Skip to main content
leviticus 11:7

Explore the Bible Online

Leviticus 11:7

King James Version (KJV)

“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”

— D.L. Moody

Scripture focus

And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he [is] unclean to you.

Leviticus 11:7 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on Leviticus 11:7

Theological / Devotional

The swine. Of all animals prohibited by law, the swine was considered the most unclean (see Isa. 65:3, 4; 66:17). This is not the place to discuss at length the harm of eating swine’s flesh. For the Christian it is sufficient to stress God’s attitude toward it. There must be something unwholesome about the use of swine’s flesh, or God would not speak as He does. He created the swine and knows what they are. He prohibits their use as food.

Christ did not think highly of swine or He would not have permitted the destruction of some 2,000 of them (Matt. 8:31, 32; Mark 5:13). We do not know the monetary value of those swine. Today they would bring a considerable sum of money, and no doubt represented a large investment then. Two men had been restored in mind and body, but at the cost of 2,000 swine. Christ considered the men worth it; the people thought otherwise.

Whatever men may think of swine’s flesh as an acceptable article of diet, God here disapproves of it. God does not change His mind (Mal. 3:6); and it is certain that swine have not changed their nature. We do well to heed His counsel.

By SdaBc