Bible Strands
Leviticus 11:4
But of those that only chew the cud or only have a divided hoof, you are not to eat the following: The camel, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is unclean for you.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — God addresses the Israelites through Moses, issuing a specific dietary prohibition within the broader Levitical purity code.
The words — לֹא (lo') = not and תֹאכְלוּ (to.khe.Lu) = you must eat form the core prohibition, while אַךְ ('akh) = nevertheless marks the contrast with the preceding clean criteria.
The thread — This exact camel prohibition recurs in Deuteronomy 14:7, where the same physical deficiency renders the animal unclean.
Why it lands — The text demands adherence to complete criteria rather than partial compliance, establishing a clear boundary for what may be consumed.
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
Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.