Leviticus 11:30 — Word Study
WLCוְהָאֲנָקָ֥ה וְהַכֹּ֖חַ וְהַלְּטָאָ֑ה וְהַחֹ֖מֶט וְהַתִּנְשָֽׁמֶת׃
BSAthe geckoʼănâqâh△ [a type of lizard] the monitor lizardkôach [land-crocodile] the common lizardlᵉṭâʼâh△ [wall lizard, or sand-lizard] the skinkchômeṭ△ [a small, agile reptile] and the chameleontanshemeth [possibly a type of lizard or unclean animal]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְהָאֲנָקָ֥ה | and the gecko | Conjunction, particle, noun common feminine singular absolute |
| וְהַכֹּ֖חַ | and the monitor lizard | Conjunction, particle, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| וְהַלְּטָאָ֑ה | and the wall lizard | Conjunction, particle, noun common feminine singular absolute |
| וְהַחֹ֖מֶט | and the skink | Conjunction, particle, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| וְהַתִּנְשָֽׁמֶת׃ | and the chameleon | Conjunction, particle, noun common feminine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | the gecko, the monitor lizard, the common lizard, the skink, and the chameleon. |
| KJV | And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole. |
| ASV | and the gecko, and the land-crocodile, and the lizard, and the sand-lizard, and the chameleon. |
| YLT | and the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole; |
| WEB | the gecko, and the monitor lizard, the wall lizard, the skink, and the chameleon. |
| BBE | And the ferret and the land crocodile and the lizard and the sand-lizard and the chameleon. |
All translations align in their rendering of the lizards listed in this verse.
The verse consists of a single main clause listing the unclean lizards.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
3 of 5 occur nowhere else in the Old Testament — words chosen on purpose.
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 11:30
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 11:30 lists several reptiles that are considered unclean for the Israelites. This verse is part of a broader set of laws that outlines which animals may be eaten and which should be avoided. The classification of these animals as unclean serves to maintain the holiness of the people and their practices, as outlined in the preceding and following verses.
Cross References
The Key Word — אֲנָקָה, ve.ha.'a.na.Kahgenerated
The word אֲנָקָה (anaqah) refers specifically to a type of lizard, likely a gecko, which was deemed unclean in biblical times. The parsing indicates it is a feminine singular noun, suggesting it refers to a specific kind of gecko rather than a general term for lizards.
The lexicons indicate that this word may also connect to an extinct species, and its exact identification remains uncertain. In the context of Leviticus 11:30, it emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between clean and unclean animals.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
All translations agree on the identification of the animals listed in this verse.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of the verse consists of a main clause that lists the unclean animals, with each type of lizard presented as a noun phrase following the conjunctions. The finite verb is implied in the context of the dietary laws.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on each lizard type as it is introduced, reflecting the importance of each category in the context of the laws.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the word for אֲנָקָה is rendered as ξαμαιλέων, which indicates a specific type of lizard. This choice may reflect a narrowing of the meaning from the Hebrew, suggesting a more precise identification.
The other lizard names in the Septuagint also correspond closely with the Hebrew, showing a consistent understanding of these creatures as unclean.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Leviticus 11:30 tells us about five types of lizards that are considered unclean: the gecko, the monitor lizard, the wall lizard, the skink, and the chameleon. These classifications are part of the dietary laws that guide the Israelites on what animals are permissible to eat.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
These lizards are identified as unclean based on the laws given to the Israelites in Leviticus, which delineate clean and unclean animals for dietary purposes.
The dietary laws serve to maintain the holiness of the Israelite community, setting them apart from other nations and reinforcing their identity as God's chosen people.
Modern interpretations may vary, but many scholars suggest that these classifications reflect ancient understandings of health and hygiene.
For many, these laws are seen as historical and cultural artifacts, while others may view them as still relevant for spiritual or dietary reasons.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What do these dietary laws reveal about the culture and values of the ancient Israelites?
- How can understanding the classification of clean and unclean animals inform our view of holiness today?
- In what ways can we apply the principles of these laws to our lives in terms of making healthy choices?
- What parallels can we draw between the dietary laws and other areas of life where we need to discern right from wrong?
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Leviticus 11:30 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd the ferret,.... Whatever creature is here meant, it has its name in Hebrew from the cry it makes; and so the ferret has but one note in its voice, which is a shrill, but small, whining cry: it is
Read John Gill on Leviticus 11 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole. The ferret , [ haa'anaaqaah (H604)].
Read Robert Jamieson on Leviticus 11 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsLeviticus 11:30 And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole.Ver. 30. The chameleon.] A very fearful creature, and therefore easily turning himself into sundry colours. Carnal fear puts men upon unwarrantable shifts. See Zephaniah 3:13.
