Leviticus 11-12

Leviticus 11-12

This year, I plan on reading the Old Testament of the Bible within the 2012 calendar year. Follow me on this journey! Please, if you have questions or comments... let me know! 

Scripture Thought (What I Learned):

Chapter 11: What may or may not be eaten under the Law of Moses        

             

                The Lord speaks unto Moses and reveals to him what animals him and the children of Israel and can eat, and is commanded to speak unto the children of Israel and repeat what he was told.

Clean/Unclean Animals:

•          Any animals that is "clovenfooted" and "cheweth the cud" they shall eat.
•          Any animal that is "clovenfooted" and does not "cheweth the cud" they cannot eat.
•          Any animal that is not "clovenfooted" but "cheweth the cud" they cannot eat.
•          In other words the animal must both "chew the cud" and be "clovenfooted"

What is a "clovenfooted" animal? cloven footed animal is one that has a hoof divided into two parts at its distal extremity (as of ruminants or swine)

What is it mean by "cheweth the clud"? The cud is that portion of food which is brought up into the mouth by ruminating animals from their first stomach, to be chewed a second time. To Ruminate (Rumination), is to chew again what was slightly chewed and swallowed. Animals like cows have to chew the food a second time.

                So we learn that anything that has hoof that is divided and ruminates is ok for the children of Israel to eat.

                For fish: Anything with fins and scales in the waters the children of Israel can eat. But if anyone eats something from any waters on earth that does not have scales and fins, it will become an abomination to the children of Israel.

                These are the birds or fowl in the air, that the children of Israel are commanded not to eat:

·         Eagle

·         Ossifrage

·         Ospray

·         Vulture

·         Kite

·         Raven

·         Owl

·         Night Hawk

·         Cuckow

·         Little Owl

·         Great Owl

·         Swan

·         Pelican

·         Grier Eagle

·         Stork

·         Heron

·         Lapwing

·         Bat

·         and ANY fowl that creep, going on "all four" shall be an abomination to the children of Israel.

                Israel, however may eat of a few animals that have four legs and fly:

·         the Locust

·         the Bald Locust

·         the Beetle

·         and the Grass Hopper.

                Israel is also commanded to NOT eat:

·         Weasel

·         Mouse

·         Tortoise

·         Ferret

·         Chameleon

·         Lizard

·         Snail

·         Mole

Anyone that even touches an unclean animal, without washing themselves is considered unclean as well. It is a very grievous thing. The Lord commands Israel to "...be holy; for I am holy..." (Leviticus 11:44)

Chapter 12: The Law of Purification

                Women after having a child are considered "unclean" for seven days. On the eighth day the child, if he be born male, shall be circumcised. (Leviticus 12:3). After that the woman continues to be unclean for 33 days, where she can touch no holy thing, or come into the sanctuary until her days of purifying be fulfilled. If the child be born female, then the woman is unclean for two weeks during her separation and then continue to be unclean for 66 days.

                When her days of purification have been completed she needed to bring forth a burnt offering; either a lamb and a pigeon/turtledove or 2 pigeons and 2 turtledoves, so the priest could make an atonement for her. Then she would be clean again.