Deuteronomy 14:9
These ye shall eat of all that are in the waters: all that have fins and scales shall ye eat:
Original Language Analysis
אֶת
H853
אֶת
Strong's:
H853
Word #:
1 of 12
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
מִכֹּ֖ל
H3605
מִכֹּ֖ל
Strong's:
H3605
Word #:
4 of 12
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
אֲשֶׁ֣ר
H834
אֲשֶׁ֣ר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
5 of 12
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
בַּמָּ֑יִם
of all that are in the waters
H4325
בַּמָּ֑יִם
of all that are in the waters
Strong's:
H4325
Word #:
6 of 12
water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen
כֹּ֧ל
H3605
כֹּ֧ל
Strong's:
H3605
Word #:
7 of 12
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
אֲשֶׁר
H834
אֲשֶׁר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
8 of 12
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
Historical Context
The Mediterranean Sea, Sea of Galilee, and Jordan River provided abundant fish for Israel. The fin-and-scale requirement permitted most common fish while excluding shellfish, crustaceans, eels, and other creatures.
Fishing formed important industry in first-century Galilee. Jesus called fishermen as disciples, and fish became symbolic in early Christianity, though dietary restrictions had been removed.
Questions for Reflection
- What might fins and scales symbolize spiritually about navigating life while maintaining boundaries?
- How did marine dietary laws practically affect Israel's fishing economy?
- Why is it significant that God's laws were designed for practical daily implementation?
- What does the inclusion of fish in the clean category reveal about God's generous provision?
- How did removal of these restrictions in the New Covenant affect gospel expansion?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
These ye shall eat of all that are in the waters: all that have fins and scales shall ye eat. The aquatic creatures follow different criteria than land animals. Clean fish must have both fins and scales - again, both features required, not one or the other.
Fins enable directed movement through water; scales provide protective covering. Spiritually, these might represent ability to navigate life's currents while maintaining protective boundaries. The dual requirement reinforces the principle that external protection and internal navigation must work together.
This simple classification made field identification straightforward. Israelite fishermen could quickly determine which catch was permissible without requiring detailed species knowledge. God's practical wisdom shines through - laws designed for actual implementation in daily life.
The marine dietary laws, like land animal laws, distinguished Israel from coastal and riverside peoples who ate shellfish, eels, and other non-scaled creatures. Every meal reinforced covenant identity.