Read John Trapp on Leviticus 11 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(30) And the ferret.—The ancient legal authorities explain this name (anβkβh), which only occurs here in the Hebrew Scriptures, by kipor or kipod, “an animal whose body is entirely covered with sharp prickles, and when touched the creature draws in its legs and rolls itself up in a ball.” Its skin in ancient days was tied round the udder of cows to prevent other reptiles sucking out their milk. There can, therefore, be no doubt that the administrators of the law took it to be the hedgehog. Some ancient versions, however, render it by shrew mouse, whilst some modern expositors make it the gecko. And the chameleon.—The ancient versions agree that by this animal (khτach), which denotes…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Leviticus 11 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 30. The ferret] אנקה anakah, from אנק anak, to groan, to cry out: a species of lizard, which derives its name from its piercing, doleful cry. See Bochart, vol. ii., col. 1066. The chameleon] כח coach. Bochart contends that this is the [Arabic] waril or guaril, another species of lizard, which derives its name from its remarkable strength and vigour in destroying serpents, the Hebrew כח cach signifying to be strong, firm, vigorous: it is probably the same with the mongoose, a creature still well known in India, where it is often domesticated in order to keep the houses free from snakes, rats, mice, &c. The lizard] לטאה letaah. Bochart contends that this also is a species of lizard…
Read AdamClarke on Leviticus 11 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges30. For the four words which follow see R.V. mg. They occur only in this verse. chameleon] mole A.V. following the versions. The same Heb. word is translated horned owl in Leviticus 11:18. It seems strange that so many kinds of lizards are mentioned; also that the same Heb. word should have two such different meanings in the same chapter.
Read Cambridge on Leviticus 11 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible30. The ferret — Hebrew anakah. It is agreed on all sides that “the ferret” is not intended. The Septuagint translates it μυγαλη, “shrew-mouse,” common in Galilee.
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
the gecko, the monitor lizard, the common lizard, the skink, and the chameleon.
the gecko, and the monitor lizard, the wall lizard, the skink, and the chameleon.
the gecko, the monitor lizard, the common lizard, the skink, and the chameleon.
the Mediterranean gecko, the spotted lizard, the wall gecko, the skink, and the chameleon.
Tyndale line
And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole.
and the gecko, and the land-crocodile, and the lizard, and the sand-lizard, and the chameleon.
and the gecko, and the land-crocodile, and the lizard, and the sand-lizard, and the chameleon.
And the ferret and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole.
Also the rat, and the lizard, and the chameleon, and the stellio, and the molle.
Strictly literal
and the groaning lizard, and the great red lizard, and the climbing lizard, and the chomet, and the chameleon.
and the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole;
and the gecko [[or ferret]], and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole;
And the hedgehog, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole.
the gecko, the monitor lizard, the lizard, the skink, and the chameleon.
From the Latin
The shrew, and the chameleon, and the stello, and the lizard, and the mole:
Simplified
geckos, monitor lizards, wall lizards, skinks, and chameleons.
And the ferret and the land crocodile and the lizard and the sand-lizard and the chameleon.
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, which matches four out of the five words listed. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs in two words, using לאטה (gecko) and מט (reptile) instead of the Hebrew terms.
וְהָאֲנָקָ֥ה וְהַכֹּ֖חַ וְהַלְּטָאָ֑ה וְהַחֹ֖מֶט וְהַתִּנְשָֽׁמֶת׃
4 of the 5 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.
והאנקה והכח והלאטה והמט והתנשׁמת
2 words differ from the Masoretic Text: לאטה (gecko), מט (reptile)
[והאנקה] [והכח] [והלטאה] והחמט והתנשמת
1 word on the leather — 1 partly restored, 3 supplied entire by an editor.
והאנקה [והכח] והלטאה והחמט והתנשמת
3 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 1 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 11:30
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.
אֲנָקָה (anaqah) refers to a type of lizard, likely a gecko, and is associated with unclean animals in the context of Leviticus 11:30. The exact meaning is uncertain, with some sources suggesting it may refer to an extinct species. It is linked to the similar term in Strong's H603.
אֲנָקָה n.f. ferret, or shrew-mouse, unclean animal Lv 11:30
ref
H604 אֲנָקָה
604 'anaqah an-aw-kaw'
the same as 603; some kind of lizard, probably the gecko
(from its wail):--ferret.
see HEBREW for 0603
אֲנָקָה (a.na.qah) — gecko.
1) an unclean animal, ferret, shrewmouse, gecko
1a) perhaps an extinct animal, exact meaning unknown
Conj | Art | N-fs — Conjunction · particle · noun common feminine singular absoluteHC/Td/Ncfsa
gek'-o (the Revised Version (British and American) for 'anaqah, only in Le 11:30; Septuagint mugale, "shrew mouse" or "field mouse"; the King James Version ferret): Probably a shrew or a field mouse.
