Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Leviticus 20:25
Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean.
25. The injunction that careful discrimination must be employed in the matter of clean and unclean food must, as Wellh. ( Composition d. Hex. etc., p. 158, Berlin, 1889) and others point out, in its original context have been accompanied by detailed directions such as now are found in ch. 11.
Lev 20:25-26 in their present form are to be compared with Lev 11:43-45. See note there.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 25. Between clean beasts and unclean] See the notes on Le 11:1-47.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
i.e. As things which by my sentence I have made unclean, and which you must avoid as such.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean,…. The ten clean ones, as Aben Ezra observes, and all the rest that are unclean, according to the law before given, Le 11:3, by using the one for food, and not the other, and so the Targum of Jonathan, ye shall separate between the beast which is fit for food, and that which is not fit for food:
and between unclean fowls and clean; and which the same Targum interprets, what is unfit to eat and what is fit, even all that are particularly mentioned as unclean, and not fit for food, in
Le 11:13 and all the rest not excepted to as clean and fit for food, which was one way and means God made use of to separate them from other nations, and so preserve them from their idolatrous and evil works:
and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground; that is, by eating them, contrary to the command of God, which would make them abominable in his sight; see Le 11:43; every sin or transgression of this law being so to him:
which I have separated from you as unclean; which by law he had commanded them to abstain from the use of, as clean, and not fit to be eaten.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Lev 20:25
. Ye shall therefore put difference. I have no doubt but that this sentence depends on the end of the foregoing verse; for although that verse contains a reason to deter them from incest, of which he had been speaking, still it refers also to the doctrine before us, and stands in the shape of preface to it. In a word, it connects two things, for God here briefly declares His will, not only with respect to unlawful and improper intercourse, but also why He forbids His people to eat of unclean animals. Therefore He says, “I am the Lord your God, which have separated you from other people.” Whence it follows, that for no other reason were they prohibited from eating those animals, except that they thence may learn to take more diligent heed, and to withdraw themselves far from all the pollutions of the Gentiles. He had before recommended purity by various symbols, and now extends it even to the very animals. And this reason must be carefully marked, that the distinction between meats is propounded to them in order that they may study purity. For there would be something unmeaning in what is here said, if we did not know that this interdiction was imposed with this object, that they should not mix themselves promiscuously with the Gentiles. Therefore it is again repeated, that they were severed, that they might be God’s inheritance; and hence it is inferred, that holiness was to be cultivated by them, that they might conform themselves to the example of their God. Now it cannot be questioned, that the distinction of meats which is prescribed, is a supplement to the First Commandment, wherein the rule for worshipping God duly and purely is laid down; and thus religion is rescued from all admixtures of superstition.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(25) Ye shall therefore put difference.Better, Ye shall therefore separate. It is the same word which is used at the end of the preceding verse, and which is rendered separate in the Authorised Version. It is important that the word should be translated by the same expression, since it not only shows the intimate connection between the two verses, but brings out more forcibly the reason for the exhortation in the verse before us. Because the Lord has separated or distinguished the Israelites from all nations, and is about to give them the promised land, therefore the Israelites are to separate or to distinguish between the clean and unclean animals, as ordained in Leviticus 11. By strictly following out the dietary laws, the Israelites will always be able to keep separate from all other nations (Dan. 1:8).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
25. Clean beasts This law may be considered both as a sanitary regulation and also a barrier between Israel and all idolatrous nations. See Lev 11:2-8, notes.
Your souls The word “souls” is here used for “selves.” See Isa 46:2.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Lev 20:25. Ye shall therefore put difference The therefore in this verse plainly proves, that the principal reason, as we have observed on ch. 11: of the distinction between clean beasts, &c. is that given in the preceding verse, I am the Lordwho have separated you.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Lev 20:25 Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean.
Ver. 25. Between clean beasts. ] How much more then shall you abstain from those unlawful copulations, whereby men put off all manhood, degenerate into dogs? Rom 1:27 Deu 23:18 2Sa 3:8
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
difference = separation, as in verse Lev 20:24. Compare Lev 10:10; Lev 11:47.
souls. Hebrew, plural of nephesh. App-13.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
put difference: Lev 11:1-47, Deu 14:3-21, Act 10:11-15, Act 10:28, Eph 5:7-11
abominable: Lev 11:43
creepeth: or, moveth
Reciprocal: Gen 3:14 – thou art Exo 22:31 – neither Lev 10:10 – General Eze 22:26 – put no Act 10:14 – for
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
20:25 Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your souls {k} abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean.
(k) By eating them contrary to my commandment.