Food That Is “Clean” and Food That Is Not

11 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron. He said to them, 2“Speak to the people of Israel. Tell them, ‘Many animals live on land. Here are the only ones you can eat. 3You can eat any animal that has hoofs that are separated completely in two. But it must also chew the cud.

4“ ‘Some animals only chew the cud. Some only have hoofs that are separated in two. You must not eat those animals.

“ ‘Camels chew the cud. But their hoofs are not separated in two. So they are not “clean” for you.

5“ ‘Rock badgers chew the cud. But their hoofs are not separated in two. So they are not “clean” for you.

6“ ‘Rabbits chew the cud. But their hoofs are not separated in two. So they are not “clean” for you.

7“ ‘Pigs have hoofs that are separated completely in two. But they do not chew the cud. So they are not “clean” for you.

8“ ‘You must not eat the meat of those animals. You must not even touch their dead bodies. They are not “clean” for you.

9“ ‘Many creatures live in the water of the oceans and streams. You can eat all of those that have fins and scales.

10“ ‘But be sure to avoid all of the creatures in the oceans or streams that do not have fins and scales. That includes all of those that move together in groups and all of those that do not. 11Be sure to avoid them. Do not eat their meat. Do not even touch their dead bodies. 12Be sure to avoid everything that lives in the water that does not have fins and scales.

13“ ‘Here are the birds you must be sure to avoid. Do not eat them. Be sure to avoid them.

“ ‘They include eagles, vultures and black vultures. 14They include red kites and all kinds of black kites. 15They include all kinds of ravens. 16They include horned owls, screech owls, gulls and all kinds of hawks.

17“ ‘They include little owls, cormorants and great owls. 18They include white owls, desert owls and ospreys. 19They also include storks, hoopoes, bats and all kinds of herons.

20“ ‘Be sure to avoid every flying insect that walks on all fours. 21But you can eat some creatures that have wings and walk on all fours. Their legs have joints so they can hop on the ground.

22“ ‘Here are the insects you can eat. You can eat all kinds of locusts, katydids, crickets and grasshoppers. 23But be sure to avoid every other creature that has wings and four legs.

24“ ‘You will make yourselves “unclean” if you eat those things. If you touch their dead bodies, you will be “unclean” until evening. 25If a person picks up one of their dead bodies, he must wash his clothes. He will be “unclean” until evening.

26“ ‘Suppose an animal has hoofs that are not separated completely in two. Or suppose an animal does not chew the cud. Then those animals are not “clean” for you. If you touch the dead body of any of them, you will not be “clean.”

27“ ‘Many animals walk on all fours. But those that walk on their paws are not “clean” for you. Anyone who touches their dead bodies will be “unclean” until evening. 28If he picks up their dead bodies, he must wash his clothes. He will be “unclean” until evening. They are not “clean” for him.

29“ ‘Many animals move around on the ground. Here are the ones that are not “clean” for you. They include weasels, rats and all kinds of large lizards. 30They also include geckos, monitor lizards, wall lizards, skinks and chameleons. 31Those are the animals that move around on the ground that are not “clean” for you. If you touch their dead bodies, you will be “unclean” until evening.

32“ ‘Suppose one of them dies and falls on something. Then that article will not be “clean.” It does not matter what it is used for. It does not matter whether it is made out of wood, cloth, hide or black cloth. Put it in water. It will be “unclean” until evening. After that, it will be “clean.”

33“ ‘Suppose one of those animals falls into a clay pot. Then everything that is in the pot will be “unclean.” You must break the pot. 34Any food that could be eaten but has water on it that came from that pot is not “clean.” And any liquid that could be drunk from it is not “clean.”

35“ ‘Anything that the dead body of one of those animals falls on becomes “unclean.” If it is an oven or cooking pot, break it. It is “unclean.” And you must consider it “unclean.”

36“ ‘But a spring or a well for collecting water remains “clean.” That is true even if the dead body of one of those animals falls into it. But anyone who touches the dead body is not “clean.”

37“ ‘If the dead body falls on any seeds that have not been planted yet, the seeds remain “clean.” 38But suppose water has already been put on the seeds. And suppose the dead body falls on them. Then they are not “clean” for you.

39“ ‘Suppose an animal you are allowed to eat dies. If anyone touches its dead body, he will be “unclean” until evening. 40If he eats part of the dead body, he must wash his clothes. He will be “unclean” until evening. If he picks up the dead body, he must wash his clothes. He will be “unclean” until evening.

41“ ‘Be sure to avoid every creature that moves around on the ground. Do not eat it. 42Do not eat any of those creatures. It does not matter whether they move on their bellies. It does not matter whether they walk on all fours or on many feet. Be sure to avoid them. 43Do not make yourselves “unclean” by eating any of those animals. Do not make yourselves “unclean” because of them. Do not let them make you “unclean.”

44“ ‘I am the Lord your God. Set yourselves apart. Be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves “unclean” by eating any creatures that move around on the ground. 45I am the Lord. I brought you up out of Egypt to be your God. So be holy, because I am holy.

46“ ‘Those are the rules about animals and birds. Those are the rules about every living thing that moves in the water. And those are the rules about every creature that moves around on the ground. 47You must be able to tell the difference between what is “clean” and what is not. You must also be able to tell the difference between the living creatures that can be eaten and those that can’t.’ ”