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Commentary on Deuteronomy 14 verses 1–21
Moses here tells the people of Israel,
I. How God had dignified them, as a peculiar people, with three distinguishing privileges, which were their honour, and figures of those spiritual blessings in heavenly things with which God has in Christ blessed us. 1. Here is election: The Lord hath chosen thee, v: 2. Not for their own merit, nor for any good works foreseen, but because he would magnify the riches of his power and grace among them. He did not choose them because they were by their own dedication and subjection a peculiar people to him above other nations, but he chose them that they might be so by his grace; and thus were believers chosen, Eph 1:4. 2. Here is adoption (Deu 14:1): "You are the children of the Lord your God, formed by him into a people, owned by him as his people, nay, his family, a people near unto him, nearer than any other." Israel is my son, my first-born; not because he needed children, but because they were orphans, and needed a father. Every Israelite is indeed a child of God, a partaker of his nature and favour, his love and blessing Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us! 3. Here is sanctification (Deu 14:2): "Thou art a holy people, separated and set apart for God, devoted to his service, designed for his praise, governed by a holy law, graced by a holy tabernacle, and the holy ordinances relating to it." God's people are under the strongest obligations to be holy, and, if they are holy, are indebted to the grace of God that makes them so. The Lord has set them apart for himself, and qualified them for his service and the enjoyment of him, and so has made them holy to himself.
II. How they ought to distinguish themselves by a sober singularity from all the nations that were about them. And, God having thus advanced them, let not them debase themselves by admitting the superstitious customs of idolaters, and, by making themselves like them, put themselves upon the level with them. Be you the children of the Lord your God; so the Seventy read it, as a command, that is, "Carry yourselves as becomes the children of God, and do nothing to disgrace the honour and forfeit the privileges of the relation." In two things particularly they must distinguish themselves: -
1.In their mourning: You shall not cut yourselves, Deu 14:1. This forbids (as some think), not only their cutting themselves at their funerals, either to express their grief or with their own blood to appease the infernal deities, but their wounding and mangling themselves in the worship of their gods, as Baal's prophets did (Kg1 18:28), or their marking themselves by incisions in their flesh for such and such deities, which in them, above any, would be an inexcusable crime, who in the sign of circumcision bore about with them in their bodies the marks of the Lord Jehovah. So that, (1.) They are forbidden to deform or hurt their own bodies upon any account. Methinks this is like a parent's change to his little children, that are foolish, careless, and wilful, and are apt to play with knives: Children, you shall not cut yourselves. This is the intention of those commands which oblige us to deny ourselves; the true meaning of them, if we understood them aright, would appear to be, Do yourselves no harm. And this also is the design of those providences which most cross us, to remove from us those things by which we are in danger of doing ourselves harm. Knives are taken from us, lest we should cut ourselves. Those that are dedicated to God as a holy people must do nothing to disfigure themselves; the body is for the Lord, and is to be used accordingly. (2.) They are forbidden to disturb and afflict their own minds with inordinate grief for the loss of near and dear relations: "You shall not express or exasperate you sorrow, even upon the most mournful occasions, by cutting yourselves, and making baldness between your eyes, like men enraged, or resolvedly hardened in sorrow for the dead, as those that have no hope," Th1 4:13. It is an excellent passage which Mr. Ainsworth here quotes from one of the Jewish writers, who understands this as a law against immoderate grief for the death of our relations. If your father (for instance) die, you shall not cut yourselves, that is, you shall not sorrow more than is meet, for you are not fatherless, you have a Father, who is great, living, and permanent, even the holy blessed God, whose children you are, Deu 14:1. But an infidel (says he), when his father dies, hath no father that can help him in time of need; for he hath said to a stock, Thou art my father, and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth (Jer 2:27); therefore he weeps, cuts himself, and makes himself bald. We that have a God to hope in, and a heaven to hope for, must bear up ourselves with that hope under every burden of this kind.
