Leviticus 11:42

Do not eat any creature that moves along the ground, whether it crawls on its belly or walks on four or more feet; for such creatures are detestable.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Moses delivers this command to the Israelites during their wilderness wanderings, formalizing dietary boundaries within the Sinai covenant. The instruction functions as an immediate practical directive for maintaining ritual separation from surrounding peoples.

The words — The Hebrew הוֹלֵךְ (ho.Lekh) literally means one that walks, while גָּח֜וֹן (ga.Chon) denotes the belly as the primary point of contact with the earth. These terms categorize animals strictly by their mode of terrestrial locomotion rather than biological classification.

The thread — The prohibition against ground-crawling creatures connects to the serpent's curse in Genesis 3:14 and reappears in the prophetic vision of Isaiah 65:25 and Micah 7:17. Scripture consistently uses crawling animals as markers of the fallen order, contrasting them with clean creatures in the restored creation.

Why it lands — The text requires the reader to abstain from consuming any animal that moves along the ground because it is designated detestable. Compliance demands accepting that physical separation from specific creatures establishes a concrete boundary for covenant obedience.

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

Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon all four, or whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they are an abomination.

Cross-references

Genesis 3:14 So the LORD God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and every beast of the field! On your belly will you go, and dust you will eat, all the days of your life.
Isaiah 65:25 The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but the food of the serpent will be dust. They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain,” says the LORD.
Micah 7:17 They will lick the dust like a snake, like reptiles slithering on the ground. They will come trembling from their strongholds in the presence of the LORD our God; they will tremble in fear of You.
Matthew 3:7 But when John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his place of baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
Matthew 23:23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
John 8:44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies.
2 Corinthians 11:3 I am afraid, however, that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may be led astray from your simple and pure devotion to Christ.
2 Corinthians 11:13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.
Titus 1:12 As one of their own prophets has said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”