Leviticus 11:12 — Word Study
WLCכֹּ֣ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵֽין־ ל֛וֹ סְנַפִּ֥יר וְקַשְׂקֶ֖שֶׂת בַּמָּ֑יִם שֶׁ֥קֶץ ה֖וּא לָכֶֽם׃
BSAEverythingkôl [all, the entirety] in the watermayim [liquid, source of refreshment] thatʼăsher does notʼayin finsçᵉnappîyr [collectively, as a fish] and scalesqasqeseth [a coat of mail, armor] shall be detestablesheqets [is considered, an abomination, utterly disgusting]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| כֹּ֣ל | all | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | that | Particle |
| אֵֽין־ | not | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| ל֛וֹ | [belong] to it | Preposition, suffix |
| סְנַפִּ֥יר | fin | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| וְקַשְׂקֶ֖שֶׂת | and scale | Conjunction, noun common feminine singular absolute |
| בַּמָּ֑יִם | in the waters | Preposition, noun common masculine plural absolute |
| שֶׁ֥קֶץ | [is] a detestable thing | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| ה֖וּא | it | Pronoun |
| לָכֶֽם׃ | to you | Preposition, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Everything in the water that does not have fins and scales shall be detestable to you. |
| KJV | Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you. |
| ASV | Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that is an abomination unto you. |
| YLT | 'Any one that hath not fins and scales in the waters — an abomination it [is] to you. |
| WEB | Whatever has no fins nor scales in the waters is an abomination to you. |
| BBE | Anything in the water which has no special parts for swimming and no thin plates on its skin is disgusting to you. |
Where they part company is שֶׁקֶץ — see How Translations Differ.
The main clause is straightforward, with a relative clause providing the condition for what is detestable.




5 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
subjectהוּא
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Leviticus 11:12
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Dietary Laws in Leviticusgenerated
Leviticus 11:12 provides specific instructions regarding what the Israelites are permitted to eat from the waters. This verse emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between clean and unclean animals, a recurring theme in the dietary laws set forth in this chapter. The guidelines serve to maintain the holiness and purity of the Israelite community as they follow God's commandments.
Cross References
The Key Word — כֹּל, kolgenerated
The word כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the entirety.' It signifies totality and encompasses everything within a specified category. In this verse, it refers to everything in the water, indicating a comprehensive scope of the dietary restriction.
Used frequently throughout the Old Testament, כֹּל emphasizes the inclusivity of the command, highlighting that no aquatic creature lacking fins and scales is acceptable for consumption.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In this study, the verse is examined according to the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the term detestable.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main clause is governed by the subject כֹּל (kol), meaning 'all', followed by a relative clause introduced by אֲשֶׁר (asher), specifying the creatures in question. The structure clearly delineates what is being referred to and the conditions that render them unacceptable.
The verb phrase שֶׁקֶץ (sheqets) serves as the predicate, indicating the nature of the subject, which is further emphasized by the prepositional phrase לָכֶם (laKhem), indicating that these creatures are detestable 'to you.'
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates כֹּל as πάντα (panta), meaning 'all,' which aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning and reinforces the totality of the dietary prohibition.
The Greek word βδέλυγμα (bdelugma) is used for שֶׁקֶץ, indicating a strong sense of disgust and repulsion, similar to the original Hebrew connotation.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Leviticus 11:12 states that any creature in the water that lacks fins and scales is considered detestable to the Israelites. This verse is part of the laws given to help the people maintain purity in their diet, distinguishing between clean and unclean animals.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
In this context, detestable refers to something that is considered an abomination or filthy, which should not be consumed.
Fins and scales are characteristics of clean fish in the dietary laws, serving as a guideline for the Israelites to determine what is acceptable to eat.
Yes, Leviticus contains several dietary laws that outline what animals are clean and unclean, including guidelines for land animals, birds, and insects.
The application of these dietary laws varies among different religious groups, with some observing them strictly while others view them as part of the ancient covenant with Israel.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What dietary restrictions do I find most challenging to understand or follow?
- How can I apply the principles of purity and holiness in my own life today?
- In what ways do I discern what is acceptable or unacceptable in my own choices?
- How do these dietary laws reflect the relationship between the Israelites and God?
Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Leviticus 11:12 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleWhatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters,.... Which is repeated that they might take particular notice of this law, and be careful to observe it, this being the only sign given: that [shall
Read John Gill on Leviticus 11 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryWhatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you. Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales ... Fins are pectoral, ventral, dorsal, anal, and caudal. True fish have all, or at least some, of these.
Read Robert Jamieson on Leviticus 11 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsLeviticus 11:12 Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that [shall be] an abomination unto you.Ver. 12. Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales.] These are little in motion or action, and so not so wholesome as eels and lampreys, that lie lazily in the mud.
Read John Trapp on Leviticus 11 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and CollegesCh. Leviticus 11:1-23 [51]. The Distinction between Clean and Unclean Food [51] For the sources from which this ch. comes, and its relation from a critical point of view to Deuteronomy 14:3 ff. see App. I (c), pp. 162 f.One principle underlying this distinction appears to have been that animals which were recognised as in any way objects of worship by heathen neighbours, or even supposed by them to be connected with unseen supernatural beings, were to be considered unclean. See Bertholet in KHC., introd. note to this ch. But in other cases the prohibition probably rested on the animal’s repulsive appearance or uncleanly habits, or on sanitary or totemistic grounds. See Driver, Deut. p. 164…
Read Cambridge on Leviticus 11 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the BibleFISHES, Leviticus 11:9-12.No species of fish are here mentioned; the possession of both fins and scales is the line of demarcation between the clean and the unclean.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Leviticus 11 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Everything in the water that does not have fins and scales shall be detestable to you.
Whatever has no fins nor scales in the waters is an abomination to you.
Everything in the water that does not have fins and scales shall be detestable to you.
Any creature in the water that does not have both fins and scales is detestable to you.
Tyndale line
Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.
Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that is an abomination unto you.
Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that is an abomination unto you.
Whatever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination to you.
Whatsoeuer hath not fins nor skales in the waters, that shalbe abomination vnto you.
Strictly literal
Whatever in the waters hath no fins and scales, that shall be an abomination unto you.
'Any one that hath not fins and scales in the waters — an abomination it [is] to you.
Anything that does not have fins and scales in the waters—it [is] an abomination to you.
Whatsoever hath not fins and scales in the waters, shall be an abomination unto you.
Whatever has no fins or scales in the water must be detested by you.
From the Latin
All that have not fins and scales, in the waters, shall be unclean.
Simplified
All such water creatures that don't have fins and scales are to be repulsive to you.
Anything in the water which has no special parts for swimming and no thin plates on its skin is disgusting to you.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text is supported by the Septuagint and the Samaritan Pentateuch, which agree word for word. The Dead Sea Scrolls show some restoration, but the essential message remains consistent with the Masoretic Text.
כֹּ֣ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵֽין־ ל֛וֹ סְנַפִּ֥יר וְקַשְׂקֶ֖שֶׂת בַּמָּ֑יִם שֶׁ֥קֶץ ה֖וּא לָכֶֽם׃
10 of the 10 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
וכל אשׁר אין לו סנפיר וקשׂקשׂת במים שׁקץ הוא לכם
Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.
כל אשר אין ל׳ו סנפיר וקשקשת במים [שקץ] [הוא] [ל׳כם]
6 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 3 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Leviticus 11:12
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.
כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all
with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
Absolutely:
without the art., all things, all
with the art. הַכֹּל
where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
base
H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all
. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
3605 kol kole
or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;
hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a
plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any
(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as
many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,
whoso(-ever).
see HEBREW for 03634
כֹּל (kol) — all.
1) all, the whole
1a) all, the whole of
1b) any, each, every, anything
1c) totality, everything
Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.
(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.
(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).
