Leviticus 11:34

KJV

Of all meat which may be eaten, [that] on which [such] water cometh shall be unclean: and all drink that may be drunk in every [such] vessel shall be unclean.

KJV (with Strong's)

Of all meat {H400} which may be eaten {H398}, that on which such water {H4325} cometh {H935} shall be unclean {H2930}: and all drink {H4945} that may be drunk {H8354} in every such vessel {H3627} shall be unclean {H2930}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Any food permitted to be eaten that water from such a vessel gets on will become unclean, and any permitted liquid in such a vessel will become unclean.

Berean Standard Bible

Any food coming into contact with water from that pot will be unclean, and any drink in such a container will be unclean.

American Standard Version

All food therein which may be eaten, that on which water cometh, shall be unclean; and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Leviticus 11:34 is a specific regulation within the broader dietary and purity laws of ancient Israel, detailing how otherwise clean food and drink can become ceremonially unclean through contact with water that has touched a dead, unclean carcass. This verse underscores the pervasive nature of ritual defilement and the meticulous care required of the Israelites to maintain their state of ceremonial purity, reflecting God's demand for holiness in every aspect of their lives, including daily consumption.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Leviticus 11 establishes a comprehensive set of dietary laws for Israel, distinguishing between clean and unclean animals permissible or forbidden for consumption. The chapter begins with a general declaration of these laws ([Leviticus 11:1-8](/leviticus/11-1 "Leviticus 11:1-8 - Clean and Unclean Animals")), then details specific categories like aquatic creatures ([Leviticus 11:9-12](/leviticus/11-9 "Leviticus 11:9-12 - Aquatic Creatures")), birds ([Leviticus 11:13-19](/leviticus/11-13 "Leviticus 11:13-19 - Birds")), and swarming creatures ([Leviticus 11:20-23](/leviticus/11-20 "Leviticus 11:20-23 - Swarming Insects")). Following these classifications, the chapter transitions to discuss the defiling nature of dead carcasses, regardless of whether the animal was clean or unclean in life ([Leviticus 11:24-28](/leviticus/11-24 "Leviticus 11:24-28 - Contact with Carcasses")). Verses 29-38 then delve into how contact with specific dead "swarming things" (rodents, lizards, etc.) can defile various objects, including earthenware vessels, ovens, and even seeds. Verse 34 specifically extends this principle of defilement to food and drink that might come into contact with water from such an unclean source, highlighting the meticulousness of the purity code.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The laws in Leviticus were given to the Israelites shortly after their exodus from Egypt, as they prepared to enter the Promised Land and establish themselves as God's holy nation. These regulations served multiple purposes. Culturally, they distinguished Israel from the surrounding pagan nations, whose practices often involved cultic rituals with no such distinctions between clean and unclean. The detailed nature of these laws, including those concerning defilement by carcasses and the subsequent impact on food and drink, instilled a constant awareness of God's holiness and His pervasive presence in every aspect of life. While some practical benefits like hygiene might have been secondary, the primary intent was ceremonial and theological: to teach Israel about the absolute distinction between the holy and the profane, and the clean and the unclean, as explicitly stated in [Leviticus 10:10](/leviticus/10-10 "Leviticus 10:10 - Distinguishing between Holy and Profane"). This system of purity laws created a framework for living in a covenant relationship with a holy God, emphasizing the need for separation from anything that would render them unfit for worship or fellowship with Him.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Unclean (Hebrew, _ṭāmē'_):** This term is central to Leviticus 11 and the entire purity code. It does not primarily denote physical dirtiness or disease, but rather a state of ritual impurity that renders a person, object, or food unfit for sacred purposes, participation in worship, or approaching God. In this verse, water that has touched a carcass becomes _ṭāmē'_, and anything it then touches also becomes _ṭāmē'_, illustrating the contagious nature of ceremonial defilement.
* **Vessel (Hebrew, _kĕlî'_):** This broad term refers to any container or implement. In the context of Leviticus 11:34, it specifically refers to a container for drink. The defilement of a vessel by contact with an unclean carcass (as described in prior verses) means that any drink placed within it also becomes unclean, emphasizing that the impurity permeates the container and its contents.
* **Water (Hebrew, _mayim'_):** Water, typically a symbol of cleansing and life, here becomes a conduit for defilement. The verse specifies "such water," referring to water that has come into contact with an unclean carcass (as per [Leviticus 11:32-33](/leviticus/11-32 "Leviticus 11:32-33 - Defilement of Vessels by Carcasses")). This highlights the extreme sensitivity of the purity laws, where even a life-giving substance can transmit ritual impurity if it interacts with a source of defilement.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Of all meat which may be eaten, [that] on which [such] water cometh shall be unclean:"** This clause establishes the principle that otherwise clean, edible food becomes ceremonially defiled if it comes into contact with water that has been contaminated by an unclean carcass. This highlights the pervasive nature of impurity, where even indirect contact through a medium like water can render something unfit for consumption by a pure Israelite. The emphasis is on the *source* of the water, not the inherent nature of the food itself.
* **"and all drink that may be drunk in every [such] vessel shall be unclean."** This second clause extends the principle of defilement to liquids. If a vessel (container) has become unclean through contact with a carcass (as per [Leviticus 11:32-33](/leviticus/11-32 "Leviticus 11:32-33 - Defilement of Vessels by Carcasses")), then any liquid placed within that vessel, even if the liquid itself was originally clean, becomes ritually unclean. This demonstrates that the impurity of the container transfers to its contents, reinforcing the idea that defilement is contagious and can permeate through contact.

