Chapter commentary
Leviticus Chapter 11
서론
Untitled
简体中文
English original
The ceremonial law is described by the apostle (Heb 9:9,10) to consist, not only "in gifts and sacrifices," which hitherto have been treated of in this book, but "in meats, and drinks, and divers washings" from ceremonial uncleanness, the laws concerning which begin with this chapter, which puts a difference between some sorts of flesh-meat and others, allowing some to be eaten as clean and forbidding others as unclean. "There is one kind of flesh of men." Nature startles at the thought of eating this, and none do it but such as have arrived at the highest degree of barbarity, and become but one remove from brutes; therefore there needed no law against it. But there is "another kind of flesh of beasts," concerning which the law directs here (Le 11:1-8), "another of fishes" (Le 11:9-12), "another of birds" (Le 11:13-19), and "another of creeping things," which are distinguished into two sorts, flying creeping things (Le 11:20-28) and creeping things upon the earth, Le 11:29-43. And the law concludes with the general rule of holiness, and reasons for it, Le 11:44-47, etc.
1-47
Distinction of Meats (1490 BC)
简体中文
食物之分别（主前 1490 年）
¹ 耶和华对摩西、亚伦说，
² "你们要晓谕以色列人说：在地上一切走兽中，你们可以吃的，乃是这些。
³ 凡分蹄、又倒嚼的走兽，你们都可以吃。
⁴ 但那倒嚼或分蹄之中，有些不可吃的，如骆驼，因为它倒嚼却不分蹄，就与你们不洁净。
⁵ 沙番，因为它倒嚼却不分蹄，就与你们不洁净。
⁶ 兔子，因为它倒嚼却不分蹄，就与你们不洁净。
⁷ 猪，因为它分蹄却不倒嚼，就与你们不洁净。
⁸ 这些兽的肉你们不可吃，它们的尸首你们不可摸；它们与你们都不洁净。" \
如今亚伦既受膏为神家的大祭司，神便与摩西一同向他说话，并任命他们二人为共同使者，向百姓传达他的旨意。在这事上，神同时向摩西和亚伦说话；因为祭司特别受命要在洁净与不洁净之间作出分别，并要教导百姓也如此行。洪水之后，神与挪亚和他的儿子立约时，允许他们吃肉（创 9:13），而在此之前他们只限于地上的出产。但此处对挪亚子孙所赐的自由，却对以色列的子孙作了限制。他们可以吃肉，却不可吃各样肉；有些他们要看为不洁净，禁绝不吃，另一些则看为洁净，可以食用。这事上的律法既十分具体，又极其严格。但这律法有何理由可陈呢？为何神的百姓不能像别人一样自由使用一切受造之物呢？1. 神定意如此，这理由便已足够：他的旨意既是充分的律法，也是充分的理由；因为他的旨意就是他的智慧。他看为美，便这样试炼并操练他百姓的顺服——不仅在他的祭坛的庄严礼仪中，也在他们自家餐桌日常发生的事上——好叫他们记得自己是处在权柄之下。神在人类无辜之时，也是这样藉着禁止吃一棵特别的树上的果子，来试炼人的顺服。2. 大多数被禁为不洁的食物，实在是 unfit to be eaten、有害健康的；而那些我们以为相当合宜并照常食用的，如兔子、野兔和猪，也许在那些地方、对他们的身体而言，可能是有害的。如此，神在这律法中所行的，不过像一位明智慈爱的父亲对待他的儿女那样——禁止他们吃他知道会使他们生病的东西。注意，主是顾念身体的；为满足我们的口腹之欲而损害健康，不仅是愚昧，更是得罪神。3. 神要这样教导他的百姓不仅在宗教敬拜上，也在日常生活的寻常行动上，把自己与别的百姓分别出来。这样他便向他们表明，他们不可被列在万民之中。看来在此以前，希伯来人与别的民族在食物上已有某种不同——这是藉传统保留的；因为埃及人和他们彼此不一同吃饭（创 43:32）。甚至在洪水之前，走兽已有洁净与不洁净之分（创 7:2），这种分别在外邦人中已完全失传，连同许多宗教的实例。但藉着这律法，这分别便被确定为确实的，并被吩咐在犹太人中存留；这样，他们便因有自己特有的饮食，而得以避免与拜偶像的邻舍亲密往来，并可以预表神属灵的以色列民——后者不在这些小事上，而是在他们心灵的性情和一生的行径上，当受一种庄重的独特性所管束，不效法这个世界。博学之士进一步观察到，这律法中视为不洁而当憎恶的大多数受造之物，正是外邦人中所极为尊崇的——与其说是为食物，不如说是为占卜和献祭给他们的神明；所以此处所提的，乃是他们不受诱惑去吃、却要看为不洁净、可憎之物，好叫他们对那些外邦人迷信所重之物保持宗教性的憎恶。猪，在后来的外邦人中是献给维纳斯的；猫头鹰献给米涅瓦；鹰献给朱庇特；狗献给赫卡忒等等；而这一切在此都被定为不洁。至于走兽，立下了一条总则：凡分蹄又倒嚼的都是洁净的，也只有这些是洁净的：这在重申此律法时（申 14:4、5）特别列出，可见以色列人所获许用的种类已足够繁多，不必因所受的限制而抱怨。那些不倒嚼又不分蹄的走兽是不洁净的，照此原则，猪、野兔和兔子的肉便被禁绝——虽然在我们中间是惯常食用的。所以，每当我们吃这些东西时，特别应当为福音所赐我们在这一事上的自由献上感谢——福音教导我们*"凡神所造的物都是好的"，我们"不可称俗或不洁"。有人注意到此处所立供他们分辨之原则中的意义，或至少认为可以借此有所引申。默想和内心隐藏之人所作的其他敬虔之工，可以由倒嚼所表明——将属灵的粮食消化吸收；对人的公义和怜悯，以及良好为人的行为，可以由分蹄所表明。然而这两样若缺其一，便不足以使我们蒙神悦纳，必须两样并存——心中有美好的情感，生活上有美好的行为：若缺其一，我们便不洁净，我们实在是不洁净的。在这一切被定为不洁的受造之物中，敬虔的犹太人最为惧怕和憎恶的莫过于猪肉。许多人因不肯吃它而被安提阿古处死。这很可能正是他们最容易受诱惑去吃的，所以他们对自己和儿女灌输一种特别的憎恶感，不按其本名称它，而称它为"可憎之物"*。看来外邦人迷信地使用它（赛 65:4），他们吃猪肉；所以神禁止他的百姓使用它的一切用途，免得他们效法邻舍那样妄用它。有人以为，将这些走兽定为不洁，是作为对百姓的警戒，要他们防备这些活物的不良品性。我们不可像猪那样污秽、在泥里打滚，也不可像野兔那样胆怯懦弱，也不可像兔子那样住在地里；在尊贵中的人，不可使自己与这些必死的兽相似。律法不仅禁止吃它们，连摸也禁止；因为那要远避任何罪的人，必须谨慎避开一切引诱，以及一切朝着它或引向它的事物。