The Hebrew word אֲשֶׁר (*asher*) is a relative pronoun that can mean 'who,' 'which,' or 'that.' It serves various grammatical functions, including as an adverb or conjunction, indicating relationships between clauses, places, or conditions. Variants like בַאֲשֶׁר (*ba-asher*), מֵאֲשֶׁר (*me-asher*), and כַּאֲשֶׁר (*ka-asher*) expand its usage to specific contexts such as location, causation, and time.
אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause.
base
בַאֲשֶׁר
in (that) which
adv. in (the place) where
conj. in that, inasmuch as
on account of whom?
base
מֵאֲשֶׁר
from (or than) that which
adv. from (the place) where
conj. from (the fact) that …, since
base
כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when
according to that which, according as, as
with a causal force, in so far as, since
with a temporal force, when
base
H834a אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause. H834b בַאֲשֶׁר . in (that) which
. adv. in (the place) where
. conj. in that, inasmuch as
. on account of whom?
H834c מֵאֲשֶׁר . from (or than) that which
. adv. from (the place) where
. conj. from (the fact) that …, since
H834d כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when . according to that which, according as, as
. with a causal force, in so far as, since
. with a temporal force, when
834 'aher ash-er'
a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number);
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction)
when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:--X after, X
alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, +
from whence, + how(-soever), X if, (so) that ((thing) which,
wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where
(+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, +
whither(- soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is
indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun
expletively, used to show the connection.
אֲשֶׁר (a.sher) — which.
A: 1) (relative part.)
1a) which, who
1b) that which
2) (conj)
2a) that (in obj clause)
2b) when
2c) since
2d) as
2e) conditional if
B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which
2) (adv)
2a) where
3) (conj)
3a) in that, inasmuch as
3b) on account of
C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which
2) from (the place) where
3) from (the fact) that, since
D: Kaph+
1) (conj.), according as, as, when
1a) according to that which, according as, as
1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since
1c) with a temporal force: when
בַאֲשֶׁר (ba.a.sher) — in which.
1) in (that) which
2) (adv)
2a) where
3) (conj)
3a) in that, inasmuch as
3b) on account of
מֵאֲשֶׁר (me.a.sher) — whence.
1) from (or than) that which
2) from (the place) where
3) from (the fact) that, since
כַּאֲשֶׁר (ka.a.sher) — as which.
conj
1) according as, as, when
1a) according to that which, according as, as
Rel — ParticleHTr
אַ֫יִן (ayin) primarily means 'nothing' or 'nought' and serves as a negative particle indicating absence or negation, such as 'is not' or 'there is not.' It can also express lack of possession or existence. The word is derived from a root meaning to be non-existent, and it appears frequently in various grammatical constructions.
אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought
to nothing, as nothing
cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not
אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not
in circumst. clauses
with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …
with prefixes
base
H369 אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought . to nothing, as nothing
. cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not
. אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not
. in circumst. clauses
. with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …
. with prefixes
369 'ayin ah'-yin
as if from a primitive root meaning to be nothing or not
exist; a non-entity; generally used as a negative
particle:--else, except, fail, (father-)less, be gone,
in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any,
thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable),
well-nigh, without. Compare 370.
see HEBREW for 0370
אַ֫יִן (a.yin) — nothing.
1) nothing, not, nought n
1a) nothing, nought neg
1b) not
1c) to have not (of possession) adv
1d) without w/prep
1e) for lack of
Part — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
וֹ (o) — him.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine singular
HRd/Sp3ms — Preposition · suffixHRd/Sp3ms
The Hebrew word סְנַפִּיר (senapir) means 'fin' and refers to fins collectively. Its derivation is uncertain, and it is used in the context of aquatic creatures in the Old Testament.
סְנַפִּיר n.[m.] fin
base
H5579 סְנַפִּיר fin
5579 cnappiyr sen-ap-peer'
of uncertain derivation; a fin (collectively):--fins.
סְנַפִּיר (se.nap.pir) — fin.
fin
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
See FISH.
