MPV Commentary

1. The Lord has given us clear instructions regarding what we may and may not eat. In this chapter, He outlines the animals that are considered unclean for consumption.

2. These regulations were likely in place before Moses' time, but God now gives them divine sanction through His laws. Some of these prohibitions have been universally rejected by people due to their unwholesomeness or because they are associated with idolatry.

3. The Lord instructs us to make a distinction between clean and unclean animals. This means we must be aware of which creatures are suitable for food and which are not.

4. We are told that certain birds, such as the vulture, kite, raven, owl, nighthawk, cuckoo, hawk, little owl, cormorant, great owl, swan, pelican, gier eagle, stork, heron, lapwing, and bat, are considered unclean.

5. The prohibition against eating these birds extends to their entire species. This means that even if a bird is not explicitly mentioned in the list, it is still considered unclean if it belongs to one of these categories.

6. However, there are some exceptions. Locusts, for example, are allowed as food and are often eaten by Arabs who fry them in olive oil.

7. The Lord also instructs us regarding animals that do not have cloven hooves. These include horses, asses, lions, tigers, weasels (or moles), mice, tortoises, ferrets (or newts or chameleons), and snails.

8. If someone touches one of these unclean animals when it is dead, they will be considered unclean until evening. This regulation was likely put in place to emphasize the importance of cleanliness, especially in areas where venomous reptiles are common.

9. The Lord's instructions regarding clean and unclean animals serve as a reminder of His holiness and our need for separation from things that are impure or unwholesome.