Bible Commentaries

And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them,

Unto Moses and to Aaron. — Magistrate and minister must jointly see that God’s laws be duly executed. Queen Elizabeth once in her progress visiting the county of Suffolk, all the justices of peace in that county met her majesty; having every one his minister next to his body; which the queen took special notice of, and thereupon uttered this speech, that she had often demanded of her Privy Council why her county of Suffolk was better governed than any other county, and could never understand the reason thereof, but now she herself perceived the reason. It must needs be so, said she, where Moses and Aaron, the word and the sword, go together.

return to '

Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These [are] the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that [are] on the earth.

These are the beasts which ye shall eat. — These, and these only; (1.) That ye may be at mine appointment for your very meat, as who am chief Lord of all; (2.) That there may be a difference betwixt you and all other people; (3.) That ye may be taught to study purity, and know that the very creatures are defiled by man’s sin; (4.) That ye may have these things as "a shadow of things to come." Colossians 2:16-17

return to '

Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, [and] cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.

Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and cheweth the cud. — To teach them to think upon God’s commandments to do them, Psalms 103:18 cleansing themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit. 2 Corinthians 7:1 Moreover clean Christians, typed by those clean beasts, must rightly part the hoof; that is, rightly divide their time; giving a due share thereof to either of their callings.

return to '

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.

The camel. — The foolish Jews when they saw Mohammed arising in such power, were immediately ready to cry him up for their Messiah. But when they saw him eat of a camel, saith mine author, Dr Hall’s Peacemaker. they were as blank as when they saw the hoped issue of their late Jewish virgin turned to a daughter.

return to '

And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he [is] unclean unto you.

And the coney. — Which hath his name in Hebrew from hiding himself in holes. A weak, but a wise creature. Proverbs 30:26 And wisdom is better than strength. Ecclesiastes 9:15 The hare that trusts to the swiftness of her legs, is at length taken and torn in pieces; when the coney that flees to the rocks, doth easily avoid the dogs that pursue her. See Isaiah 40:30-31 .

return to '

And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he [is] unclean unto you.

Because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not. — Meditation must end in practice: as lessons of music must be practised, and a copy not read only, but written after.

return to '

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

And the swine. — Anima sui data pro sale, ne carnes putrescant, said Cleanthes. The swine hath his soul for salt only; so hath the drunkard.

return to '

Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they [are] unclean to you.

Of their flesh shall ye not eat. — Not above the quantity of an olive, say the Jew doctors, who will needs be mending magnificat, adding to the law.

return to '