TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Deuteronomy 14:1–21. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
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 14:9 outlines a specific dietary regulation for the Israelites, mandating that among aquatic creatures, only those possessing both fins and scales are permissible for consumption. This command is an integral part of a broader set of purity laws designed to distinguish Israel as a holy nation, set apart for the Lord, and to cultivate principles of obedience, discipline, and discernment in their daily lives as they prepared to inhabit the Promised Land.
Context
Literary Context
Deuteronomy 14:9 is situated within a comprehensive section of purity laws (Deuteronomy 14:3-21), which directly follows a powerful exhortation for Israel to embrace and remember their unique status as God's holy people (Deuteronomy 14:1-2). This chapter meticulously details specific dietary restrictions, categorizing animals into "clean" and "unclean" for consumption. The verses immediately preceding verse 9 address forbidden mourning practices and general clean/unclean distinctions for land animals, while Deuteronomy 14:10 explicitly enumerates the aquatic creatures that are forbidden, thereby reinforcing the dual criteria established in verse 9. These dietary regulations, alongside other statutes throughout the book of Deuteronomy, serve as a practical outworking of Israel's covenant relationship with Yahweh, providing divine guidance for their daily existence in the Promised Land.
Historical & Cultural Context
These dietary laws were imparted to the Israelites as they stood on the threshold of entering Canaan, a land populated by diverse pagan cultures. These surrounding nations frequently engaged in practices, including dietary habits, sacrificial rituals, and idolatrous worship, that were anathema to the worship of Yahweh. By instituting distinct dietary codes, God furnished Israel with a tangible and daily means of maintaining their unique identity and holiness, thereby preventing assimilation into the corrupting and idolatrous practices of their neighbors. In the ancient world, food was not merely sustenance but often carried profound religious, social, and even political implications, rendering these laws a powerful symbol of Israel's separation and unwavering devotion to their covenant God.
Key Themes
The overarching theme permeating Deuteronomy 14, and specifically highlighted in verse 9, is holiness and distinction. Israel is repeatedly summoned to be a "holy people to the Lord your God" (e.g., Deuteronomy 14:2). The dietary laws functioned as a daily, tangible reminder of this divine calling, setting them apart from all other nations. Another pivotal theme is obedience to divine law. God's commands, even those pertaining to seemingly mundane matters like food, were not arbitrary but were integral to the covenant relationship, demanding faithful adherence as a demonstration of their trust and loyalty. Furthermore, these laws implicitly promoted purity and well-being. While the primary purpose was theological (holiness), the distinction between clean and unclean foods also contributed to general hygiene and the avoidance of potentially harmful or scavenging creatures, aligning with similar regulations found in Leviticus 11.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This primitive root signifies the act of consuming food, whether literally or figuratively. In Deuteronomy 14:9, it denotes divine permission and instruction for the Israelites to partake of specific aquatic creatures. The repeated use of this verb underscores the direct command and the practical application of the dietary law in their daily lives, transforming the act of eating into an act of obedience.
This term refers to the appendages that enable fish to propel themselves and steer through water. In the context of the Mosaic Law, the presence of fins signified a creature that moved naturally and freely within its aquatic environment, indicating a "clean" and therefore permissible food source. It distinguished free-swimming fish from bottom-dwellers or those that moved by other means.
These are the protective, overlapping plates covering the skin of most fish. Like fins, the presence of scales was a defining characteristic of "clean" aquatic animals. Their absence, as in the case of shellfish (e.g., shrimp, crabs, lobsters) or eels, rendered the creature "unclean" and forbidden for consumption. The combination of both fins and scales provided a clear, observable, and unambiguous criterion for distinguishing edible from non-edible aquatic life.
Verse Breakdown
"These ye shall eat of all that [are] in the waters:"
This opening clause broadly introduces the category of aquatic creatures as potential food sources for the Israelites. It establishes the domain of the regulation, indicating that while sustenance may be drawn from the waters, it is not without specific divine limitations. The phrasing implies a divine authorization and provision for sustenance from the aquatic realm, but under precise conditions that follow.
"all that have fins and scales shall ye eat:"
This is the prescriptive and definitive clause, establishing the dual criteria for clean aquatic animals. The conjunction "and" (וְ) is crucial, emphasizing that both fins and scales must be present for a creature to be considered clean. The absence of either characteristic rendered the creature unclean and forbidden. This precise definition eliminated a wide range of aquatic life, including bottom-feeders, scavengers, and those without these specific physical attributes, thereby ensuring a particular standard of purity and distinction for the Israelite diet.
