Deuteronomy 14:7

Arabic KEH Ketab El Hayat (كتاب الحياة)

وَلَكِنْ لاَ تَأْكُلُوا الْحَيَوَانَاتِ الْمُجْتَرَّةَ غَيْرَ مَشْقُوقَةِ الظِّلْفِ، كَالْجَمَلِ وَالأَرْنَبِ وَالْوَبَرِ، فَإِنَّهَا تَجْتَرُّ وَلَكِنَّهَا غَيْرُ مَشْقُوقَةِ الظِّلْفِ، لِذَلِكَ هِيَ نَجِسَةٌ لَكُمْ،

What Does This Mean?

This verse is part of God's instructions to the Israelites about which animals are clean and can be eaten, and which are unclean and must not be eaten. It specifically mentions animals like the camel, hare, and coney, which chew the cud but do not have divided hooves, making them unclean. Moses is the one delivering these instructions from God.

Explained for Children

Imagine you're playing a game where you can only eat certain animals. God gave the Israelites a list to help them know which animals were okay to eat and which weren't. He said animals like camels and hares, even though they chew their food in a special way, can't be eaten because they don't have split hooves.

Historical Background

The book of Deuteronomy was written by Moses around 1200 BC to the Israelites, who were about to enter the Promised Land. This instruction on dietary laws was part of a broader set of rules meant to set the Israelites apart as a holy people and to teach them about God's ways.

Living It Out Today

Today, we don't follow these dietary laws, but we can apply the principle of distinguishing right from wrong in our daily lives. For example, just as the Israelites had to avoid certain animals, we might choose to avoid harmful habits or influences that could negatively impact our spiritual growth.

Topics

• dietary laws
• holiness
• spiritual growth
• Israelites
• God's instructions
• cleanness

Related Verses

• Leviticus 11:4-8
• Exodus 23:19
• Acts 10:10-16
• Romans 14:14
• 1 Corinthians 6:12

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are camels, hares, and conies considered unclean?

These animals are considered unclean because they do not fully meet the criteria God set for clean animals: chewing the cud and having a divided hoof.

What is the significance of these dietary laws?

The dietary laws were part of God's instructions to set the Israelites apart as a holy people, teaching them about sanctification and separation from the world.

Do Christians today need to follow these dietary laws?

No, Christians are not bound by these specific dietary laws since Jesus declared all foods clean in the New Testament (Mark 7:19).

How can we apply the principle of 'clean' and 'unclean' in our lives today?

We can apply this principle by discerning what is spiritually beneficial and what isn't, choosing to avoid harmful influences and habits that could hinder our spiritual growth.