What Are Unclean Animals In The Bible

Question

What made some animals clean and others unclean (Genesis 7)?

Answer

Noah took two of every kind of beast into the ark, right? Not exactly. The Bible states, "Take with yous 7 pairs of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and i pair of every kind of unclean fauna, a male and its mate, and also 7 pairs of every kind of bird, male and female, to keep their various kinds live throughout the earth" (Genesis 7:two–3). The Hebrew phrase translated "vii pairs" literally means "seven sevens," so there is some question as to whether Noah took vii specimens of each "clean" species (three pairs and an actress) or seven pairs. Either style, he was told to take more than clean animals than unclean on the ark. Only the unclean animals came in pairs (Genesis half-dozen:19).

Leviticus 11 defines the difference between clean and unclean animals, only Noah lived earlier the giving of the Constabulary. We are non told how Noah knew which animals were clean and unclean, but he obviously knew the departure. Sacrifices to God were made before the Mosaic Law (Genesis 4:4), which means God had somehow communicated to human what animals were suitable for sacrifice (and, later, for eating).

Leviticus 11 specifies which birds, country animals, and body of water creatures were make clean and unclean. Here are a few of the clean and unclean animals in those lists:

Make clean animals: country animals that chew the cud and have a divided hoof, such equally cattle, deer, goats, and sheep; seafood with both fins and scales, such every bit bluegill, grouper, and cod; certain birds, including chickens, doves, and ducks; and even some insects, such as grasshoppers and locusts.

Unclean animals: state animals that either practise not chew the cud or exercise non accept a carve up hoof, such as pigs, dogs, cats, horses, donkeys, and rats; seafood defective either fins or scales, such as shellfish, lobster, oysters, and catfish; some birds, such as owls, hawks, and vultures; and other animals, such as reptiles and amphibians.

While the New Attestation teaches that we are no longer judged regarding what foods nosotros eat (Colossians ii:xvi), nutritionists have noted that the listings of clean and unclean foods in the Old Testament actually provide a guideline for a salubrious diet. In a time flow lacking modern food safety techniques, a diet consisting of only clean animals would have protected people against many health problems.

Ultimately, God'due south distinction between clean and unclean animals was well-nigh more than one'due south diet. Many of God'south regulations were to remind His people, Israel, that they were set apart to worship the one, true God. The original audience of Genesis 7, during Moses' day, would have associated the reference to clean animals with the animals God had given them for food as well every bit sacrifice. It would only brand sense to include more make clean animals than unclean on the ark. Noah made a cede immediately after the Overflowing (Genesis viii:twenty). Since seven (or seven pairs) of every make clean beast had been aboard, the sacrifices would still have left enough of animals to begin replenishing the globe.

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What made some animals clean and others unclean (Genesis vii)?

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This page last updated: January 4, 2022

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