Bible Strands
Leviticus 11:27
All the four-footed animals that walk on their paws are unclean for you; whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean until evening,
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Moses delivers divine instructions to the Israelites regarding ritual purity classifications for land animals.
The words — The Hebrew phrase הוֹלֵךְ עַל־כַּפָּיו (holēkh al-kappāyw) literally means "walking on its paws," specifying the exact locomotion that marks these creatures as ritually unclean.
The thread — This gait-based classification aligns with the restrictions on four-legged flying insects in Leviticus 11:20 and Leviticus 11:23, while the carcass contact rule operates alongside the washing and evening uncleanness regulations in Leviticus 11:28.
Why it lands — The text requires readers to categorize animals by physical movement and to observe ritual separation by avoiding contact with their dead remains until evening.
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
And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on all four, those are unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even.
Cross-references
- Leviticus 11:23 All other flying insects that have four legs are detestable to you.
- Leviticus 11:20 All flying insects that walk on all fours are detestable to you.