קַשְׂקֶ֫שֶׂת (*qasqeseth*) refers to a scale, particularly that of fish or other aquatic animals. It is derived from a root meaning to shed, akin to bark. The term can also denote a coat of mail made of overlapping metal plates. The entries consistently emphasize its connection to scales, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
קַשְׂקֶ֫שֶׂת n.f. scale of fish, etc.
base
H7193 קַשְׂקֶ֫שֶׂת scale of fish, etc.
7193 qasqeseth kas-keh'-seth
by reduplication from an unused root meaning to shale off as
bark; a scale (of a fish); hence a coat of mail (as composed
of or covered with jointed plates of metal):--mail, scale.
קַשְׂקֶ֫שֶׂת (qas.qe.set) — scale.
scale (of fish, water animals)
Conj | N-fs — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular absoluteHC/Ncfsa
skal.
See SIEGE 4, (e); WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
מַי (mayim) is a Hebrew word meaning 'water' and is used in the plural form. It encompasses various meanings, including literal water, urine, and metaphorical uses related to refreshment or danger. The entries indicate it is derived from a primitive noun and is primarily referenced in contexts involving water.
[מַי] 580 n.m. only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water
base
H4325 מַי only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water
4325 mayim mah'-yim
dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense);
water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen:--+
piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).
מַי (ma.yim) — water.
1) water, waters
1a) water
1b) water of the feet, urine
1c) of danger, violence, transitory things, refreshment (fig.)
מַי (ma.yim) — Water (Gate).
This name means water, refreshment
Prep | N-mp — Preposition · noun common masculine plural absoluteHRd/Ncmpa
wo'-terz (mayim, plural of may, "water"; in the New Testament hudor, "water"; kindunois potamon (2Co 11:26), the King James Version "perils of waters," is in the Revised Version (British and American) "perils of rivers"): In the New Testament there is frequent reference to the water of baptism. Pilate washes his hands with water to signify his guiltlessness. Jesus tells the Samaritan woman of the living water. The Lamb shall guide the redeemed unto fountains of waters of life.
The uses of mayim are well classified in BDB, especially the figurative references, as follows: a symbol of distress, "when thou passest through the waters" (Isa 43:2); of force, "like the breach of waters" (2Sa 5:20); of that which is overwhelming, "a…
שֶׁ֫קֶץ (sheqets) refers to a detestable thing or abomination, often associated with idolatrous objects and filth. It is built from the root meaning of filth and carries a strong connotation of detestation. The term appears in contexts related to uncleanliness and idolatry.
שֶׁ֫קֶץ n.m. detestation, detestable thing
base
H8263 שֶׁ֫קֶץ detestation, detestable thing
8263 sheqets sheh'-kets
from 8262; filth, i.e. (figuratively and specifically) an
idolatrous object:--abominable(-tion).
see HEBREW for 08262
שֶׁ֫קֶץ (she.qets) — detestation.
detestable thing or idol, an unclean thing, an abomination, detestation
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
הוּא (hu) is a third-person singular pronoun meaning he, she, or it, used for emphasis or when no verb is present. It can also refer to oneself or serve as a demonstrative pronoun. The word has various nuances, including resuming the subject with emphasis or expressing it unobtrusively. It can indicate 'that' or 'those' when used with the definite article.
הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it
an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)
It resumes the subj. with emph.
Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible
It anticipates (as it seems) the subject
As an emph. predicate, of God
In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)
With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.
base
H1931 הוּא, הִיא he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it . an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)
. It resumes the subj. with emph.
. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible
. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject
. As an emph. predicate, of God
. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)
. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.
1931 huw' hoo
of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is hiyw {he}; a
primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or
it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also
(intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same;
sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally
(instead of copula) as or are:--he, as for her, him(-self),
it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they,
this, those, which (is), who.
הוּא (hu) — he/she/it.
pron 3p s
1) he, she, it
1a) himself (with emphasis)
1b) resuming subj with emphasis
1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate)
1d) (anticipating subj)
1e) (emphasising predicate)
1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron
2) that (with article)
HPp3ms — PronounHPp3ms
כֶם (khem) — you.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 2nd person masculine plural
HRd/Sp2mp — Preposition · suffixHRd/Sp2mp