2.They must be singular in their meat. Observe,
(1.)Many sorts of flesh which were wholesome enough, and which other people did commonly eat, they must religiously abstain from as unclean. This law we had before Lev 11:2, where it was largely opened. It seems plainly, by the connection here, to be intended as a mark of peculiarity; for their observance of it would cause them to be taken notice of in all mixed companies as a separate people, and would preserve them from mingling themselves with, and conforming themselves to, their idolatrous neighbours. [1.] Concerning beasts, here is a more particular enumeration of those which they were allowed to eat then was in Leviticus, to show that they had no reason to complain of their being restrained from eating swines' flesh, and hares, and rabbits (which were all that were then forbidden, but are now commonly used), when they were allowed so great a variety, not only of that which we call butcher's meat (Deu 14:4), which alone was offered in sacrifice, but of venison, which they had great plenty of in Canaan, the hart, and the roe-buck, and the fallow deer (Deu 14:5), which, though never brought to God's altar, was allowed them at their own table. See Deu 12:22. When of all these (as Adam of every tree of the garden) they might freely eat, those were inexcusable who, to gratify a perverse appetite, or (as should seem) in honour of their idols, and in participation of their idolatrous sacrifices, ate swines' flesh, and had broth of abominable things (made so by this law) in their vessels, Isa 65:4. [2.] Concerning fish there is only one general rule given, that whatsoever had not fins and scales (as shell-fish and eels, besides leeches and other animals in the water that are not proper food) was unclean and forbidden, Deu 14:9, Deu 14:10. [3.] No general rule is given concerning fowl, but those are particularly mentioned that were to be unclean to them, and there are few or none of them which are here forbidden that are now commonly eaten; and whatsoever is not expressly forbidden is allowed, Deu 14:11-20. Of all clean fowls you may eat. [4.] They are further forbidden, First, To eat the flesh of any creature that died of itself, because the blood was not separated from it, and, besides the ceremonial uncleanness which it lay under (from Lev 11:39), it is not wholesome food, nor ordinarily used among us, except by the poor. Secondly, To seethe a kid in its mother's milk, either to gratify their own luxury, supposing it a dainty bit, or in conformity to some superstitious custom of the heathen. The Chaldee paraphrasts read it, Thou shalt not eat flesh - meats and milk - meats together; and so it would forbid the use of butter as sauce to any flesh.
(2.)Now as to all these precepts concerning their food, [1.] It is plain in the law itself that they belonged only to the Jews, and were not moral, nor of perpetual use, because not of universal obligation; for what they might not eat themselves they might give to a stranger, a proselyte of the gate, that had renounced idolatry, and therefore was permitted to live among them, though not circumcised; or they might sell it to an alien, a mere Gentile, that came into their country for trade, but might not settle it, Deu 14:21. They might feed upon that which an Israelite might not touch, which is a plain instance of their peculiarity, and their being a holy people. [2.] It is plain in the gospel that they are now antiquated and repealed. For every creature of God is good, and nothing now to be refused, or called common and unclean, Ti1 4:4.
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SUMMARY
Deuteronomy 14:16 is an integral part of God's comprehensive dietary laws given to ancient Israel, specifically prohibiting the consumption of "the little owl, and the great owl, and the swan." This verse, embedded within a broader list of unclean birds, underscores the meticulous nature of divine instruction for God's covenant people. It served to reinforce their distinct identity and call to holiness, providing tangible expressions of their covenant relationship with the Lord and setting them apart from the practices of surrounding nations.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Deuteronomy 14:16 primarily employs Enumeration and Categorization. The verse is part of a longer, detailed list of prohibited birds, demonstrating the comprehensive and meticulous nature of God's commands. This Enumeration serves to leave no ambiguity regarding what was forbidden, providing clear, practical boundaries for the Israelites' daily lives and emphasizing the thoroughness of divine instruction. By listing specific species, the text moves from general principles of holiness to concrete applications. Furthermore, the selection of these birds (owls, and the debated "swan") points to an underlying Symbolism or typological understanding. Owls, being nocturnal predators and scavengers, were often associated with darkness, desolation, and death in the ancient world. Their prohibition thus symbolically reinforces the call for Israel to be a people of light, life, and purity, set apart from anything that might represent defilement or the chaotic forces of the world. The act of abstaining from these creatures was a tangible, daily reminder of their covenant identity and God's desire for an ordered, holy existence.