⁹ "水中一切可吃的，乃是这些：凡在水里、海里、河里，有翅有鳞的，都可以吃。
¹⁰ 凡在海里、河里，并一切水中滋生的活物，就是水中一切没有翅鳞的，你们都当以为可憎。
¹¹ 这些无翅无鳞的，当以为可憎；你们不可吃它们的肉，也当以它们的尸首为可憎。
¹² 凡水里无翅无鳞的，都当以为可憎。
¹³ "雀鸟中你们当以为可憎、不可吃的，乃是这些：雕、鹗、鱼鹰、
¹⁴ 鹞鹰、小鹰与其类；
¹⁵ 乌鸦与其类；
¹⁶ 鸵鸟、夜鹰、刁鸭、鹰与其类；
¹⁷ 小鸮、鸬鹚、大鸮、
¹⁸ 角鸱、鹈鹕、秃雕、
¹⁹ 鹳、鹭鸶与其类、戴鵀与蝙蝠。 \
在此，1. 关于鱼类，有一条总则说明何为洁净、何为不洁净。凡有翅有鳞的都可以吃；只有那些奇异的没有翅鳞的水族被禁（利 11:9、10）。古人视鱼为最精美的食物（他们绝不容许在禁食日吃鱼，更不以吃鱼为苦修的凭据）；所以神在这方面对他的百姓并没有多大限制；因为他是一位主人，不仅为必需，也为喜乐而允许他的仆人。至于被禁的鱼，经上说当以为可憎（利 11:10-12），意思是："你们当看它们为不洁净，不仅不吃，且当远离它们。"注意，凡不洁净的，对我们便当是可憎的；不洁之物，你们不可摸。 但请注意，这只是对犹太人而言为可憎；邻国并没有这样的义务，对我们基督徒而言这些也不当看为可憎。犹太人蒙了特别的特权，所以免得他们因这些特权而骄傲，Transeunt cum onere——他们同样受了特别的限制。 神属灵的以色列民也是如此，他们既因福音的收纳和友谊之约比别人更得尊荣，照样也当因福音的舍己和背十字架之命比别人更受对付。2. 关于飞鸟，此处没有立总则，只是具体列举他们当禁绝不洁的飞鸟，这暗示其他飞鸟都可以吃。注释家在此忙于查考希伯来文词汇的真实含义，其中有些至今仍不确定，因某些飞鸟是某些地方所特有的。这律法如今若仍然有效，我们便当确切知道它所禁的是什么；也许我们若确实知道，又对其中所提飞鸟的本性更加熟悉，便会赞叹亚当的知识——他给它们起的名正表达了它们的本性（创 2:20）。但这律法既已被废止，学问也大半失传，我们只需注意：在此所禁的飞鸟中，(1.) 有些是猛禽，如鹰、鹞鹰等；神要他的百姓憎恶一切野蛮凶残的事，不以流血掠夺为生。被猎食的鸽子适合作人的食物和献给神的供物；但猎食它们的鹞鹰和鹰，却当被神和人看为可憎；因为那为义受逼迫之人的景况，在信心的眼中看来，各方面都比逼迫他们之人的景况更好。(2.) 它们中有些是孤居之鸟，栖于黑暗荒凉之处，如猫头鹰和鹈鹕（诗 102:6），以及鸬鹚和乌鸦（赛 34:11）；因为神的以色列民不当是忧郁的百姓，也不当偏好悲伤和长久的独居。(3.) 它们中有些以不洁之物为食，如鹳吃蛇，有些吃虫；我们不仅自己当远避一切不洁，也当远离那些任凭自己行不洁之事的人。(4.) 它们中有些被埃及人和别的外邦人用来占卜。有些鸟被看为吉利，有些被看为凶兆；他们的占卜者十分重视这些鸟的飞翔，这一切因此对神的百姓都当看为可憎，因为他们不可学外邦人的道。
²⁰ "凡有翅膀用四足爬行的物，你们都当以为可憎。
²¹ 只是有翅膀用四足爬行的物中，有足有腿、在地上蹦跳的，你们还可以吃。
²² 其中有蝗虫与其类、蚂蚱与其类、蟋蟀与其类、蚱蜢与其类，你们都可以吃。
²³ 但是有翅膀用四足爬行的物，都当以为可憎。
²⁴ "这些都能使你们不洁净：凡摸了它们尸首的，必不洁净到晚上。
²⁵ 凡拿了它们尸首的，必要洗衣服，并不洁净到晚上。
²⁶ 凡分蹄不成两瓣、也不倒嚼的走兽，其尸首对你们是不洁净的；凡摸了它们的，必不洁净。
²⁷ 凡用四足行走、凡用掌行走的走兽，对你们都是不洁净的；凡摸了它们尸首的，必不洁净到晚上。
²⁸ 拿它们尸首的，必要洗衣服，并不洁净到晚上：这些对你们是不洁净的。
²⁹ "地上爬物中，对你们不洁净的，有这些：鼬鼠、鼷鼠、乌龟与其类；
³⁰ 壁虎、龙子、守宫、蛇医、蝘蜓。
³¹ 这些爬物中，对你们是不洁净的；凡死了的，摸了它，必不洁净到晚上。
³² 无论什么死了之物，其中有掉在什么物件上的，那物件就不洁净；无论是木器、衣服、皮子、口袋，无论是作何用途的器皿，须要放在水中，必不洁净到晚上；然后才洁净了。
³³ 若有死了的掉在瓦器里，其中无论什么有的都不洁净；你们要把那瓦器打碎。
³⁴ 一切可吃的食物，若沾了这水，就不洁净；可喝的饮料，无论装在什么这等器皿里，都不洁净。
³⁵ 它们尸首的一部分无论掉在什么物件上，那物件就不洁净；无论是炉子、是锅台，都要打碎：因为这些是不洁净的，对你们也必不洁净。
³⁶ 但是泉源或是聚水的池子，仍是洁净的；惟独挨了它们尸首的便不洁净。
³⁷ 若是它们尸首的一部分掉在要种的种子上，种子仍是洁净的。
³⁸ 若水已经浇在种子上，它们尸首的一部分掉在其上，这对你们就不洁净。
³⁹ "你们可吃的走兽，若自死了；摸了它尸首的，必不洁净到晚上。
⁴⁰ 吃它尸首肉的，必要洗衣服，并不洁净到晚上；拿它尸首的，必要洗衣服，并不洁净到晚上。
⁴¹ "凡地上的爬物，都当以为可憎；不可吃。
⁴² 凡用肚子行走的，和凡用四足行走的，或是有许多足的，就是地上一切爬行的活物，你们都不可吃；因为它们是可憎的。 \
在此有律法，1. 关于飞虫，如苍蝇、黄蜂、蜜蜂等；这些他们都不可吃（利 11:20），事实上它们也不宜吃；但有些蝗虫，在那些地方是上好的食物，也很常用：施洗约翰在旷野就以此为食，此处也允许他们食用（利 11:21、22）。2. 关于地上爬行的活物；这些全部被禁（利 11:29、30，又在利 11:41、42）；因为蛇受咒诅就是要用肚子行走，所以蛇与人之间有了仇恨（创 3:15），这律法正是要保留这仇恨。尘土是爬物之食，所以它们不宜作人的食物。3. 关于这一切不洁之兽的死尸。(1.) 凡摸了它们的，必不洁净到晚上（利 11:24-28）。这律法屡次重复，为要叫他们对一切被禁之物心存畏惧，即使禁的理由并未显明，而仅仅是立法者的旨意。并非这些被看为能玷污良心，也并非摸它们便是得罪神——除非是怀着藐视律法的心而行的：在许多情形下，必须有人去摸它们，为要搬移；但这只是他们所沾染的礼仪上的不洁，暂时禁止他们进入帐幕、吃任何圣物，甚至禁止他们与邻舍平常往来。但这不洁只持续到晚上，为要表明一切礼仪上的玷污都要在世界晚暮之时因基督的死而告终。我们必须藉着每晚为当日之罪重新悔改，洁净自己所沾染的污秽，免得我们带着不洁躺卧。就是那些不洁的活物，活着的时候他们也可以摸，并不沾染礼仪上的不洁，如马和狗，因为他们获准使用它们服事；但他们不可在它们死后去摸，因为他们不可吃它们的肉；凡不可吃的，也不可摸（创 3:3）。(2.) 连它们掉在其上的器皿或别的物件，也因此不洁到晚上（利 11:32），若是瓦器就要打碎（利 11:33）。这教导他们即使在日常行动中，也要谨慎避开一切玷污人之物。不仅圣所的器皿，就是耶路撒冷和犹大的每一口锅，都必须*"归耶和华为圣"*（亚 14:20、21）。这些情形下的律法十分细致，遵守它们看来必十分艰难——比如说，凡死老鼠或死耗子所掉上的物件，都算为不洁；若是炉子或锅台，都必须全部拆毁（利 11:35）。例外也极其精微（利 11:36 等）。这一切都是为要操练他们恒久留心、精确顺服，并要教导我们这些因基督已脱离这些繁重规条的人，在律法更重要的事上不可更不谨慎。我们当怎样殷勤保守我们宝贵的灵魂脱离罪的玷污，并在被玷污时怎样尽快洁净它们，正如他们保守和洁净他们的身体和家什脱离那些礼仪上的玷污一样。
