idols of the house of Israel.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/66-17.htm">Isaiah 66:17</a></span><br />“Those who consecrate and purify themselves to enter the groves—to follow one in the center of those who eat the flesh of swine and vermin and rats—will perish together,” declares the LORD.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_timothy/4-4.htm">1 Timothy 4:4-5</a></span><br />For every creation of God is good, and nothing that is received with thanksgiving should be rejected, / because it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/colossians/2-16.htm">Colossians 2:16-17</a></span><br />Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath. / These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/genesis/1-21.htm">Genesis 1:21</a></span><br />So God created the great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters teemed according to their kinds, and every winged bird after its kind. And God saw that it was good.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_corinthians/10-25.htm">1 Corinthians 10:25-26</a></span><br />Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, / for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/hosea/9-3.htm">Hosea 9:3</a></span><br />They will not remain in the land of the LORD; Ephraim will return to Egypt and eat unclean food in Assyria.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/acts/15-20.htm">Acts 15:20</a></span><br />Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals, and from blood.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/romans/14-20.htm">Romans 14:20</a></span><br />Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to let his eating be a stumbling block.</div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div><p class="tsk2">All fowls that creep, going on all four, shall be an abomination to you.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/leviticus/11-23.htm">Leviticus 11:23,27</a></b></br> But all <i>other</i> flying creeping things, which have four feet, <i>shall be</i> an abomination unto you… </p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/deuteronomy/14-19.htm">Deuteronomy 14:19</a></b></br> And every creeping thing that flieth <i>is</i> unclean unto you: they shall not be eaten.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/2_kings/17-28.htm">2 Kings 17:28-41</a></b></br> Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the LORD… </p><div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/leviticus/11-13.htm">Abomination</a> <a href="/genesis/7-21.htm">Crawling</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-10.htm">Creature</a> <a href="/2_timothy/3-6.htm">Creep</a> <a href="/leviticus/5-2.htm">Creeping</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-13.htm">Detestable</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-13.htm">Disgusting</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-2.htm">Earth</a> <a href="/genesis/8-7.htm">Flying</a> <a href="/exodus/39-10.htm">Four</a> <a href="/romans/1-23.htm">Four-Footed</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-42.htm">Fours</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-13.htm">Fowls</a> <a href="/exodus/33-22.htm">Goes</a> <a href="/exodus/8-31.htm">Insects</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-10.htm">Swarming</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-10.htm">Teeming</a> <a href="/exodus/21-19.htm">Walk</a> <a href="/exodus/37-9.htm">Winged</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/leviticus/11-23.htm">Abomination</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-23.htm">Crawling</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-41.htm">Creature</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-29.htm">Creep</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-21.htm">Creeping</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-23.htm">Detestable</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-23.htm">Disgusting</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-21.htm">Earth</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-21.htm">Flying</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-21.htm">Four</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-21.htm">Four-Footed</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-21.htm">Fours</a> <a href="/leviticus/20-25.htm">Fowls</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-27.htm">Goes</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-21.htm">Insects</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-21.htm">Swarming</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-21.htm">Teeming</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-27.htm">Walk</a> <a href="/leviticus/11-21.htm">Winged</a><div class="vheading2">Leviticus 11</div><span class="reftext">1. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/leviticus/11-1.htm">What animals may be eaten</a></span><br><span class="reftext">4. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/leviticus/11-4.htm">and what may not be eaten</a></span><br><span class="reftext">9. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/leviticus/11-9.htm">What fishes</a></span><br><span class="reftext">13. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/leviticus/11-13.htm">What fowls</a></span><br><span class="reftext">29. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/leviticus/11-29.htm">The creeping things which are unclean</a></span><br></div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <br /><br /> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top"><a href="/study/leviticus/11.htm">Study Bible</a></td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/study/leviticus/" title="Book Summary and Study">Book ◦</a> <a href="/study/chapters/leviticus/11.htm" title="Chapter summary and Study">Chapter </a></tr></table></div><b>All flying insects</b><br>In the context of Leviticus, the term "flying insects" refers to a category of creatures that includes various types of winged insects. In ancient Israel, the classification of animals was based on observable characteristics rather than modern scientific taxonomy. This phrase highlights the importance of distinguishing between clean and unclean animals, a theme prevalent throughout Leviticus. The emphasis on flying insects reflects the broader concern with maintaining ritual purity, which was central to the Israelites' covenant relationship with God.<p><b>that walk on all fours</b><br>The description of insects walking "on all fours" is a way to categorize them based on their movement. Insects typically have six legs, but the phrase "on all fours" may refer to the primary legs used for walking, with the other two possibly used for other functions like grasping or flying. This classification underscores the detailed nature of the dietary laws given to Israel, which were intended to set them apart from other nations. The specificity of these laws reflects the holiness and order that God desired for His people.<p><b>are detestable to you</b><br>The term "detestable" indicates that these insects are considered unclean and should not be consumed. This reflects the broader Levitical theme of distinguishing between the holy and the common, the clean and the unclean. The use of the word "detestable" underscores the seriousness with which these dietary laws were to be observed. In a broader biblical context, this distinction between clean and unclean can be seen as a type pointing to the need for spiritual purity and separation from sin, which is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who makes believers clean through His sacrifice.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <b><a href="/topical/m/moses.htm">Moses</a></b><br>The author of Leviticus, who received the laws from God to instruct the Israelites.<br><br>2. <b><a href="/topical/i/israelites.htm">Israelites</a></b><br>The chosen people of God, to whom the laws of clean and unclean animals were given.<br><br>3. <b><a href="/topical/m/mount_sinai.htm">Mount Sinai</a></b><br>The place where God delivered the laws to Moses, including dietary laws.<br><br>4. <b><a href="/topical/c/clean_and_unclean_animals.htm">Clean and Unclean Animals</a></b><br>A classification system given by God to the Israelites to distinguish between animals that could be eaten and those that could not.<br><br>5. <b><a href="/topical/t/the_wilderness.htm">The Wilderness</a></b><br>The setting where the Israelites received these laws during their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><b><a href="/topical/u/understanding_god's_holiness.htm">Understanding God's Holiness</a></b><br>The dietary laws in Leviticus highlight God's holiness and the call for His people to be set apart. These laws served as a daily reminder of their unique identity and relationship with God.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/s/symbolism_of_purity.htm">Symbolism of Purity</a></b><br>The distinction between clean and unclean animals symbolizes the need for spiritual purity and separation from sin. It points to the importance of living a life that honors God in all aspects.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/c/cultural_and_historical_context.htm">Cultural and Historical Context</a></b><br>Recognizing the cultural and historical context of these laws helps us understand their purpose for the Israelites and how they foreshadowed the coming of Christ, who fulfills the law.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/f/freedom_in_christ.htm">Freedom in Christ</a></b><br>While the Old Testament laws served a specific purpose, believers today are called to live in the freedom Christ provides, focusing on the heart's condition rather than external rituals.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/p/practical_holiness.htm">Practical Holiness</a></b><br>Although dietary laws are not binding for Christians, the principle of living a life that reflects God's holiness remains. Believers are encouraged to make choices that honor God and reflect His character.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_leviticus_11.htm">Top 10 Lessons from Leviticus 11</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/how_do_we_reconcile_lev._11_20-23_with_entomology.htm">In Leviticus 11:20–23, insects are described as having four legs. How do we reconcile this with modern entomology? </a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/why_does_the_bible_say_insects_have_4_legs.htm">Why does the Bible say insects have four legs when they have six?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/why_are_'creeping_things'_in_the_temple.htm">In Ezekiel 8:10, why would the temple contain images of “creeping things” if this contradicts the temple’s strict laws against idolatry? </a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_does_'strain_at_a_gnat'_mean.htm">What does "strain at a gnat, swallow a camel" mean?