See FERRET; LIZARD; SPIDER.
כֹּחַ (koach) refers to both a small reptile, likely a type of lizard, and the concepts of strength and power. The entries highlight its use in contexts of human and divine strength, as well as its association with wealth and capacity. Notably, it appears in Leviticus 11:30 regarding unclean animals.
כֹּחַ n.[m.] a small reptile, prob. a kind of lizard, in list of unclean creeping things Lv 11:30; chameleon
ref
כֹּחַ and כּוֹחַ n.m. strength, power
base
H3581a כֹּחַ a small reptile, prob. a kind of lizard, in list of unclean creeping things; chameleon H3581b כֹּחַ and כּוֹחַ strength, power
3581 koach ko'-akh
or (Dan. 11:6) kowach {ko'-akh}; from an unused root meaning
to be firm; vigor, literally (force, in a good or a bad sense)
or figuratively (capacity, means, produce); also (from its
hardiness) a large lizard: -ability, able, chameleon, force,
fruits, might, power(-ful), strength, substance, wealth.
כֹּחַ (ko.ach) — reptile.
1) a small reptile, probably a kind of lizard, which is unclean
1a) perhaps an extinct animal, exact meaning is unknown
כֹּחַ (ko.ach) — strength.
1) strength, power, might
1a) human strength
1b) strength (of angels)
1c) power (of God)
1d) strength (of animals)
1e) strength, produce, wealth (of soil)
Conj | Art | N-ms — Conjunction · particle · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Td/Ncmsa
liz'-ard: The list of unclean "creeping things" in Le 11:29,30 contains eight names, as follows:
1. Names:
(1) choledh, English Versions of the Bible "weasel" (which see);
(2) `akhbar, English Versions of the Bible "mouse" (which see);
(3) tsabh, the King James Version "tortoise," the Revised Version (British and American) "great lizard" (which see);
(4) 'anaqah, the King James Version "ferret," the Revised Version (British and American) "gecko" (which see);
(5) koach, the King James Version "chameleon," the Revised Version (British and American) "land-crocodile" (which see);
(6) leTa'ah, English Versions of the Bible "lizard"; compare Arabic laTa', "to cling to the ground";
(7) chormeT, the King James Version "snail," the Revised Version (British and American) "sand-lizard" (which see);
Lizard
Only in Lev. 11:30, as rendering of Hebrew letaah, so called from its “hiding.” Supposed to be the Lacerta gecko or fan-foot lizard, from the toes of which poison exudes. (See CHAMELEON.)
(that which clings to the ground) (Heb. letaah . (Leviticus 11:30) Lizards of various kinds abound in Egypt, Palestine and Arabia. The lizard denoted by the Hebrew word is probably the fan-foot lizard (Ptyodactylus gecko) which is common in Egypt and in parts of Arabia, and perhaps is found also in Palestine. It is reddish brown spotted with white. The gecko lives on insects and worms, which it swallows whole. It derives its name from the peculiar sound which some of the species utter.
A cold-blooded animal, with much resemblance to the serpent, but having four feet. Large numbers are found in Syria, varying greatly in size, appearance, and place of abode; some dwelling partly in water, and others on the rocks of the desert, or among old ruins. Lizards were unclean by the Levitical law, Le 11:30.
לְטָאָה (lta'ah) refers to a type of lizard, noted for its unclean status in Leviticus 11:30. The term is derived from an unused root meaning to hide, reflecting the lizard's covert habits. There is some uncertainty regarding its exact identity, with suggestions that it may refer to an extinct species.
לְטָאָה n.f. a kind of lizard;—named as unclean Lv 11:30
ref
H3911 לְטָאָה
3911 lta'ah let-aw-aw'
from an unused root meaning to hide; a kind of lizard (from
its covert habits):--lizard.
לְטָאָה (le.ta.ah) — lizard.
1) a kind of lizard
1a) named as being unclean
1b) perhaps an extinct animal, exact meaning is unknown
Conj | Art | N-fs — Conjunction · particle · noun common feminine singular absoluteHC/Td/Ncfsa
liz'-ard: The list of unclean "creeping things" in Le 11:29,30 contains eight names, as follows:
1. Names:
(1) choledh, English Versions of the Bible "weasel" (which see);
(2) `akhbar, English Versions of the Bible "mouse" (which see);
(3) tsabh, the King James Version "tortoise," the Revised Version (British and American) "great lizard" (which see);
(4) 'anaqah, the King James Version "ferret," the Revised Version (British and American) "gecko" (which see);
(5) koach, the King James Version "chameleon," the Revised Version (British and American) "land-crocodile" (which see);
(6) leTa'ah, English Versions of the Bible "lizard"; compare Arabic laTa', "to cling to the ground";
(7) chormeT, the King James Version "snail," the Revised Version (British and American) "sand-lizard" (which see);
Lizard
Only in Lev. 11:30, as rendering of Hebrew letaah, so called from its “hiding.” Supposed to be the Lacerta gecko or fan-foot lizard, from the toes of which poison exudes. (See CHAMELEON.)