⁴³ "你们不可因什么爬物使自己成为可憎，也不可因这些使自己不洁净，以致染了污秽。
⁴⁴ 因为我是耶和华你们的神；所以你们要使自己成为圣洁，并要成为圣洁；因为我是圣洁的；你们也不可在地上一切爬物中，使自己染了污秽。
⁴⁵ 因为我是把你们从埃及地领上来的耶和华，要作你们的神；所以你们要成为圣洁，因为我是圣洁的。"
⁴⁶ "这是走兽、飞鸟、和一切水中游动的活物、并地上爬物之律法，
⁴⁷ 为要把洁净的和不洁净的、可吃的走兽和不可吃的走兽分别出来。" \
在此有，I. 这律法的阐释，或一把开启其含义的钥匙。它不仅仅是为菜单，或如医师对饮食的指引；神要藉此教导他们使自己成圣，并成为圣洁（利 11:44）。即，1. 他们当借此学会在善恶之间作出分别，并认定：既然所吃的不尽相同，所行的也不能都一样。2. 当恒常遵守神的律法，并在一切行动中——即使是寻常的行动——都以此律法治理自己，这些行动也当*"按着敬虔而行"（约三 1:6）。就是吃喝也当按规矩，并"为荣耀神而行"（林前 10:31）。3. 当把自己与一切邻舍分别出来，作为归神为圣的百姓，并有责任不像外邦人那样行事：这一切就是圣洁。这样，这些世俗的小学便是他们的师傅和管工（加 4:2、3），为要引他们达到那在我们始祖亚当无罪状态之复兴、以及我们与基督同在之美景的凭据——即圣洁*；非圣洁没有人能见主。这正是所有条例的伟大目的：藉着它们，我们可以使自己成圣，并学会成为圣洁。连这条关于他们食物、看似如此低微的律法，也是志向如此之高；因为它是天上的成文法，不但在新约，就在旧约之下也是：非圣洁没有人能见主。 所以（利 11:43）的警戒是：你们不可使自己成为可憎。 注意，我们若与可憎的罪相交，便使自己成为可憎。那在神眼中为可憎的人，实在悲惨；而除了那使自己成为可憎的人之外，没有别人是如此。犹太作者自己也以为这律法的用意是禁止他们与外邦人有一切婚姻或别种方式的联合（申 7:2、3）。这样，其道德意义对我们仍有约束力，禁止我们*"与那暗昧无益的果子相交"*；没有这内心和生活的真圣洁，献素祭的，如同献猪血（赛 66:3）；人自己吃猪肉若是如此惹神怒，那么在神的坛上献猪血，更是何等惹怒！
II. 这律法的理由；这些理由都是取自立法者自己，我们在一切顺服的行动中都必须尊重他。1. 我是耶和华你们的神（利 11:44）。"所以你们在纯粹的顺服上有责任如此行。" 神对我们的主权和对我们的拥有权，迫使我们必须行他所命令的一切，无论这些事如何与我们的倾向相违。2. 我是圣洁的（利 11:44，又利 11:45）。神若是圣洁的，我们就必须如此，否则不能指望蒙他悦纳。他的圣洁便是他的荣耀（出 15:11），所以它*"永远合乎他的居所"（诗 93:5）。这条大诫命如此被强调，虽然在此出现在已被废除的律法之中，却被引用并印记为福音的诫命（彼前 1:16）；那里暗示，这一切礼仪上的限制，都是为要教导我们不可"效法从前无知的时候那放纵私欲的样子"*（彼前 1:14）。3. 我是把你们从埃及地领上来的耶和华（利 11:45）。这是他们为何当甘心顺服这有分别性的律法之理由，因为他们近来蒙了如此奇妙的特别尊荣。那为他们所作的比任何别的民族都多的一位，公义地期望从他们得的也比别人多。
III. 这条例的结语：这是走兽、飞鸟……之律法（利 11:46、47）。这律法对他们乃是永远的定例，即在那一制度存续期间有效；但在福音之下，我们看见它被从天上向彼得所发的声音明文废止（徒 10:15），正如它先前已因基督的死，连同其他"正用的时候就都败坏了"的条例，事实上已被搁置："不可摸、不可尝、不可拿"（西 2:21、22）。如今我们确知，食物不能叫神看中我们（林前 8:8），也没有一样不洁净的本身（罗 14:14）；能污秽人的，不是入口的，乃是出口的——从心里发出来的（太 15:11）。所以我们当：1. 感谢神我们不在这一轭之下，而对我们而言，凡神所造的物都算为好，无一当弃绝。2. "靠基督使你们得以自由的身份站立得稳"，谨慎防备那些*"禁止嫁娶，又禁戒食物"的教训，因为那会使摩西律法再度复兴（提前 4:3、4）。3. 在使用神所允许的美好受造之物上，当严格而存着良心节制。神的律法既已给我们自由，我们就当对自己加上约束，绝不无惧地纵食，免得我们的筵席成为网罗。"你若是贪食的，就当拿刀放在喉咙上"；也不要贪恋*美食或花样（箴 23:2、3）。天性知足于少，恩典知足于更少，但贪欲却永远不得满足。
English original
Distinction of Meats (1490 BC)
¹ And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them,
² Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth.
³ Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.
⁴ 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.
⁵ And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
⁶ And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
⁷ And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.
⁸ Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.
Now that Aaron was consecrated a high priest over the house of God, God spoke to him with Moses, and appointed them both as joint-commissioners to deliver his will to the people. He spoke both to Moses and to Aaron about this matter; for it was particularly required of the priests that they should put a difference between clean and unclean, and teach the people to do so. After the flood, when God entered into covenant with Noah and his sons, he allowed them to eat flesh (Ge 9:13), whereas before they were confined to the productions of the earth. But the liberty allowed to the sons of Noah is here limited to the sons of Israel. They might eat flesh, but not all kinds of flesh; some they must look upon as unclean and forbidden to them, others as clean and allowed them. The law in this matter is both very particular and very strict. But what reason can be given for this law? Why may not God's people have as free a use of all the creatures as other people? 