#### Literary Devices
Leviticus 11:34 primarily employs **Legal Language** and **Categorization**. The verse is structured as a precise legal statute, defining specific conditions under which food and drink become ritually impure. It uses clear, declarative statements ("shall be unclean") characteristic of legal codes. The verse also utilizes **Categorization** by distinguishing between "meat which may be eaten" and "drink that may be drunk," applying the defilement rule to both solid and liquid consumables. This meticulous categorization ensures comprehensive coverage of potential defilement scenarios. Furthermore, there's an underlying **Symbolism** at play; the physical defilement of food and drink through contact with death (carcasses) serves as a tangible representation of the spiritual defilement that sin brings, and the need for absolute separation from anything that compromises holiness.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Leviticus 11:34, like the broader purity laws, serves as a profound theological lesson about the nature of holiness and the pervasive reality of sin. God's demand for holiness among His people required not only moral purity but also ceremonial purity, creating a tangible, daily awareness of the distinction between the sacred and the profane. The ease with which defilement could spread, even through a medium like water, underscored the contagious and corrupting nature of sin, highlighting humanity's inherent inability to maintain perfect purity on its own. These laws, therefore, were not merely arbitrary rules but pedagogical tools designed to impress upon Israel the absolute purity of God and their constant need for cleansing and separation to dwell in His presence.

* [Leviticus 11:44-45](/leviticus/11-44 "Leviticus 11:44-45 - Be Holy, For I Am Holy")
* [Haggai 2:13-14](/haggai/2-13 "Haggai 2:13-14 - The Spread of Uncleanness")
* [Romans 14:14](/romans/14-14 "Romans 14:14 - Nothing is Unclean in Itself")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
While the specific ceremonial laws of Leviticus, including these dietary and defilement regulations, are not directly binding on New Covenant believers (as clarified in passages like [Acts 10:15](/acts/10-15 "Acts 10:15 - Peter's Vision") and [Mark 7:19](/mark/7-19 "Mark 7:19 - Jesus Declares All Foods Clean")), the underlying spiritual principles remain profoundly relevant. Leviticus 11:34 powerfully illustrates the pervasive and corrupting nature of sin. Just as a seemingly small contact with defilement could render food and drink unclean, so too can seemingly minor compromises or exposures to the world's defiling influences corrupt our spiritual purity. This verse calls us to a vigilant awareness of what we allow into our lives—what we consume, what we interact with, and what influences we permit—recognizing that spiritual defilement can spread subtly. It reminds us of the constant need for spiritual discernment and cleansing, not through ritual washings, but through the transformative power of God's Word and the atoning work of Christ. Our call is to live a life set apart for God, avoiding the defilement of worldly values and practices, and striving for a holiness that reflects His own character in our thoughts, words, and deeds.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my life might "unclean water" (defiling influences) be subtly affecting my spiritual purity?**
* **How does the pervasive nature of ritual uncleanness in this verse help me understand the pervasive nature of sin in my own life or in society?**
* **What practical steps can I take to be more discerning about the "vessels" (influences, media, relationships) that carry spiritual "drink" into my life?**

### FAQ

**Does this verse mean that all water is unclean if it touches anything dead?**

Answer: No, this verse specifically refers to "such water" which implies water that has come into contact with a dead, unclean carcass, as detailed in the preceding verses of [Leviticus 11](/leviticus/11 "Leviticus 11 - Clean and Unclean Animals"). The primary concern is the transmission of ceremonial impurity from a source of defilement (a carcass) through water to otherwise clean food or drink. It's not a blanket condemnation of all water, but a specific regulation within the purity laws designed to prevent the spread of ritual uncleanness.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Leviticus 11:34, with its meticulous rules about the spread of defilement, ultimately points to the profound need for a perfect and final cleansing that no Old Covenant ritual could provide. The ease with which physical objects and even food could become unclean highlights humanity's pervasive state of spiritual defilement due to sin. This constant cycle of defilement and temporary cleansing rituals (like those described in [Leviticus 16](/leviticus/16 "Leviticus 16 - The Day of Atonement")) foreshadowed the ultimate solution found in Jesus Christ. He is the one who, unlike the water in this verse, does not transmit impurity but rather purifies all that He touches. His sacrifice on the cross, as the [Lamb of God](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), perfectly cleanses us from all sin, rendering us truly clean before God, not by external ritual, but by an internal transformation ([Hebrews 9:14](/hebrews/9-14 "Hebrews 9:14 - Cleansing by Christ's Blood")). Through faith in Him, believers are declared righteous and holy, fulfilling the deep longing for purity that the Levitical laws so vividly expressed ([2 Corinthians 5:21](/2_corinthians/5-21 "2 Corinthians 5:21 - Christ Our Righteousness")). He is the true source of living water that cleanses eternally, making us fit to dwell in God's holy presence without fear of defilement ([John 4:14](/john/4-14 "John 4:14 - Living Water")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.