What is the meaning of Leviticus 11:6? The rabbit • “The rabbit” refers to a common small mammal familiar to Israel’s wilderness wanderings. It is named again in Deuteronomy 14:7 alongside the hare and the hyrax. • By singling it out, God highlights that even ordinary, familiar creatures fall under His detailed distinctions (see Leviticus 11:42 for similar specificity). though it chews the cud • Leviticus 11:6: “The rabbit, though it chews the cud …” Rabbits repeatedly move their jaws in a way that looks like rumination. From the observer’s perspective this qualified as “chewing the cud,” lining up with the broader rule in Leviticus 11:3 that permitted animals that both chew the cud and have split hooves. • God’s criteria were practical signposts for Israel. Animals that seemed to ruminate symbolized internal cleansing—an outward reminder of the inward purity God desired (Psalm 24:3-4). does not have a divided hoof • Continuing the verse: “… does not have a divided hoof …” A truly divided hoof is fully split and hardened, as in cattle (Leviticus 11:3). A rabbit’s foot is soft and not completely parted. • Because the animal meets only one of the two required signs, it fails the test. James 2:10 illustrates a parallel principle: breaking one part of the law breaks the whole. Total conformity matters. it is unclean for you • The conclusion: “… it is unclean for you.” “Unclean” here is ceremonial, not a declaration of inherent sinfulness in the creature (Leviticus 11:44-45). • This restriction taught Israel to separate daily life unto God, echoing Exodus 19:6—“you will be for Me a kingdom of priests.” • In Christ the ceremonial boundaries are fulfilled; Peter hears, “What God has cleansed, you must not call common” (Acts 10:15). Yet the original command still instructs us about God’s holiness and the need for discernment (1 Peter 1:15-16). summary Leviticus 11:6 sets the rabbit apart to illustrate that partial conformity cannot satisfy God’s standard. The creature appears to chew cud but lacks the divided hoof, thus classified as unclean. The verse affirms God’s meticulous concern for holiness, teaches His people to honor distinctions He makes, and ultimately points forward to the complete cleansing provided in Christ without diminishing the accuracy or authority of the original command. |
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