1. It is reason enough that God would have it so: his will, as it is law sufficient, so it is reason sufficient; for his will is his wisdom. He saw good thus to try and exercise the obedience of his people, not only in the solemnities of his altar, but in matters of daily occurrence at their own table, that they might remember they were under authority. Thus God had tried the obedience of man in innocency, by forbidding him to eat of one particular tree. 2. Most of the meats forbidden as unclean are such as were really unwholesome, and not fit to be eaten; and those of them that we think wholesome enough, and use accordingly, as the rabbit, the hare, and the swine, perhaps in those countries, and to their bodies, might be hurtful. And then God in this law did by them but as a wise and loving father does by his children, whom he restrains from eating that which he knows will make them sick. Note, The Lord is for the body, and it is not only folly, but sin against God, to prejudice our health for the pleasing of our appetite. 3. God would thus teach his people to distinguish themselves from other people, not only in their religious worship, but in the common actions of life. Thus he would show them that they must not be numbered among the nations. It should seem there had been, before this, some difference between the Hebrews and other nations in their food, kept up by tradition; for the Egyptians and they would not eat together, Ge 43:32. And even before the flood there was a distinction of beasts into clean and not clean (Ge 7:2), which distinction was quite lost, with many other instances of religion, among the Gentiles. But by this law it is reduced to a certainty, and ordered to be kept up among the Jews, that thus, by having a diet peculiar to themselves, they might be kept from familiar conversation with their idolatrous neighbours, and might typify God's spiritual Israel, who not in these little things, but in the temper of their spirits, and the course of their lives, should be governed by a sober singularity, and not be conformed to this world. The learned observe further, That most of the creatures which by this law were to be abominated as unclean were such as were had in high veneration among the heathen, not so much for food as for divination and sacrifice to their gods; and therefore those are here mentioned as unclean, and an abomination, which yet they would not be in any temptation to eat, that they might keep up a religious loathing of that for which the Gentiles had a superstitious value. The swine, with the later Gentiles, was sacred to Venus, the owl to Minerva, the eagle to Jupiter, the dog to Hecate, etc., and all these are here made unclean. As to the beasts, there is a general rule laid down, that those which both part the hoof and chew the cud were clean, and those only: these are particularly mentioned in the repetition of this law (De 14:4,5), where it appears that the Israelites had variety enough allowed them, and needed not to complain of the