Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Leviticus 11:43
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.
Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth,…. With any creeping thing that flies in the air, excepting the four sorts of locusts, Le 11:22 and with any creeping thing in the waters, Le 11:10 or with anything that creeps on the land, by eating any of them; which being abominable for food, would make the eater of them so to God, he thereby breaking a command of his:
neither shall you make yourselves unclean with them; by touching and bearing them, as with dead beasts, so with dead flies and the like:
that ye should be defiled thereby; in a ceremonial sense.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
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, v. 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, 3 John 6. Even eating and drinking must be by rule, and to the glory of God, 1 Cor. x. 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 (Gal 4:2; Gal 4:3), 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 (v. 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, Deu 7:2; Deu 7:3. 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. lxvi. 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 Prov. xv. 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, v. 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, v. 44, and again, v. 45. If God be holy, we must be so, else we cannot expect to be accepted of him. His holiness is his glory (Exod. xv. 11), and therefore it becomes his house for ever, Ps. xciii. 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, 1 Pet. i. 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, v. 14. 3. I am the Lord that bringeth you out of the land of Egypt, v. 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, c., Lev 11:46Lev 11:47. 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 (Acts x. 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; Col 2:22. And now we are sure that meat commends us not to God (1 Cor. viii. 8), and that nothing is unclean of itself (Rom. xiv. 14), nor does that defile a man which goes into his mouth, but that which comes out from the heart, Matt. xv. 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; 1Ti 4:4. 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, Pro 23:2; Pro 23:3. Nature is content with little, grace with less, but lust with nothing.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
43 Ye shall not make yourselves abominable. He does not invite them to take care of their health, nor warn them of the danger of contracting’ diseases, but bids them beware of defiling themselves. And a clearer explanation is subjoined, “For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves; for I am holy.” Lest they should imagine that the main part of religion was contained in external ceremonies, they were to consider the nature of God; for, inasmuch as He is a Spirit, He would be worshipped only spiritually. Thus holiness is only connected instrumentally with the distinction of meats; since their abstinence had no other object than that they should consecrate themselves to God. Therefore the superstition of the Jews was inexcusable, when they satisfied themselves with trifling observances; (47) as if one should learn the letters of the alphabet without applying them to their use, and reading what is written. From their example we perceive how eagerly men lay hold of everything they can to sustain them in their hypocrisy, for they not only wrested to their earthly notions the things which were profitable in the pursuit of true integrity of heart; but, not content, with this, they heaped to themselves many supererogatory rites; (48) hence the water of expiation, or lustration always in use, even when they were unconscious of any pollution: hence their anxious labor in washing cups and platters, that it might readily appear how constantly the perversity of man abuses what God has appointed for the best of reasons.
(47) “ Quand ils se sont arrestez a l’observation une et simple de choses frivoles; comme si quelqu’un apprenoit 1’ a, b, c, et qu’il ne luy chalust puis apres d’accoupler les lettres pour lire;” when they stopped at the bare and simple observation of frivolous things; as if one should learn the a, b, c, and cared not afterwards to join the letters together so as to read.— Fr.
(48) Addition in Fr., “ Comme si la religion eust este enclose en choses de neant;” as if religion had been comprised in things of nought.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(43) Ye shall not make your selves abominable.By eating the unclean creatures which are constantly characterised in this book as abominable (see Lev. 7:21; Lev. 11:10-13; Lev. 11:20; Lev. 11:23; Lev. 11:41-42)a term which only occurs twice more in the Hebrew Scriptures (Isa. 66:17; Eze. 8:10)those who do so render themselves abominable and repulsive; hence the admonition. The phrase only occurs once more, viz., Lev. 20:25, where it is translated in the Authorised Version, Ye shall not make your souls abominable. This is the reason why soul is put here in the margin on the word selves.
Neither shall ye make yourselves unclean.But not only is it disgusting to eat these abominable creatures, but their carcases defile and debar him who comes in contact with them from entering into the sanctuary and from partaking of the sacrificial meal.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
43. Ye shall not make yourselves abominable Hebrew, your souls.
See Lev 4:2.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Lev 11:43 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.
Ver. 43. Ye shall not make yourselves. ] Heb., Your souls. See on Lev 11:32 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
your selves = your souls. Hebrew, plural of nephesh. App-13.
abominable. Only here and Lev 7:21; Lev 11:10-13, Lev 11:20, Lev 11:23, Lev 11:41, Lev 11:42, and Isa 66:17. Eze 8:10. The phrase occurs only once more, in Ch. Lev 20:25, where it is used of souls.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Ye shall: Lev 11:41, Lev 11:42, Lev 20:25
yourselves: Heb. your souls
Reciprocal: Lev 22:5 – whosoever Deu 14:3 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Lev 11:43-45. Brief Summing up of the general Principle, in the manner of H.
Lev 11:46 f. Conclusion of the section.