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/leviticus/11.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(20) <span class= "bld">All the fowls that creep.</span>--Better, <span class= "ital">all creeping things which have wings. </span>The swarming animals or insects, which, as we have seen, constitute the fourth class of the Hebrew division of the animal kingdom, are now discussed in <a href="/context/leviticus/11-20.htm" title="All fowls that creep, going on all four, shall be an abomination to you.">Leviticus 11:20-23</a>. From the fact that in the following verse several kinds of locusts are exempted, it is evident that the phrase "creeping things which have wings" denotes insects.<p><span class= "bld">Going upon all four.</span>--That is, the insects in question not only fly but also creep. The phrase, however, "upon all four" does not refer to the exact number of feet, but, as in some modern languages, denotes walking with its body in a horizontal position, or near the ground, in contradistinction to the two-legged birds discussed in the foregoing verses. This is the sense which the administrators of the law in the time of Christ attached to the phrase. Hence the Chaldee paraphrase of Jonathan translates it, "And all creeping-things which have wings going upon all four, the flyspecies and the wasp or hornet species and the bee species."<p><span class= "bld">Shall be an abomination unto you.</span>--As the bee species is included among "the creeping things which have wings," some have supposed that bee-honey comes within the unclean things which are here said "shall be an abomination unto you." Hence it is thought that the honey (<span class= "ital">dabesh</span>) which is so frequently mentioned in the Bible as a special feature of the promised land (<a href="/exodus/3-8.htm" title="And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good land and a large, to a land flowing with milk and honey; to the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.">Exodus 3:8</a>; <a href="/exodus/3-17.htm" title="And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey.">Exodus 3:17</a>; <a href="/exodus/13-5.htm" title="And it shall be when the LORD shall bring you into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall keep this service in this month.">Exodus 13:5</a>; <a href="/exodus/16-14.htm" title="And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, on the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground.">Exodus 16:14</a>; <a href="/exodus/33-3.htm" title="To a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the middle of you; for you are a stiff necked people: lest I consume you in the way.">Exodus 33:3</a>; <a href="/leviticus/20-24.htm" title="But I have said to you, You shall inherit their land, and I will give it to you to possess it, a land that flows with milk and honey: I am the LORD your God, which have separated you from other people.">Leviticus 20:24</a>, <span class= "ital">etc.</span>)<span class= "ital">, </span>and which formed an important article of food among the Hebrews, was not the natural product of the bee, but is either the grape-honey, the <span class= "ital">dibs, </span>which is still prepared in many parts of Syria and Palestine, and is exported in great quantities into Egypt; or the vegetable ? honey, the exudation of certain trees and shrubs found in the peninsula of Sinai. Hence, too, it is supposed that the wild honey which Jonathan ate in the wood (<a href="/1_samuel/14-25.htm" title="And all they of the land came to a wood; and there was honey on the ground.">1Samuel 14:25</a>), and which was the meat of John the Baptist (<a href="/matthew/3-4.htm" title="And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leather girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.">Matthew 3:4</a>), must refer to this vegetable-honey. But though it is true that the canon which obtained during the second Temple was "Whatsoever cometh from unclean creatures is unclean," and that in accordance with this law the milk of unclean quadrupeds and the eggs of unclean birds and fishes were forbidden, yet the honey of bees was expressly permitted. The administrators of the law in the time of Christ accounted for this exemption that it is not the direct produce of the insect itself, but is a preparation from gathered juices of clean herbs. The Chaldee paraphrase of Jonathan therefore adds, after "shall be an abomination unto you," the words, <span class= "ital">nevertheless the honey of the bee ye may eat. </span>John the Baptist therefore acted in perfect obedience to the Law when he ate the honey which the bees deposited in the crevices of the rocks and in the hollow of trees. The prohibition to use honey in meatofferings is not owing to its being unclean, but to its producing fermentation. (See <a href="/leviticus/2-11.htm" title="No meat offering, which you shall bring to the LORD, shall be made with leaven: for you shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, in any offering of the LORD made by fire.">Leviticus 2:11</a>.) . . . <div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/leviticus/11.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verses 20-23.