confinement they were under. Those beasts that did not both chew the cud and divide the hoof were unclean, by which rule the flesh of swine, and of hares, and of rabbits, was prohibited to them, though commonly used among us. Therefore, particularly at the eating of any of these, we should give thanks for the liberty granted us in this matter by the gospel, which teaches us that every creature of God is good, and we are to call nothing common or unclean. Some observe a significancy in the rule here laid down for them to distinguish by, or at least think it may be alluded to. Meditation, and other acts of devotion done by the hidden man of the heart, may be signified by the chewing of the cud, digesting our spiritual food; justice and charity towards men, and the acts of a good conversation, may be signified by the dividing of the hoof. Now either of these without the other will not serve to recommend us to God, but both must go together, good affections in the heart and good works in the life: if either be wanting, we are not clean, surely we are not clean. Of all the creatures here forbidden as unclean, none has been more dreaded and detested by the pious Jews than swine's flesh. Many were put to death by Antiochus because they would not eat it. This, probably, they were most in danger of being tempted to, and therefore possessed themselves and their children with a particular antipathy to it, calling it not by its proper name, but a strange thing. It should seem the Gentiles used it superstitiously (Isa 65:4), they eat swine's flesh; and therefore God forbids all use of it to his people, lest they should learn of their neighbours to make that ill use of it. Some suggest that the prohibition of these beasts as unclean was intended to be a caution to the people against the bad qualities of these creatures. We must not be filthy nor wallow in the mire as swine, nor be timorous and faint-hearted as hares, nor dwell in the earth as rabbits; let not man that is in honour make himself like these beasts that perish. The law forbade, not only the eating of them, but the very touching of them; for those that would be kept from any sin must be careful to avoid all temptations to it, and every thing that looks towards it or leads to it.
⁹ These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat.
¹⁰ And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you:
¹¹ They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination.
¹² Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.
¹³ And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray,
¹⁴ And the vulture, and the kite after his kind;
¹⁵ Every raven after his kind;
¹⁶ And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind,
¹⁷ And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl,
¹⁸ And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle,
¹⁹ And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.
