SCRIPTURAL GUIDING PRINCIPLE FOR DETERMINING CLEAN AND UNCLEAN FOOD
The Bible has given a list of animals and things that should not be eaten (Leviticus 11; Isaiah 66:17; Genesis 7:2; Leviticus 7:22-27; Deuteronomy 14). However, the lists given in the references listed are not exhaustive but can be used as a first-principle guideline for determining whether an animal is clean or unclean. Please refer to our article on The Physical and Spiritual Dangers of Eating Unclean Meats.
CLEAN BIRDS
Deuteronomy 14:11 “Of all clean birds ye shall eat.”
These may be eaten:
Sagehen, Chicken, Turkey, Grouse, Partridge, Pheasant, Pigeon, Prairie chicken, Ptarmigan, Quail.
UNCLEAN BIRDS
Deuteronomy 14:11-20
“11 Of all clean birds ye shall eat. 12 But these are they of which ye shall not eat: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, 13 And the glede, and the kite, and the vulture after his kind, 14 And every raven after his kind, 15 And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind, 16 The little owl, and the great owl, and the swan, 17 And the pelican, and the gier eagle, and the cormorant, 18 And the stork, and the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat. 19 And every creeping thing that flieth is unclean unto you: they shall not be eaten. 20 But of all clean fowls ye may eat.”
Leviticus 11:13-20
“And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, And the vulture, and the kite after his kind; Every raven after his kind; And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind, And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl, And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle, And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat. All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you.”
Eagle, vulture, ossifrage, ospray, kite, owl, hawk, cuckow, cormorant, swan, pelican, stork, heron, lapwing, bat
CLEAN ANIMALS
Leviticus 11:3
“3 Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.”
Deuteronomy 14:5-6
“5 The hart, and the roebuck, and the fallow deer, and the wild goat, and the pygarg, and the wild ox, and the chamois. 6 And every beast that parteth the hoof, and cleaveth the cleft into two claws, and cheweth the cud among the beasts, that ye shall eat.”
Antelope, Bison (buffalo), Caribou, Cattle (beef, veal), Deer (venison), Elk, Gazelle, goat, Hart, Ibex, Moose, Ox, Reindeer, Sheep (lamb, mutton).
UNCLEAN ANIMALS
Leviticus 11:4-7
“4 Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. 5 And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. 6 And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. 7 And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.”
Leviticus 11:26-27
“26 The carcases of every beast which divideth the hoof, and is not clovenfooted, nor cheweth the cud, are unclean unto you: every one that toucheth them shall be unclean. 27 And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on all four, those are unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even.”
Rabbit, hare, pig, peccary, boar, camel, horse, donkey, zebra, mule, Apes, bears, canines such as dogs and wolves, felines such as cats and lions.
CLEAN SEAFOOD—FISH WITH FINS AND SCALES
Leviticus 11:9
“9 These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat.”
Anchovy, Barracuda, Bass, Black Pomfret, Bluefish, Bluegill, Carp, Cod, Crappie, Drum, Flounder, Grouper, Grunt, Haddock, Hake, Halibut, Hardhead, Herring, Kingfish, Mackerel, Mahimahi, dolphinfish (not the mammal dolphin), Minnow, Mullet, Perch, Pike, Pollack, Rockfish, Salmon, Sardine, Shad, Silver hake, Smelt, Snapper, Sole, Steelhead, Sucker, Sunfish, Tarpon, Trout, Tuna, Whitefish.
CLEAN INSECTS
Leviticus 11:21-22
“21 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; 22 Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind.”
Locust, bald locust, beetle, grasshopper
UNCLEAN INSECTS
Leviticus 11:41-42
“41 And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination; it shall not be eaten. 42 Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon all four, or whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they are an abomination.”
Leviticus 11:23
“But all other flying creeping things, which have four feet, shall be an abomination unto you.”
All insects, except the locust, the bald locust, the beetle, the grasshopper after their kind:
UNCLEAN SEAFOOD
Leviticus 11:10
“And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you”
Shellfish (Abalone, Clam, Crab, Crayfish, Lobster, Mussel, Prawn, Oyster, Scallop, Shrimp) Soft body (Cuttlefish, Jellyfish, Limpet, Octopus, calamari), Sea mammals (Dolphin, Otter, Porpoise, Seal, Walrus, Whale), Fish with no fins and no scales (Bullhead, Catfish, Eel, European Turbot, Marlin, Paddlefish, Sculpin, Shark, Stickleback, Squid, Sturgeon (includes most caviar), Swordfish)
UNCLEAN—REPTILES
Leviticus 11:29-30
“These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind, And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole.”
Reptiles (Alligator, Caiman, Crocodile, Lizard, Snake, Turtle), Amphibians (Blindworm, Frog, Newt, Salamander, Toad), snail, mole, mouse, rat:
I’m impressed, I have to admit. Rarely do I encounter a blog that’s
equally educative and amusing, and without a doubt, you have hit
the nail on the head. The problem is an issue that not enough folks are speaking intelligently about.
I’m very happy I stumbled across this in my hunt for something regarding this.
I love this dietary law explanation. May I ask, though.. When Jesus said “it is not what goes into the mouth that defileth a man, but what comes out of it that defileths a man” Matthew 15:11 (New Covenant/Testament), did that not also mean food as well? I’m officially confused.
Here, the context is eating with unwashed hand and not about changing the food laws given in Leviticus 11. In those days, it was a tradition instituted by man and not by God to eat with washed hands. And anyone who eats with unwashed hand is seen as defiled. Jesus had to explain to them that this is your tradition and not the word of God. If you eat with unwashed hand, the dirt on your hand don’t defile you. However, things like hatred, covetousness, envy–they all come from the heart and they defile a man.
Read our article on: IS THE LAW DONE AWAY WITH to get more understanding on this: https://thetruthunveiled.com/is-the-law-done-away-with/
Way cool! Some extremely valid points! I appreciate you writing this article and the
rest of the website is very good.
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Thanks for finally writing about > God’s Dietary Instructions -
The Truth As It Once Was < Liked it!
How do you explain Acts Chapters 10,11,15,21,22 and 23? There are other examples throughout the NT as well. These Chapters clarify the Law of Moses (in particular the Levitical Law) as it pertains to Gentile believers in Christ.
4 things are expounded upon: 1) Don’t eat food sacrificed to idols. 2) Don’t eat anything with the blood (aka raw). 3) Don’t eat strangled meats/animals. 4) Abstain from fornication.
Please explain how you get to your stated above conclusion for Gentile Christians in light of these chapters from Acts.
Thank you.
Thanks for your question. The article in the link below addresses most of the points in your question. Please read this article, and if after reading you still have things that need to be clarified, please drop a comment. Thank you. https://thetruthunveiled.com/acts-15-explained/
[1Ti 4:4-5 KJV] 4 For every creature of God [is] good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
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Given way after Leviticus. What you are saying is that the sacrifice of Messiah was not quite enough. Yes, it must be the blood of Jesuha and don’t eat lobster. Makes perfect sense…
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Just so everyone is aware, there are food providers who have substituted unclean food sources for clean; i.e. swai and/or basa for other clean fish, adding pork to soy products, adding worms to foodstuffs, etc. Just be diligent in your restaurant selections. Anyway HaSatan can adulterate those who wish to maintain biblical standards, he will do. Hollywood actors eat grub worms and spiders on camera and then go back to their mansions and eat steak, trying to get the average Joe to adhere to what’s coming down the pike. Blessings and shalom to you and yours.