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">All fowls that creep</span> should rather be rendered <span class="accented">all winged creeping things</span>, that is, all flying insects. None are allowed except the <span class="accented">Saltatoria</span>, or locust family. The word translated beetle signifies a sort of locust, like the other three words. That the locust was a regular article of food in Palestine is amply proved. "It is well known that locusts were eaten by many of the nations of antiquity, both in Asia and Africa, and even the ancient Greek thought the <span class="accented">cicadas</span> very agreeable in flavour (Arist. 'Hist. An.,' 5:30). In Arabia they are sold in the market, sometimes strung upon cords, sometimes by measure, and they are also dried and kept in bags for winter use.... They are generally cooked over hot coals, or on a plate, or in an oven, or stewed in butter, and eaten either with salt or with spice and vinegar, the head, wings, and feet being thrown away. They are also boiled in salt and water, and eaten with salt or butter. Another process is to dry them thoroughly, and then grind them into meal, and make cakes of them" (Keil). (Cf. <a href="/matthew/3-4.htm">Matthew 3:4</a>.) The expression <span class="cmt_word">goeth upon all four</span>, means groveling or going in a horizontal position, in contrast with two-legged birds, just spoken of. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/commentaries/leviticus/11-20.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a></span><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Hebrew</div><span class="word">All</span><br /><span class="heb">כֹּ֚ל</span> <span class="translit">(kōl)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine singular construct<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3605.htm">Strong's 3605: </a> </span><span class="str2">The whole, all, any, every</span><br /><br /><span class="word">flying</span><br /><span class="heb">הָע֔וֹף</span> <span class="translit">(hā·‘ō·wp̄)</span><br /><span class="parse">Article | Noun - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_5775.htm">Strong's 5775: </a> </span><span class="str2">Flying creatures</span><br /><br /><span class="word">insects</span><br /><span class="heb">שֶׁ֣רֶץ</span> <span class="translit">(še·reṣ)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine singular construct<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_8318.htm">Strong's 8318: </a> </span><span class="str2">A swarm, active mass of minute animals</span><br /><br /><span class="word">that walk</span><br /><span class="heb">הַהֹלֵ֖ךְ</span> <span class="translit">(ha·hō·lêḵ)</span><br /><span class="parse">Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_1980.htm">Strong's 1980: </a> </span><span class="str2">To go, come, walk</span><br /><br /><span class="word">on</span><br /><span class="heb">עַל־</span> <span class="translit">(‘al-)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_5921.htm">Strong's 5921: </a> </span><span class="str2">Above, over, upon, against</span><br /><br /><span class="word">[all] fours</span><br /><span class="heb">אַרְבַּ֑ע</span> <span class="translit">(’ar·ba‘)</span><br /><span class="parse">Number - feminine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_702.htm">Strong's 702: </a> </span><span class="str2">Four</span><br /><br /><span class="word">are detestable</span><br /><span class="heb">שֶׁ֥קֶץ</span> <span class="translit">(še·qeṣ)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_8263.htm">Strong's 8263: </a> </span><span class="str2">Detestation, detestable thing</span><br /><br /><span class="word">to you.</span><br /><span class="heb">לָכֶֽם׃</span> <span class="translit">(lā·ḵem)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition | second person masculine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/.htm">Strong's Hebrew</a> </span><span class="str2"></span><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/leviticus/11-20.htm">Leviticus 11:20 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/leviticus/11-20.htm">Leviticus 11:20 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/leviticus/11-20.htm">Leviticus 11:20 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/leviticus/11-20.htm">Leviticus 11:20 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/leviticus/11-20.htm">Leviticus 11:20 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="//bibleapps.com/leviticus/11-20.htm">Leviticus 11:20 BibleApps.com</a><br /><a href="//bibliaparalela.com/leviticus/11-20.htm">Leviticus 11:20 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="//holybible.com.cn/leviticus/11-20.htm">Leviticus 11:20 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="//saintebible.com/leviticus/11-20.htm">Leviticus 11:20 French Bible</a><br /><a href="/catholic/leviticus/11-20.htm">Leviticus 11:20 Catholic Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/leviticus/11-20.htm">OT Law: Leviticus 11:20 All flying insects that walk on all (Le Lv Lev.) </a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/leviticus/11-19.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Leviticus 11:19"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Leviticus 11:19" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/leviticus/11-21.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Leviticus 11:21"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Leviticus 11:21" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>