Here is, 1. A general rule concerning fishes, which were clean and which not. All that had fins and scales they might eat, and only those odd sorts of water-animals that have not were forbidden, Le 11:9,10. The ancients accounted fish the most delicate food (so far were they from allowing it on fasting-days, or making it an instance of mortification to eat fish); therefore God did not lay much restraint upon his people in them; for he is a Master that allows his servants not only for necessity but for delight. Concerning the prohibited fish it is said, They shall be an abomination to you (Le 11:10-12), that is, "You shall count them unclean, and not only not eat of them, but keep at a distance from them." Note, Whatever is unclean should be to us an abomination; touch not the unclean thing. But observe, It was to be an abomination only to Jews; the neighbouring nations were under none of these obligations, nor are these things to be an abomination to us Christians. The Jews were honoured with peculiar privileges, and therefore, lest they should be proud of those, Transeunt cum onere—They were likewise laid under peculiar restraints. Thus God's spiritual Israel, as they are dignified above others by the gospel-covenant of adoption and friendship, so they must be mortified more than others by the gospel-commands of self-denial and bearing the cross. 2. Concerning fowls here is no general rule given, but a particular enumeration of those fowls that they must abstain from as unclean, which implies an allowance of all others. The critics here have their hands full to find out what is the true signification of the Hebrew words here used, some of which still remain uncertain, some sorts of fowls being peculiar to some countries. Were the law in force now, we should be concerned to know with certainty what are prohibited by it; and perhaps if we did, and were better acquainted with the nature of the fowls here mentioned, we should admire the knowledge of Adam, in giving them names expressive of their natures, Ge 2:20. But the law being repealed, and the learning in a great measure lost, it is sufficient for us to observe that of the fowls here forbidden, (1.) Some are birds of prey, as the eagle, vulture, etc., and God would have his people to abhor every thing that is barbarous and cruel, and not to live by blood and rapine. Doves that are preyed upon were fit to be food for man and offerings to God; but kites and hawks that prey upon them must be looked upon as an abomination to God and man; for the condition of those that are persecuted for righteousness' sake appears to an eye of faith every way better than that of their persecutors. (2.) Others of them are solitary birds, that abide in dark and desolate places, as the owl and the pelican (Ps 102:6), and the cormorant and raven (Isa 34:11); for God's Israel should not be a melancholy people, nor affect sadness and constant solitude. (3.) Others of them feed upon that which is impure, as the stork on serpents, others of them on worms; and we must not only abstain from all impurity ourselves, but from communion with those that allow themselves in it. (4.) Others of them were used by the Egyptians and other Gentiles in their divinations. Some birds were reckoned fortunate, others ominous; and their soothsayers had great regard to the flights of these birds, all which therefore must be an abomination to God's people, who must not learn the way of the heathen.
