Deuteronomy 14:10
And whatsoever hath not fins and scales ye may not eat; it is unclean unto you.
Original Language Analysis
וְכֹ֨ל
H3605
וְכֹ֨ל
Strong's:
H3605
Word #:
1 of 11
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
אֲשֶׁ֧ר
H834
אֲשֶׁ֧ר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
2 of 11
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
וְקַשְׂקֶ֖שֶׂת
and scales
H7193
וְקַשְׂקֶ֖שֶׂת
and scales
Strong's:
H7193
Word #:
6 of 11
a scale (of a fish); hence a coat of mail (as composed of or covered with jointed plates of metal)
לֹ֣א
H3808
לֹ֣א
Strong's:
H3808
Word #:
7 of 11
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
Historical Context
Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines featured abundant shellfish - oysters, clams, shrimp, lobster, crabs. Israel's abstention from these delicacies marked them as different from coastal trading partners like Phoenicians.
The kosher laws continued influencing Jewish practice long after ceremonial regulations ended for Christians, creating ongoing cultural distinction that complicated early church fellowship between Jewish and Gentile believers.
Questions for Reflection
- What does Israel's willingness to forgo abundant food sources teach about covenant obedience?
- How does the relational nature of cleanness help us understand ceremonial law?
- Why did God choose to make readily available foods off-limits to His people?
- What tensions did ongoing Jewish dietary practices create in the early church?
- How should understanding ceremonial law affect Christian freedom regarding food?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
And whatsoever hath not fins and scales ye may not eat; it is unclean unto you. The negative statement reinforces the positive - anything lacking both required features is forbidden. This eliminated shellfish, crustaceans, mollusks, eels, catfish, and other marine creatures that neighboring peoples commonly ate.
Shellfish and similar creatures were abundant and easily gathered along coastlines. Prohibiting them required Israel to forgo readily available protein sources in obedience to God's ceremonial law. This demonstrated that covenant faithfulness outweighed practical convenience.
The declaration it is unclean unto you personalizes the restriction - these creatures are not inherently evil but ceremonially inappropriate for God's covenant people. The same creature that made Gentiles unclean would later become permissible when God removed the ceremonial barriers.
This illustrates that holiness is relational and covenantal, not merely intrinsic to objects. Things become clean or unclean based on their relationship to God's revealed will and His covenant people.