by Travis King

Created on: March 15, 2010

When God gave Moses instructions for how the Israelites should live, He specified certain animals that were "clean" and others that were "unclean". The clean animals were acceptable for eating and for sacrifices, but unclean animals were not to be eaten and their dead bodies were not to be touched. This may seem strange to many people today, because most people eat at least some of the unclean meats, such as pig, shrimp, and catfish. However, God had a good reason for telling the Israelites which meats they should not eat. Modern science has shown that the meats of the unclean animals are more toxic than the meats of unclean animals. Many of the unclean animals feed on waste, and like pigs may even be infested with parasites. The clean meats are the best options for those who choose to eat meat.

So, which meats are clean to eat? The guidelines are spelled out in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14. Clean mammals chew their cud and have cloven hooves. If you have ever seen a cow eating, you know that cows chew their cud, which means that they chew their food, swallow it, and it returns to their mouth. Clean mammals include cows, sheep, goats, deer, antelope, and bison. Unclean mammals include pigs, rabbits, and rodents.

Clean fish have both fins and scales. These include tuna and salmon. Shellfish are, by extension, unclean, because they do not have fins or scales.

Clean birds include chickens and turkeys. Any bird that is a scavenger or bird of prey is unclean. Unclean birds include eagles, ravens, and herons. While bats are mammals, they are included in the bird category because they fly, and they are also unclean.

Clean insects are grasshoppers, locusts, and crickets. While to most people in America the idea of eating insects sounds disgusting, many people all over the world eat insects. The Bible records that John the Baptists ate locusts and honey for years in the desert.

There are no clean reptiles according to these two chapters. Unclean reptiles specified are geckos, lizards, and chameleons.

The clean and unclean meat guidelines are still good for us to know today so that we can make wise choices of food. While the lists included in the Bible are not exhaustive, covering every animal we know today, they give the basic rules for determining which meats are clean or unclean. In summary: clean mammals have cloven hooves and chew cud, clean birds are those that are not scavengers, birds of prey, or otherwise specified in the Bible, clean fish have both fins and scales, and clean insects are grasshoppers, locusts, and crickets.

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