²⁰ All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you.
²¹ Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth;
²² Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind.
²³ But all other flying creeping things, which have four feet, shall be an abomination unto you.
²⁴ And for these ye shall be unclean: whosoever toucheth the carcase of them shall be unclean until the even.
²⁵ And whosoever beareth ought of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.
²⁶ The carcases of every beast which divideth the hoof, and is not clovenfooted, nor cheweth the cud, are unclean unto you: every one that toucheth them shall be unclean.
²⁷ And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on all four, those are unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even.
²⁸ And he that beareth the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: they are unclean unto you.
²⁹ 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,
³⁰ And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole.
³¹ These are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even.
³² And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; so it shall be cleansed.
³³ And every earthen vessel, whereinto any of them falleth, whatsoever is in it shall be unclean; and ye shall break it.
³⁴ Of all meat which may be eaten, that on which such water cometh shall be unclean: and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean.
³⁵ And every thing whereupon any part of their carcase falleth shall be unclean; whether it be oven, or ranges for pots, they shall be broken down: for they are unclean, and shall be unclean unto you.
³⁶ Nevertheless a fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty of water, shall be clean: but that which toucheth their carcase shall be unclean.
³⁷ And if any part of their carcase fall upon any sowing seed which is to be sown, it shall be clean.
³⁸ But if any water be put upon the seed, and any part of their carcase fall thereon, it shall be unclean unto you.
³⁹ And if any beast, of which ye may eat, die; he that toucheth the carcase thereof shall be unclean until the even.
⁴⁰ And he that eateth of the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: he also that beareth the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.
⁴¹ And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination; it shall not be eaten.
⁴² 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.
Here is the law, 1. Concerning flying insects, as flies, wasps, bees, etc.; these they might not eat (Le 11:20), nor indeed are they fit to be eaten; but there were several sorts of locusts which in those countries were very good meat, and much used: John Baptist lived upon them in the desert, and they are here allowed them, Le 11:21,22. 2. Concerning the creeping things on the earth; these were all forbidden (Le 11:29,30, and again, Le 11:41,42); for it was the curse of the serpent that upon his belly he should go, and therefore between him and man there was an enmity put (Ge 3:15), which was preserved by this law. Dust is the meat of the creeping things, and therefore they are not fit to be man's meat. 3. Concerning the dead carcasses of all these unclean animals. (1.) Every one that touched them was to be unclean until the evening, Le 11:24-28. This law is often repeated, to possess them with a dread of every thing that was prohibited, though no particular reason for the prohibition did appear, but only the will of the Law-maker. Not that they were to be looked upon as defiling to the conscience, or that it was a sin against God to touch them, unless done in contempt of the law: in many cases, somebody must of necessity touch them, to remove them; but it was a ceremonial uncleanness they contracted, which for the time forbade them to come into the tabernacle, or to eat of any of the holy things, or so much as to converse familiarly with their neighbours. But the uncleanness continued only till the evening, to signify that all ceremonial pollutions were to come to an end by the death of Christ in the evening of the world. And we must learn, by daily renewing our repentance every night for the sins of the day, to cleanse ourselves from the pollution we contract by them, that we may not lie down in our uncleanness. Even unclean animals they might touch while they were alive without contracting any ceremonial uncleanness by it, as horses and dogs, because they were allowed to use them for service; but they might not touch them when they were dead, because they might not eat their flesh; and what must not be eaten must not be touched, Ge 3:3. (2.) Even the vessels, or other things they fell upon, were thereby made unclean until the evening (Le 11:32), and if they were earthen vessels they must be broken, Le 11:33. This taught them carefully to avoid every thing that was polluting, even in their common actions. Not only the vessels of the sanctuary, but every pot in Jerusalem and Judah, must be holiness to the Lord, Zec 14:20,21. The laws in these cases are very critical, and the observance of them would be difficult, we should think, if every thing that a dead mouse or rat, for instance, falls upon must be unclean; and if it were an oven, or ranges for pots, they must all be broken down, Le 11:35. The exceptions also are very nice, Le 11:36, etc. All this was designed to exercise them to a constant care and exactness in their obedience, and to teach us, who by Christ are delivered from these burdensome observances, not to be less circumspect in the more weighty matters of the law. We ought as industriously to preserve our precious souls from the pollutions of sin, and as speedily to cleanse them when they are polluted, as they were to preserve and cleanse their bodies and household goods from those ceremonial pollutions.
⁴³ Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby.
⁴⁴ For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
⁴⁵ For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
⁴⁶ This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth:
⁴⁷ To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.