Literary Devices
Deuteronomy 14:9 employs several literary devices to convey its instruction with clarity and authority. The most prominent is Categorization, as the verse establishes a clear, binary classification of aquatic animals into "clean" (permissible) and "unclean" (forbidden) based on observable physical characteristics. This categorical approach is characteristic of legal texts within the Pentateuch, providing unambiguous guidelines for the community. There is also a strong element of Legal Language, utilizing imperative and declarative statements ("ye shall eat," "shall ye eat") to convey divine command and obligation, leaving no room for ambiguity regarding the expected behavior. Furthermore, the verse employs Synecdoche, where "fins and scales" (parts) stand as metonymic markers for the entire class of creatures that possess them, serving as easily identifiable criteria for the whole. This concise phrasing facilitates easy identification and adherence to the law.
Theological and Thematic Connections
The dietary laws, including those pertaining to aquatic creatures, were not arbitrary rules but served profound theological purposes for ancient Israel. They were a tangible expression of God's desire for His people to live a life of holiness and distinction, reflecting His own character. By adhering to these regulations, Israel demonstrated their obedience to the covenant and affirmed their unique identity as a nation set apart for Yahweh. The laws fostered discipline, discernment, and a constant awareness of God's presence in their daily lives, transforming mundane acts of eating into acts of worship and remembrance of their covenant Lord. This distinction underscored their separation from the idolatrous practices of surrounding nations, reinforcing their commitment to monotheism and purity, and preparing them to be a light to the nations.
Reflection and Application
While the literal adherence to the Mosaic dietary laws is no longer binding for New Covenant believers, the underlying principles of Deuteronomy 14:9 remain profoundly relevant for spiritual formation. This verse serves as a powerful reminder that God cares about every aspect of our lives, including our daily choices, and calls us to live in a manner that reflects His holiness. For us today, this translates into exercising spiritual discernment in all areas—what we consume (not just physically, but spiritually through media, relationships, and influences), how we manage our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit, and how we interact with the world around us. The call to be distinct from the world, to live with discipline and intentionality, and to honor God in all things, is a timeless principle that transcends specific dietary codes. Our "cleanliness" now stems from Christ's atoning work, enabling us to pursue practical holiness in our conduct, attitudes, and priorities, demonstrating our unique identity as God's redeemed people and bearing witness to His transformative power.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What was the primary purpose of the dietary laws for ancient Israel, as exemplified by Deuteronomy 14:9?
The primary purpose of the dietary laws, including the specific criteria for aquatic animals in Deuteronomy 14:9, was multifaceted and deeply theological. Foremost, they served as a tangible means of establishing and maintaining Israel's holiness and distinction as God's chosen people. By adhering to these unique regulations, Israel was visibly set apart from the surrounding pagan nations, preventing assimilation into their idolatrous practices and reinforcing their covenant relationship with Yahweh. The laws also fostered obedience and discipline, teaching the Israelites to submit to divine authority in all aspects of life, even the mundane act of eating. While not explicitly stated as a primary reason, these laws also contributed to purity and well-being, guiding the people away from potentially harmful or scavenging creatures, which often carried higher risks of disease in ancient times. Ultimately, these dietary codes transformed daily sustenance into a constant reminder of their unique identity and their commitment to a holy God, preparing them to live as a consecrated nation in the Promised Land. This historical context helps us understand why, under the New Covenant, these specific food laws are no longer binding for believers, as articulated in passages like Acts 10:15 and Romans 14:17.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Deuteronomy 14:9, with its emphasis on external purity through dietary distinctions, finds its ultimate fulfillment and reinterpretation in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The Old Covenant laws, including those concerning clean and unclean foods, served as a "shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ" (Colossians 2:17). Jesus Himself declared a revolutionary truth, stating that "nothing outside a person can defile him by going into him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him" (Mark 7:15). This profound teaching, later affirmed by Peter's vision in Acts 10, effectively abolished the ceremonial food laws, signifying that true purity is not achieved through external adherence to dietary codes but through an internal transformation of the heart. Christ, the ultimate Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, cleanses us from all unrighteousness, making us truly holy and distinct, not by what we eat, but by His atoning sacrifice. Thus, the call to holiness remains, but it is now realized through faith in Him, enabling us to live lives of genuine purity and distinction, empowered by the Spirit, rather than by adherence to a legalistic system of "food and drink and various washings" (Hebrews 9:10).