Leviticus 11:29
New International Version
“’Of the animals that move along the ground, these are unclean for you: the weasel, the rat, any kind of great lizard,

New Living Translation
“Of the small animals that scurry along the ground, these are unclean for you: the mole rat, the rat, large lizards of all kinds,

English Standard Version
“And these are unclean to you among the swarming things that swarm on the ground: the mole rat, the mouse, the great lizard of any kind,

Berean Standard Bible
The following creatures that move along the ground are unclean for you: the mole, the mouse, any kind of great lizard,

King James Bible
These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind,

New King James Version
‘These also shall be unclean to you among the creeping things that creep on the earth: the mole, the mouse, and the large lizard after its kind;

New American Standard Bible
‘Now these are to you the unclean among the swarming things which swarm on the earth: the mole, the mouse, and the great lizard in its kinds,

NASB 1995
‘Now these are to you the unclean among the swarming things which swarm on the earth: the mole, and the mouse, and the great lizard in its kinds,

NASB 1977
‘Now these are to you the unclean among the swarming things which swarm on the earth: the mole, and the mouse, and the great lizard in its kinds,

Legacy Standard Bible
‘Now these are to you the unclean among the swarming things which swarm on the earth: the mole and the mouse and the great lizard in its kinds,

Amplified Bible
‘These also are unclean to you among the swarming things that crawl around on the ground [and multiply profusely]: the mole, the mouse, and any kind of great lizard,

Christian Standard Bible
“These creatures that swarm on the ground are unclean for you: weasels, mice, any kind of large lizard,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
These creatures that swarm on the ground are unclean for you: the weasel, the mouse, any kind of large lizard,

American Standard Version
And these are they which are unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth: the weasel, and the mouse, and the great lizard after its kind,

English Revised Version
And these are they which are unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the great lizard after its kind,

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"The following swarming creatures that move on the ground are unclean for you-moles, mice, and all types of lizards:

International Standard Version
"These are unclean for you among the swarming creatures that crawl over the land: the rat, mouse, lizards of every kind,

Majority Standard Bible
The following creatures that move along the ground are unclean for you: the mole, the mouse, any kind of great lizard,

NET Bible
"'Now this is what is unclean to you among the swarming things that swarm on the land: the rat, the mouse, the large lizard of any kind,

New Heart English Bible
"'These are they which are unclean to you among the creatures that crawl on the earth: the weasel, the rat, any kind of great lizard,

Webster's Bible Translation
These also shall be unclean to you among the creeping animals that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise, after its kind,

World English Bible
“‘These are they which are unclean to you among the creeping things that creep on the earth: the weasel, the rat, any kind of great lizard,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And this [is] the unclean to you among the teeming things which are teeming on the earth: the weasel, and the muroid, and the tortoise [[or large lizard]] after its kind,

Young's Literal Translation
And this is to you the unclean among the teeming things which are teeming on the earth: the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after its kind,

Smith's Literal Translation
This being unclean to you among the creeping, creeping upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the lizard according to its kind;
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
These also shall be reckoned among unclean things, of all that move upon the earth, the weasel, and the mouse, and the crocodile, every one according to their kind:

Catholic Public Domain Version
Likewise, these shall be considered among the polluted things, out of all that moves upon the earth: the weasel, and the mouse, and the crocodile, each one according to its kind,

New American Bible
Of the creatures that swarm on the ground, the following are unclean for you: the rat, the mouse, the various kinds of lizards,

New Revised Standard Version
These are unclean for you among the creatures that swarm upon the earth: the weasel, the mouse, the great lizard according to its kind,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
These also are unclean to you among all the creeping things that creep upon the earth: the weasel, and the mouse, the lizard after its kind,

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And these are defiled among every creeping thing that creeps on Earth: the weasel and the mouse and the lizard with its kinds,
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And these are they which are unclean unto you among the swarming things that swarm upon the earth: the weasel, and the mouse, and the great lizard after its kinds,

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And these are unclean to you of reptiles upon the earth, the weasel, and the mouse, and the lizard,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Clean and Unclean Animals
28and anyone who picks up a carcass must wash his clothes, and he will be unclean until evening. They are unclean for you. 29The following creatures that move along the ground are unclean for you: the mole, the mouse, any kind of great lizard, 30the gecko, the monitor lizard, the common lizard, the skink, and the chameleon.…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 14:7-8
But of those that chew the cud or have a completely divided hoof, you are not to eat the following: the camel, the rabbit, or the rock badger. Although they chew the cud, they do not have a divided hoof. They are unclean for you, / as well as the pig; though it has a divided hoof, it does not chew the cud. It is unclean for you. You must not eat its meat or touch its carcass.

Acts 10:12-15
It contained all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth, as well as birds of the air. / Then a voice said to him: “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!” / “No, Lord!” Peter answered. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” ...

Mark 7:18-19
“Are you still so dull?” He asked. “Do you not understand? Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him, / because it does not enter his heart, but it goes into the stomach and then is eliminated.” (Thus all foods are clean.)

Romans 14:14
I am convinced and fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.

1 Timothy 4:4-5
For every creation of God is good, and nothing that is received with thanksgiving should be rejected, / because it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

Genesis 7:2
You are to take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate; a pair of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate;

Isaiah 66:17
“Those who consecrate and purify themselves to enter the groves—to follow one in the center of those who eat the flesh of swine and vermin and rats—will perish together,” declares the LORD.

