Leviticus 11
Numbers 11 records Israel’s complaints in the wilderness, Moses’ burden as a leader, God’s provision of shared leadership, and the judgment connected with craving. The chapter can be divided into three main movements: complaints and judgment at Taberah (verses 1–3), the craving for meat and Moses’ distress (verses 4–23), and the appointment of seventy elders, the incident of Eldad and Medad, the quail, and the plague at Kibroth-hattaavah (verses 24–35).
1verseThe LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying to them,
2verse“Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘These are the living things which you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth.
3verseWhatever parts the hoof, and is cloven-footed, and chews the cud among the animals, that you may eat.
4verse“‘Nevertheless these you shall not eat of those that chew the cud, or of those who part the hoof: the camel, because it chews the cud but doesn’t have a parted hoof, is unclean to you.
5verseThe hyrax, because it chews the cud but doesn’t have a parted hoof, is unclean to you.
6verseThe hare, because it chews the cud but doesn’t have a parted hoof, is unclean to you.
7verseThe pig, because it has a split hoof, and is cloven-footed, but doesn’t chew the cud, is unclean to you.
8verseYou shall not eat their meat. You shall not touch their carcasses. They are unclean to you.
9verse“‘You may eat of all these that are in the waters: whatever has fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, that you may eat.
10verseAll that don’t have fins and scales in the seas and rivers, all that move in the waters, and all the living creatures that are in the waters, they are an abomination to you,
11verseand you shall detest them. You shall not eat of their meat, and you shall detest their carcasses.
12verseWhatever has no fins nor scales in the waters is an abomination to you.
13verse“‘You shall detest these among the birds; they shall not be eaten because they are an abomination: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture,
14versethe red kite, any kind of black kite,
15verseany kind of raven,
16versethe horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk,
17versethe little owl, the cormorant, the great owl,
18versethe white owl, the desert owl, the osprey,
19versethe stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe, and the bat.
20verse“‘All flying insects that walk on all fours are an abomination to you.
21verseYet you may eat these: of all winged creeping things that go on all fours, which have long, jointed legs for hopping on the earth.
22verseEven of these you may eat: any kind of locust, any kind of katydid, any kind of cricket, and any kind of grasshopper.
23verseBut all winged creeping things which have four feet are an abomination to you.
24verse“‘By these you will become unclean: whoever touches their carcass shall be unclean until the evening.
25verseWhoever carries any part of their carcass shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening.
26verse“‘Every animal which has a split hoof that isn’t completely divided, or doesn’t chew the cud, is unclean to you. Everyone who touches them shall be unclean.
27verseWhatever goes on its paws, among all animals that go on all fours, they are unclean to you. Whoever touches their carcass shall be unclean until the evening.
28verseHe who carries their carcass shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening. They are unclean to you.
29verse“‘These are they which are unclean to you among the creeping things that creep on the earth: the weasel, the rat, any kind of great lizard,
30versethe gecko, and the monitor lizard, the wall lizard, the skink, and the chameleon.
31verseThese are they which are unclean to you among all that creep. Whoever touches them when they are dead shall be unclean until the evening.
32verseAnything they fall on when they are dead shall be unclean; whether it is any vessel of wood, or clothing, or skin, or sack, whatever vessel it is, with which any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the evening. Then it will be clean.
33verseEvery earthen vessel into which any of them falls and all that is in it shall be unclean. You shall break it.
34verseAll food which may be eaten which is soaked in water shall be unclean. All drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean.
35verseEverything whereupon part of their carcass falls shall be unclean; whether oven, or range for pots, it shall be broken in pieces. They are unclean, and shall be unclean to you.
36verseNevertheless a spring or a cistern in which water is gathered shall be clean, but that which touches their carcass shall be unclean.
37verseIf part of their carcass falls on any sowing seed which is to be sown, it is clean.
38verseBut if water is put on the seed, and part of their carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you.
39verse“‘If any animal of which you may eat dies, he who touches its carcass shall be unclean until the evening.
40verseHe who eats of its carcass shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening. He also who carries its carcass shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening.
41verse“‘Every creeping thing that creeps on the earth is an abomination. It shall not be eaten.
42verseWhatever goes on its belly, and whatever goes on all fours, or whatever has many feet, even all creeping things that creep on the earth, them you shall not eat; for they are an abomination.
43verseYou shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creeps. You shall not make yourselves unclean with them, that you should be defiled by them.
44verseFor I am the LORD your God. Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy; for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any kind of creeping thing that moves on the earth.
45verseFor I am the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
46verse“‘This is the law of the animal, and of the bird, and of every living creature that moves in the waters, and of every creature that creeps on the earth,
47verseto make a distinction between the unclean and the clean, and between the living thing that may be eaten and the living thing that may not be eaten.’”
Background and Key Context
Israel is traveling from Sinai toward the land promised to them. The people grow weary of hardship and become dissatisfied with the manna God has provided. Their complaint is not merely about food; it reveals nostalgia for Egypt, distrust, and a distorted memory of the past. The chapter contrasts God’s provision with the people’s craving.
Moses’ Leadership and God’s Response
Moses becomes overwhelmed by the people’s complaints and tells God that he cannot carry the burden alone. In response, God appoints seventy elders and places some of the Spirit given to Moses upon them so they may share the burden of leadership. This shows that leadership in the community is not meant to rest on one person alone.
God’s Provision and Judgment
God provides quail in response to the people’s demand for meat, yet the episode also becomes a judgment on uncontrolled craving and ingratitude. The account invites careful reflection on the difference between genuine need and destructive desire. It also shows that receiving what one demands is not always the same as receiving what leads to life.
Points for Reflection
- Consider how quickly hardship can turn memory into complaint and gratitude into resentment.
- Reflect on the difference between need, desire, and greed.
- Notice the importance of shared responsibility in leadership and community life.
Try Applying It to Yourself
- In repetitive or difficult seasons, examine whether your heart is becoming ruled by complaint.
- Practice gratitude for provision without denying real hardship.
- If someone near you is carrying too much alone, consider how you might share the burden responsibly.
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