Here is, I. The exposition of this law, or a key to let us into the meaning of it. It was not intended merely for a bill of fare, or as the directions of a physician about their diet, but God would hereby teach them to sanctify themselves and to be holy, Le 11:44. That is, 1. They must hereby learn to put a difference between good and evil, and to reckon that it could not be all alike what they did, when it was not all alike what they ate. 2. To maintain a constant observance of the divine law, and to govern themselves by that in all their actions, even those that are common, which ought to be performed after a godly sort, 3Jo 1:6. Even eating and drinking must be by rule, and to the glory of God, 1Co 10:31. 3. To distinguish themselves from all their neighbours, as a people set apart for God, and obliged not to walk as the Gentiles: and all this is holiness. Thus these rudiments of the world were their tutors and governors (Ga 4:2,3), to bring them to that which is the revival of our first state in Adam and the earnest of our best state with Christ, that is, holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. This is indeed the great design of all the ordinances, that by them we may sanctify ourselves and learn to be holy. Even This law concerning their food, which seemed to stoop so very low, aimed thus high, for it was the statute-law of heaven, under the Old Testament as well as the New, that without holiness no man shall see the Lord. The caution therefore (Le 11:43) is, You shall not make yourselves abominable. Note, By having fellowship with sin, which is abominable, we make ourselves abominable. That man is truly miserable who is in the sight of God abominable; and none are so but those that make themselves so. The Jewish writers themselves suggest that the intention of this law was to forbid them all communion by marriage, or otherwise, with the heathen, De 7:2,3. And thus the moral of it is obligatory on us, forbidding us to have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness; and, without this real holiness of the heart and life, he that offereth an oblation is as if he offered swine's blood (Isa 66:3); and, if it was such a provocation for a man to eat swine's flesh himself, much more it must be so to offer swine's blood at God's altar; see Pr 15:8.
II. The reasons of this law; and they are all taken from the Law-maker himself, to whom we must have respect in all acts of obedience. 1. I am the Lord your God, Le 11:44. "Therefore you are bound to do thus, in pure obedience." God's sovereignty over us, and propriety in us, oblige us to do whatever he commands us, how much soever it crosses our inclinations. 2. I am holy, Le 11:44, and again, Le 11:45. If God be holy, we must be so, else we cannot expect to be accepted of him. His holiness is his glory (Ex 15:11), and therefore it becomes his house for ever, Ps 93:5. This great precept, thus enforced, though it comes in here in the midst of abrogated laws, is quoted and stamped for a gospel precept, 1Pe 1:16, where it is intimated that all these ceremonial restraints were designed to teach us that we must not fashion ourselves according to our former lusts in our ignorance, Le 11:14. 3. I am the Lord that bringeth you out of the land of Egypt, Le 11:45. This was a reason why they should cheerfully submit to distinguishing laws, having of late been so wonderfully dignified with distinguishing favours. He that had done more for them than for any other people might justly expect more from them.
III. The conclusion of this statute: This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, etc., Le 11:46,47. This law was to them a statute for ever, that is, as long as that economy lasted; but under the gospel we find it expressly repealed by a voice from heaven to Peter (Ac 10:15), as it had before been virtually set aside by the death of Christ, with the other ordinances that perished in the using: Touch not, taste not, handle not, Col 2:21,22. And now we are sure that meat commends us not to God (1Co 8:8), and that nothing is unclean of itself (Ro 14:14), nor does that defile a man which goes into his mouth, but that which comes out from the heart, Mt 15:11. Let us therefore, 1. Give thanks to God that we are not under this yoke, but that to us every creature of God is allowed as good, and nothing to be refused. 2. Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and take heed of those doctrines which command to abstain from meats, and so would revive Moses again, 1Ti 4:3,4. 3. Be strictly and conscientiously temperate in the use of the good creatures God has allowed us. If God's law has given us liberty, let us lay restraints upon ourselves, and never feed ourselves without fear, lest our table be a snare. Set a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite; and be not desirous of dainties or varieties, Pr 23:2,3. Nature is content with little, grace with less, but lust with nothing.
使徒描述礼仪律（来9:9、10）不仅包含「礼物和祭物」——这些在本书前文已经论及——也包含「各样饮食和诸般洗净的规矩」，用以除去礼仪上的不洁；关于这些的律法便从本章开始。本章将各种肉食加以区分：有的算为洁净，可以食用；有的算为不洁，予以禁绝。「人有人的肉身这一类」，自然之理性一想到吃人就惊惧，除却已堕落到极点野蛮、与畜类仅一线之隔的人外，无人敢行；故此无需为此另立律法。然而「牲畜的肉又是一类」，律法在此处加以指明（利11:1-8）；「鱼的肉又是一类」（利11:9-12）；「鸟的肉又是一类」（利11:13-19）；「爬物的肉又是一类」，其中分为两类：有翅膀用四足爬行的物（利11:20-28），以及在地上爬行的物（利11:29-43）。最后，律法以圣洁的总纲及其理由作为结语，利11:44-47等。