Ezekiel 4:14
“Ah, Lord GOD,” I said, “I have never defiled myself. From my youth until now I have not eaten anything found dead or mauled by wild beasts. No unclean meat has ever entered my mouth.”

Matthew 15:11
A man is not defiled by what enters his mouth, but by what comes out of it.”

Colossians 2:16-17
Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath. / These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ.

Genesis 1:24-25
And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, land crawlers, and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. / God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that crawls upon the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

1 Corinthians 10:25-26
Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, / for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.”

Hebrews 9:10
They consist only in food and drink and special washings—external regulations imposed until the time of reform.

Genesis 9:3-4
Everything that lives and moves will be food for you; just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you all things. / But you must not eat meat with its lifeblood still in it.

Acts 15:28-29
It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond these essential requirements: / You must abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.


Treasury of Scripture

These also shall be unclean to you among the creeping things that creep on the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind,

creeping things that creep

Leviticus 11:20,21,41,42
All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you…

Psalm 10:3
For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.

Psalm 17:13,14
Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword: …

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Leviticus 11
1. What animals may be eaten
4. and what may not be eaten
9. What fishes
13. What fowls
29. The creeping things which are unclean














These creatures that move along the ground
This phrase introduces a category of animals that are considered "unclean" according to the Levitical law. The Hebrew word for "creatures" here is "sheretz," which refers to small, creeping animals. In the ancient Near Eastern context, these animals were often associated with impurity due to their close contact with the ground, which was seen as a symbol of death and decay. The phrase emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between clean and unclean, a theme central to Levitical law, which underscores the holiness and separateness of God's people.

are unclean for you
The term "unclean" in Hebrew is "tamei," which signifies a state of ritual impurity. This is not necessarily a moral judgment but a ceremonial one, indicating that contact with these animals would render a person unfit for worship or participation in the community's religious life until they underwent purification. This concept of uncleanness serves as a constant reminder of the need for holiness and the separation from anything that defiles, reflecting the broader biblical theme of God's holiness and the call for His people to be holy.

the mole rat
The Hebrew word used here is "choled," which is often translated as "mole" or "mole rat." This animal, known for its burrowing habits, symbolizes hiddenness and darkness, often associated with death in ancient cultures. The prohibition against touching or eating such creatures reinforces the idea of avoiding contact with death and decay, which are antithetical to the life and purity God desires for His people.

the mouse
The Hebrew term "akhbar" refers to small rodents, including mice. In the ancient world, mice were often seen as pests and carriers of disease, further justifying their classification as unclean. This prohibition highlights the importance of maintaining physical and spiritual cleanliness, as mice were also associated with destruction and uncleanliness in agricultural societies.

any kind of great lizard
The phrase "great lizard" translates the Hebrew "tzav," which encompasses various large reptiles. These creatures, often seen as mysterious and fearsome, were considered unclean due to their reptilian nature and their association with the ground. The inclusion of these animals in the list of unclean creatures serves as a reminder of the need to discern and avoid spiritual and physical contamination, aligning with the broader biblical narrative of separation from sin and impurity.

(29) These also shall be unclean.--Better, And these shall be the most unclean. As Leviticus 11:24-28 have been occupied with the discussion of the defilement caused by the carcases of unclean quadrupeds, which, as we have seen, belong to the first class of the animal kingdom, the Lawgiver now enumerates those "creeping things" of the fourth class, which likewise cause defilement by touching them. The eight animals here adduced (Leviticus 11:29-30) are therefore a continuation of the things that go on their belly, mentioned in Leviticus 11:20-23. They only differ in this respect, that in Leviticus 11:20-23 the creeping things have also wings, whilst those described here are creeping things without wings. In a stricter sense, however, Leviticus 11:29, &c, is a resumption of Leviticus 11:20. . . . Verses 29, 30. - The creeping things that creep upon the earth. This class contains things that go on their belly, but have not wings, like the previous class of creeping things (verses 20-23). By the words translated tortoise, ferret, chameleon, lizard, snail, mole, different varieties of the lizard are probably meant. The mouse is joined by Isaiah with "eating swine's flesh and the abomination" (Isaiah 66:17).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The following
וְזֶ֤ה (wə·zeh)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

creatures
בַּשֶּׁ֖רֶץ (baš·še·reṣ)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 8318: A swarm, active mass of minute animals

that move
הַשֹּׁרֵ֣ץ (haš·šō·rêṣ)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 8317: To wriggle, swarm, abound

along
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the ground
הָאָ֑רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

are unclean for you:
הַטָּמֵ֔א (haṭ·ṭā·mê)
Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2931: Unclean

the mole,
הַחֹ֥לֶד (ha·ḥō·leḏ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2467: A weasel

the mouse,
וְהָעַכְבָּ֖ר (wə·hā·‘aḵ·bār)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5909: A mouse

any kind
לְמִינֵֽהוּ׃ (lə·mî·nê·hū)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4327: A sort, species

of great lizard,
וְהַצָּ֥ב (wə·haṣ·ṣāḇ)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6632: A palanquin, canopy, a species of lizard


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OT Law: Leviticus 11:29 These are they which are unclean (Le Lv Lev.)
Leviticus 11:28
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