Leviticus 11:21

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon [all] four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth;

Complete Jewish Bible:

except that of all winged swarming creatures that go on all fours, you may eat those that have jointed legs above their feet, enabling them to jump off the ground.

Berean Standard Bible:

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.

American Standard Version:

Yet these may ye eat of all winged creeping things that go upon all fours, which have legs above their feet, wherewith to leap upon the earth;

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

Yet these may ye eat^{H398} of every flying^{H5775} creeping^{H8318} thing that goeth^{H1980} upon all four^{H702}, which have legs^{H3767} above^{H4605} their feet^{H7272}, to leap^{H5425} withal^{H2004} upon the earth^{H776};

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Commentary for Leviticus 11:21

Leviticus 11:21 is part of a larger section in the book of Leviticus (chapters 11-15) that deals with laws of purity and impurity. These laws were given to the ancient Israelites to distinguish them from other nations and to teach them about holiness, as they were to be a holy nation set apart for God (Leviticus 11:44-45, 19:2).

**Themes:**
1. **Purity and Holiness:** The verse is concerned with dietary laws that define which animals are clean and may be eaten by the Israelites, and which are unclean and forbidden. This reflects the broader theme of maintaining ritual purity, which was essential for the religious life of the Israelites.
2. **Distinction from Other Nations:** By following these dietary restrictions, the Israelites would be different from the surrounding nations, reinforcing their unique identity and relationship with God.
3. **Divine Order:** The laws also reflect a sense of order in creation, with each creature having its place and purpose as designated by God.

**Historical Context:**
- **Time Period:** The book of Leviticus is traditionally attributed to Moses and would have been written during the wilderness period after the Exodus from Egypt, approximately the 13th century BCE.
- **Purpose:** These dietary laws served a practical purpose in the daily lives of the Israelites, guiding them in their food choices, but they also had a symbolic function, teaching moral and spiritual lessons. For example, animals that chew the cud and have split hooves (like cows and sheep) were considered clean, perhaps symbolizing a thoughtful (chewing the cud) and separated (split hooves) life that the Israelites were to emulate.
- **Cultural Significance:** The dietary laws would have set the Israelites apart from their pagan neighbors who had no such restrictions and often engaged in rituals that included eating animals considered unclean in the Hebrew Bible.

In Leviticus 11:21, the specific reference is to certain types of locusts, grasshoppers, and insects that are permitted for consumption. These were exceptions to the general rule that winged insects were considered unclean. The criteria for clean insects are that they must have jointed legs above their feet, allowing them to leap, which may have been a sign of vitality and health.

In summary, Leviticus 11:21 is part of the dietary laws given to the Israelites, emphasizing themes of purity, holiness, and distinction from other cultures. These laws had practical implications for daily life and symbolic significance for the moral and spiritual development of the Israelite community.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H398
   There are 825 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אָכַל
   Transliteration: ʼâkal
   Pronunciation: aw-kal'
   Description: a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively); [idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, [idiom] freely, [idiom] in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, [idiom] quite.
   
2. Strong's Number: H5775
   There are 70 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: עוֹף
   Transliteration: ʻôwph
   Pronunciation: ofe
   Description: from עוּף; a bird (as covered with feathers, or rather as covering with wings), often collectively; bird, that flieth, flying, fowl.
   
3. Strong's Number: H8318
   There are 15 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שֶׁרֶץ
   Transliteration: sherets
   Pronunciation: sheh'-rets
   Description: from שָׁרַץ; a swarm, i.e. active mass of minute animals; creep(-ing thing), move(-ing creature).
   
4. Strong's Number: H1980
   There are 468 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: הָלַךְ
   Transliteration: hâlak
   Pronunciation: haw-lak'
   Description: akin to יָלַךְ; a primitive root; to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively); (all) along, apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant, depart, [phrase] be eased, enter, exercise (self), [phrase] follow, forth, forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on, out, up and down), [phrase] greater, grow, be wont to haunt, lead, march, [idiom] more and more, move (self), needs, on, pass (away), be at the point, quite, run (along), [phrase] send, speedily, spread, still, surely, [phrase] tale-bearer, [phrase] travel(-ler), walk (abroad, on, to and fro, up and down, to places), wander, wax, (way-) faring man, [idiom] be weak, whirl.
   
5. Strong's Number: H702
   There are 383 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אַרְבַּע
   Transliteration: ʼarbaʻ
   Pronunciation: ar-bah'
   Description: masculine אַרְבָּעָה; from רָבַע; four; four.
   
6. Strong's Number: H3767
   There are 9 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: כָּרָע
   Transliteration: kârâʻ
   Pronunciation: kaw-raw'
   Description: from כָּרַע; the leg (from the knee to the ankle) of men or locusts (only in the dual); leg.
   
7. Strong's Number: H4605
   There are 134 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מַעַל
   Transliteration: maʻal
   Pronunciation: mah'al
   Description: from עָלָה; properly, the upper part, used only adverbially with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top, etc.; above, exceeding(-ly), forward, on ([idiom] very) high, over, up(-on, -ward), very.
   
8. Strong's Number: H7272
   There are 232 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: רֶגֶל
   Transliteration: regel
   Pronunciation: reh'-gel
   Description: from רָגַל; a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a step; by euphemistically the pudenda; [idiom] be able to endure, [idiom] according as, [idiom] after, [idiom] coming, [idiom] follow, (broken-)foot(-ed, -stool), [idiom] great toe, [idiom] haunt, [idiom] journey, leg, [phrase] piss, [phrase] possession, time.
   
9. Strong's Number: H5425
   There are 8 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נָתַר
   Transliteration: nâthar
   Pronunciation: naw-thar'
   Description: a primitive root; to jump, i.e. be violently agitated; causatively, to terrify, shake off, untie; drive asunder, leap, (let) loose, [idiom] make, move, undo.
   
10. Strong's Number: H2004
    There are 16 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: הֵן
    Transliteration: hên
    Pronunciation: hane
    Description: feminine plural from הוּא; they (only used when emphatic); [idiom] in, such like, (with) them, thereby, therein, (more than) they, wherein, in which, whom, withal.
    
11. Strong's Number: H776
    There are 2739 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אֶרֶץ
    Transliteration: ʼerets
    Pronunciation: eh'-rets
    Description: from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land); [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.