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The dietary laws, including the prohibition of specific birds in Deuteronomy 14:16, are not arbitrary rules but deeply theological statements about God's character and His relationship with His people. They underscore the concept of holiness as a defining attribute of God and a foundational calling for Israel. By distinguishing between clean and unclean, God taught Israel about the nature of purity, separation, and obedience. These laws served as a constant, tangible reminder that Israel was set apart for God's purposes, reflecting His purity in their daily lives. The act of discerning what was permissible and what was not cultivated a mindset of careful obedience and a deep awareness of God's sovereignty over all creation, including the most mundane aspects of life. While the New Covenant liberates believers from these specific ceremonial laws, the underlying principles of spiritual purity, discernment, and living a life set apart for God remain eternally relevant.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Deuteronomy 14:16, though rooted in ancient dietary laws, offers profound spiritual lessons for believers today. While the New Covenant has fulfilled and transformed the ceremonial aspects of the law, the underlying call to holiness and discernment remains paramount. Just as Israel was to be distinct from the nations around them, believers are called to live lives that reflect Christ's purity in a world often characterized by spiritual defilement. This means exercising spiritual discernment in our choices – what we consume mentally, emotionally, and spiritually – and actively avoiding anything that would compromise our walk with God or hinder our witness. Our "diet" today is not about literal food, but about the influences we allow into our lives, the values we uphold, and the company we keep. We are to be set apart, not by external rituals, but by an internal transformation that manifests in righteous character and conduct, demonstrating our allegiance to God in every sphere of life and actively pursuing a life that honors Him.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why were these specific birds considered unclean, and what was the general principle behind such prohibitions?
Answer: The birds listed in Deuteronomy 14:16—the little owl, great owl, and the debated "swan" (tanshemeth)—were considered unclean primarily due to their nature as predators, scavengers, or nocturnal creatures often associated with darkness, desolation, or decay. The general principle behind these prohibitions was multi-faceted. Theologically, they served to distinguish Israel as a holy people set apart for God, reinforcing their unique covenant relationship and God's desire for them to reflect His purity. Ritually, animals associated with death, decay, or practices of pagan worship (e.g., divination, cultic use) were deemed impure. Practically, while not the primary reason, many unclean animals were indeed scavengers or carriers of disease, suggesting an underlying principle of public health. Ultimately, the laws underscored God's sovereignty and Israel's call to reflect His purity and order in all aspects of life, including their diet, as seen throughout Deuteronomy 14.
Are Christians still bound by the dietary laws found in Deuteronomy 14, including the prohibition of these birds?
Answer: No, Christians are not bound by the literal dietary laws of the Old Testament. The New Testament clearly teaches that all foods are clean for consumption, provided they are received with thanksgiving. Jesus declared all foods clean in Mark 7:19, emphasizing that defilement comes from within a person, not from external food. Peter's vision in Acts 10:9-16 further clarified that God has cleansed what was once considered unclean, paving the way for the gospel to be preached to Gentiles without the burden of Mosaic dietary restrictions. Paul also affirmed this freedom in Romans 14:14-17, teaching that the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. While the literal laws are superseded, the underlying spiritual principles of holiness, discernment, and living a life set apart for God remain highly relevant for believers today.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The dietary laws of Deuteronomy, including the prohibition of unclean birds like the owl and the "swan," find their ultimate fulfillment and transformation in Jesus Christ. These Old Testament regulations served as a shadow, pointing to a deeper spiritual reality that Christ embodies and inaugurates. The distinction between clean and unclean animals highlighted humanity's fallen state and the pervasive need for purification, a need perfectly met in the person and redemptive work of Jesus. He is the spotless Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world whose perfect sacrifice cleanses us not from external, ritualistic defilement, but from the sin that truly pollutes the heart and conscience (Hebrews 9:14). Christ's teaching in Mark 7:15-23 radically shifts the focus from external dietary rules to the internal state of the heart, declaring that "nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them; rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them." Through faith in Him, believers are declared righteous and holy, not by adhering to a list of foods, but by being united with the One who is perfectly pure. The indwelling Holy Spirit now empowers us to live out this new, internal holiness, enabling us to discern what truly honors God and to live as a people set apart for His glory, reflecting the purity of Christ in a world still marked by spiritual defilement (1 Peter 2:9).