Leviticus 11:21

Verse

However, you may eat the following kinds of flying insects that walk on all fours: those having jointed legs above their feet for hopping on the ground.

American Standard Version (1901)

Yet these may ye eat of all winged creeping things that go upon all fours, which have legs above their feet, wherewith to leap upon the earth;

Bible in Basic English

But of the winged four-footed things, those which have long legs for jumping on the earth you may have for food;

Douay-Rheims 1899

But whatsoever walketh upon four feet, but hath the legs behind longer, wherewith it hoppeth upon the earth,

Free Bible Version

But you can eat the following kinds of flying insects that crawl: those that have jointed legs they use to jump.

Geneva Bible 1599

Yet these shall ye eate: of euery foule that creepeth, and goeth vpon all foure which haue their feete and legs all of one to leape withal vpon the earth,

King James (Authorized) Version

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;

One Unity Resource Bible

Yet you may eat these: of all winged creeping things that go on all fours, which have legs above their feet, with which to hop on the earth.

Translation for Translators

But you are permitted to eat creatures with wings that sometimes walk on the ground if they have jointed legs for hopping around.

Unlocked Literal Bible

Yet you may eat any of the flying insects that also walk on four legs if they have jointed legs for hopping on the ground.

Noah Webster Bible

Yet these may ye eat, of every flying creeping animal that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap with upon the earth;

World English Bible

Yet you may eat these: of all winged creeping things that go on all fours, which have long, jointed legs for hopping on the earth.

Young's Literal Translation

'Only — this ye do eat of any teeming thing which is flying, which is going on four, which hath legs above its feet, to move with them on the earth;

Context

Clean and Unclean Animals

²⁰All flying insects that walk on all fours are detestable to you.²¹However, you may eat the following kinds of flying insects that walk on all fours: those having jointed legs above their feet for hopping on the ground.²²Of these you may eat any kind of locust, katydid, cricket, or grasshopper.

Summary

This verse lists the various flying insects that are considered unclean for consumption according to the dietary laws given to the Israelites. It specifically mentions four types of winged insects that walk on all fours, distinguishing them as detestable creatures that should not be eaten. The dietary restrictions outlined in Leviticus served to set apart the Israelites as a holy people, emphasizing the importance of obedience and purity in their relationship with God. These laws also symbolically represented the need for spiritual discernment and separation from impurity in their daily lives.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Which have legs above their feet - This appears to refer to the different kinds of locusts and grasshoppers, which have very remarkable hind legs, long, and with high joints, projecting above their backs, by which they are enabled to spring up from the ground, and leap high and far.

John Gill Bible Commentary

Yet these may ye eat,.... Which are after described and named: of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four; even though it is a creeping thing that flies and goes upon four feet, provided they be such: which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth; there is a double reading of this clause; the textual reading is, "which have not legs", and is followed by several interpreters and translators; and the marginal reading, which we follow, is, "which have legs"; and both are to be regarded as true, and written by Moses, as Ainsworth observes; for locusts are born without legs, and yet creep low, as Pliny asserts (z), and they have them afterwards; and it is a canon of the Jews, that what have not legs or wings now, or have not wings to cover the greatest part of them, but shall have after a time when grown up, these are as free (to eat) now, as when grown up (a). Dr. Shaw thinks (b) the words may bear this construction, "which have knees upon" or "above their hinder legs, to leap withal upon the earth"; and applying this to the locust afterwards, and only instanced in, he observes, that this has the two hindermost of its legs and feet much stronger, larger, and longer than any of the foremost. In them the knee, or the articulation of the leg and thigh, is distinguished by a remarkable bending or curvature, whereby it is able, whenever prepared, to jump, to spring, or raise itself up with great force and activity. And these Aristotle (c) calls the leaping parts; and though he attributes to the locust six feet, as does also Pliny (d), yet he takes the two leaping parts into the account; whereas Moses distinguishes those two from the four feet; and so Austin (e) observes, that Moses does not reckon among the feet the two hinder thighs with which locusts leap, which he calls clean, and thereby distinguishes them from such unclean flying creatures which do not leap with their thighs, such as beetles; and so the Jewish writers always describe a clean locust as having four feet, and two legs, thighs, or knees. Maimonides (f) gives three signs of them, which are these, whatsoever has four feet and four wings, which cover the greatest part of its body in length, and the greatest part of the compass of it, and has two thighs or knees to leap with, they are of the clean kind; and although its head is long, and it hath a tail, if its name is "chagob" (a locust) it is clean. (z) Nat. Hist. l. 11. c. 29. (a) Maimon. ib. c. 1. sect. 23. (b) Travels, p. 420. (c) De Part. Animal. l. 4. c. 6. (d) Nat. Hist. l. 11. c. 48. (e) Retract. l. 2. c. 15. (f) Maacolot Asurot, c. 1. sect. 22.

Leviticus 11:21

Clean and Unclean Animals

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

However, you may eat the following kinds of flying insects that walk on all fours: those having jointed legs above their feet for hopping on the ground.

American Standard Version (1901)

Yet these may ye eat of all winged creeping things that go upon all fours, which have legs above their feet, wherewith to leap upon the earth;

Bible in Basic English

But of the winged four-footed things, those which have long legs for jumping on the earth you may have for food;

Douay-Rheims 1899

But whatsoever walketh upon four feet, but hath the legs behind longer, wherewith it hoppeth upon the earth,

Free Bible Version

But you can eat the following kinds of flying insects that crawl: those that have jointed legs they use to jump.

Geneva Bible 1599

Yet these shall ye eate: of euery foule that creepeth, and goeth vpon all foure which haue their feete and legs all of one to leape withal vpon the earth,

King James (Authorized) Version

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;

One Unity Resource Bible

Yet you may eat these: of all winged creeping things that go on all fours, which have legs above their feet, with which to hop on the earth.

Translation for Translators

But you are permitted to eat creatures with wings that sometimes walk on the ground if they have jointed legs for hopping around.

Unlocked Literal Bible

Yet you may eat any of the flying insects that also walk on four legs if they have jointed legs for hopping on the ground.

Noah Webster Bible

Yet these may ye eat, of every flying creeping animal that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap with upon the earth;

World English Bible

Yet you may eat these: of all winged creeping things that go on all fours, which have long, jointed legs for hopping on the earth.

Young's Literal Translation

'Only — this ye do eat of any teeming thing which is flying, which is going on four, which hath legs above its feet, to move with them on the earth;

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Leviticus 11:21

Verse

Context

Clean and Unclean Animals

Summary

Commentary

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes

Leviticus 11:21

Clean and Unclean Animals

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes