Bible Strands
Deuteronomy 14:9
Of all the creatures that live in the water, you may eat anything with fins and scales,
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Moses addresses the Israelites regarding dietary regulations before they cross the Jordan. He establishes boundaries for permissible consumption among aquatic creatures.
The words — תֹּֽאכְל֔וּ (to.khe.Lu) means "you will eat," and בַּ/מָּ֑יִם (ba./Ma.yim) denotes "in the water." These terms anchor the command to a specific geographical and biological category.
The thread — The same dietary restriction appears in Leviticus 11:9, which extends the rule to both seas and streams. This parallel establishes a consistent standard for clean aquatic food across the Torah.
Why it lands — The text states that only water creatures possessing fins and scales are permissible for consumption. Readers must apply this physical marker to distinguish permitted food from unclean matter.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
These ye shall eat of all that are in the waters: all that have fins and scales shall ye eat:
Cross-references
- Leviticus 11:9 Of all the creatures that live in the water, whether in the seas or in the streams, you may eat anything with fins and scales.