Cud

The law gives a plain test for which land animals Israel could eat: the animal must part the hoof and chew the cud. The camel, the coney and the hare “cheweth the cud” but do not divide the hoof, so they are unclean. The swine divides the hoof yet “cheweth not the cud,” so it is unclean too. Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 give the lists, and the ox, the sheep and the goat are among those allowed. Christians read these food laws differently today, some as finished in Christ and some as lessons about being set apart. Start with Leviticus 11.

12 verses

Leviticus

Leviticus 11:3

Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.

Leviticus 11:4

Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

Leviticus 11:5

And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

Leviticus 11:6

And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

Leviticus 11:7

And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.

Leviticus 11:8

Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 14:3

Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing.

Deuteronomy 14:4

These are the beasts which ye shall eat: the ox, the sheep, and the goat,

Deuteronomy 14:5

The hart, and the roebuck, and the fallow deer, and the wild goat, and the pygarg, and the wild ox, and the chamois.

Deuteronomy 14:6

And every beast that parteth the hoof, and cleaveth the cleft into two claws, and cheweth the cud among the beasts, that ye shall eat.

Deuteronomy 14:7

Nevertheless these ye shall not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the cloven hoof; as the camel, and the hare, and the coney: for they chew the cud, but divide not the hoof; therefore they are unclean unto you.

Deuteronomy 14:8

And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcase.

Based on Nave's Topical Bible by Orville J. Nave (1896). Public domain. KJV scripture text, public domain.