(that which clings to the ground) (Heb. letaah . (Leviticus 11:30) Lizards of various kinds abound in Egypt, Palestine and Arabia. The lizard denoted by the Hebrew word is probably the fan-foot lizard (Ptyodactylus gecko) which is common in Egypt and in parts of Arabia, and perhaps is found also in Palestine. It is reddish brown spotted with white. The gecko lives on insects and worms, which it swallows whole. It derives its name from the peculiar sound which some of the species utter.
A cold-blooded animal, with much resemblance to the serpent, but having four feet. Large numbers are found in Syria, varying greatly in size, appearance, and place of abode; some dwelling partly in water, and others on the rocks of the desert, or among old ruins. Lizards were unclean by the Levitical law, Le 11:30.
חֹ֫מֶט (chomet) refers to a type of lizard mentioned in the context of unclean animals in Leviticus 11:30. Its exact identity is uncertain, and it may represent an extinct species. The word is derived from a root that likely means 'to lie low,' suggesting its creeping nature.
חֹ֫מֶט n.[m.] a kind of lizard, only in list of unclean creeping animals Lv 11:30
ref
H2546 חֹ֫מֶט
2546 chomet kho'met
from an unused root probably meaning, to lie low; a lizard
(as creeping):--snail.
חֹ֫מֶט (cho.met) — lizard.
1) a kind of lizard, only in list of unclean animals
1a) perhaps an extinct animal, exact meaning is unknown
Conj | Art | N-ms — Conjunction · particle · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Td/Ncmsa
תִּנְשֶׁ֫מֶת (tanshemeth) refers to an unclean animal, specifically a bird and a lizard, with possible identifications including the ibis, water-hen, and chameleon. The exact meaning remains uncertain, as it may also refer to an extinct species. The term is derived from a root meaning 'hard breather' and reflects the characteristics of these creatures.
תִּנְשֶׁ֫מֶת n.f. an animal
unclean bird, the ibis, water-hen
unclean, lizard, or chameleon
base
H8580 תִּנְשֶׁ֫מֶת an animal . unclean bird, the ibis, water-hen
. unclean, lizard, or chameleon
8580 tanshemeth tan-sheh'-meth
from 5395; properly, a hard breather, i.e. the name of two
unclean creatures, a lizard and a bird (both perhaps from
changing color through their irascibility), probably the
tree-toad and the water-hen:--mole, swan.
see HEBREW for 05395
תִּנְשֶׁ֫מֶת (tan.she.met) — chameleon.
1) an unclean animal of some kind
1a) an unclean bird
1a1) perhaps the ibis, water-hen, species of owl, barn owl
1b) an unclean lizard
1b1) perhaps the chameleon
1c) perhaps an extinct lizard or bird, exact meaning unknown
Conj | Art | N-fs — Conjunction · particle · noun common feminine singular absoluteHC/Td/Ncfsa
ka-me'-le-un (koach, the Revised Version (British and American) LAND CROCODILE (Le 11:30); tinshemeth, the King James Version mole, the Revised Version (British and American) CHAMELEON (Le 11:30)):
Koach, which in the King James Version is rendered "chameleon" and in the Revised Version (British and American) "land crocodile," means also "strength" or "power," as in Ge 4:12; 1Sa 2:9; Ps 22:15; Isa 40:29, and many other passages. The Septuagint has chamaileon, but on account of the ordinary meaning of the word, koach, it has been thought that some large lizard should…
Chameleon
A species of lizard which has the faculty of changing the colour of its skin. It is ranked among the unclean animals in Lev. 11:30, where the Hebrew word so translated is coah (R.V., “land crocodile”). In the same verse the Hebrew tanshemeth, rendered in Authorized Version “mole,” is in Revised Version “chameleon,” which is the correct rendering. This animal is very common in Egypt and in the Holy Land, especially in the Jordan valley.
a species of lizard. The reference in (Leviticus 11:30) is to some kind of an unclean animal, supposed to be the lizard, known by the name of the "monitor of the Nile," a large, strong reptile common in Egypt and other parts of Africa.
Le 11:30, a kind of lizard. Its body is about six inches long: its feet have five toes each, arranged like two thumbs opposite to three fingers: its eyes turn backwards or forwards independently of each other. It feeds upon files, which it catches by darting out its long, viscous tongue. It has the faculty of inflating itself at pleasure with air; and of changing its color, from its ordinary gray to green, purple, and even black when enraged.