Topical Bible: Camel: Forbidden As Food

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In the biblical context, the camel is mentioned as an animal that is forbidden for consumption according to the dietary laws given to the Israelites. These laws are primarily found in the Pentateuch, specifically in the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy, which outline the distinctions between clean and unclean animals.

Biblical References:

1. Leviticus 11:4 : "But of those that only chew the cud or have only a split hoof, you are not to eat the following: The camel, though it chews the cud, does not have a split hoof; it is unclean for you."

2. Deuteronomy 14:7 : "But of those that chew the cud or have a split hoof, you are not to eat the following: The camel, the rabbit, and the rock badger, though they chew the cud, do not have a split hoof; they are unclean for you."

Characteristics of the Camel:

The camel is described as an animal that chews the cud but does not have a split hoof. According to the dietary laws, an animal must have both characteristics—chewing the cud and having a split hoof—to be considered clean and permissible for consumption. The camel, therefore, fails to meet the criteria set forth in these laws.

Cultural and Religious Significance:

In the ancient Near Eastern context, camels were valuable animals, primarily used for transportation and as beasts of burden. Their ability to travel long distances without water made them indispensable in desert regions. Despite their utility, the Israelites were commanded to abstain from eating camels, emphasizing the importance of adhering to God's commandments regarding purity and holiness.

The prohibition against eating camels is part of a broader set of dietary laws that served to set the Israelites apart from surrounding nations. These laws were intended to instill a sense of identity and obedience to God, reinforcing the covenant relationship between God and His people.

Theological Implications:

The dietary laws, including the prohibition against eating camels, are often seen as symbolic of the need for spiritual purity and separation from sin. They reflect the holiness that God requires of His people, as stated in Leviticus 11:44-45 : "For I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, because I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming creature that crawls on the ground. For I am the LORD, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God; therefore you shall be holy, because I am holy."

While these dietary restrictions were specific to the Old Covenant, they continue to hold spiritual significance for many believers, symbolizing the call to live a life set apart for God.

Nave's Topical Index

Leviticus 11:4
Nevertheless these shall you not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he chews the cud, but divides not the hoof; he is unclean to you.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Appendix xvii. The Ordinances and Law of the Sabbath as Laid Down ...
... bolimos might on that sacred day have even unlawful food (Yoma viii ... To kill such
vermin is, of course, strictly forbidden (to kill a flea is like a camel). ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/appendix xvii the ordinances and.htm

Letter cvii. To Laeta.
... which he was to preach, he was clothed in the spoils of the hump-backed camel. ... in
which week is added to week and even oil and apples are forbidden as food. ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cvii to laeta.htm

Letter xxxviii. To Marcella.
... and yet he was clothed in raiment of camel's hair, and ... coarser than locusts, and
yet these were the food of John ... her once more to eat of the forbidden tree, she ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter xxxviii to marcella.htm

The Creation of Fowl and Water Animals.
... The camel conceals its resentment for a long time after it ... ministry of feet to seek
their food and to ... Christians, you to whom it is forbidden to "recompense ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/homily viii the creation of.htm

Upon Our Lord's SermonOn the Mount
... ends require, " is what is here expressly and absolutely forbidden. ... that, owing no
man anything, and having food and raiment ... "It is easier for a camel to go ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 28 upon our lords.htm

The Danger of Riches
... this is done, is what our Lord has flatly forbidden. ... him, (1.) Provide things needful
for yourself; food to eat ... Though "it is easier for a camel to go through ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 87 the danger of.htm

Faustus Willing to Believe not Only that the Jewish but that all ...
... it unnecessary that any food should be forbidden or unclean? ... as the Manich??ans say,
that all animal food is unclean ... Ye strain out a gnat and swallow a camel. ...
/.../faustus willing to believe not.htm

Vesalius the Anatomist {9}
... all clerks, clerici, and as such forbidden to shed ... the gnat after having swallowed
the camel"forbade it ... had destroyed every article of human food, except the ...
/.../kingsley/historical lectures and essays/vesalius the anatomist 9.htm

Letter cxxx. (AD 412. )
... Him that it was easier for a camel to go ... poverty nor riches: feed me with food
convenient for ... may seem surprising that, although He has forbidden "much speaking ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/letter cxxx a d 412.htm

Travelling in Palestine --Roads, Inns, Hospitality, Custom-House ...
... so as to allow a man on a camel to pass ... a house of public entertainment, where such
food as locusts ... been under martial law, the citizens being forbidden "to meet ...
/.../sketches of jewish social life/chapter 4 travelling in palestineroads.htm