« | Leviticus 11 | » |
1 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
2 "Tell the Israelites: These are the animals you can eat:
3 If an animal has hooves that are split into two parts, and if that animal also chews the cud, then you may eat the meat from that animal.
4 "Some animals chew the cud, but they don't have split hooves. Don't eat these animals. Camels, rock badgers, and rabbits are like that, so they are unclean for you.
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7 Other animals have hooves that are split into two parts, but they don't chew the cud. Don't eat these animals. Pigs are like that, so they are unclean for you.
8 Don't eat the meat from these animals. Don't even touch their dead bodies! They are unclean for you.
9 "If an animal lives in the sea or in a river and it has fins and scales, you may eat that animal.
10 But if an animal lives in the sea or in a river and does not have fins and scales, you must not eat that animal. It is one of the animals the Lord says is bad to eat. Don't eat the meat from that animal. Don't even touch its dead body!
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12 You must treat any animal in the water that does not have fins and scales as one of the animals that God says is wrong to eat.
13 "You must also treat these birds as animals God says are wrong to eat. Don't eat any of these birds: eagles, vultures, buzzards,
14 kites, all kinds of falcons,
15 all kinds of black birds,
16 ostriches, nighthawks, sea gulls, all kinds of hawks,
17 owls, cormorants, great owls,
18 water hens, pelicans, carrion-vultures,
19 storks, all kinds of herons, hoopoes, and bats.
20 "If insects have wings and crawl, then you should treat them as those the Lord says you must not eat. Don't eat these insects!
21 But you may eat insects if they have legs with joints above their feet so that they can jump.
22 You may also eat all kinds of locusts, all kinds of winged locusts, all kinds of crickets, and all kinds of grasshoppers.
23 "But all the other insects that have wings and crawl are those the Lord says you must not eat.
24 They will make you unclean. If you touch the dead bodies of these insects you will become unclean until evening.
25 If you pick up one of these dead insects, you must wash your clothes. You will be unclean until evening.
26 "Some animals have split hooves, but the hooves don't make exactly two parts. Some animals don't chew the cud. Some animals don't have hooves—they walk on their paws. All of these animals are unclean for you. If you touch them, you will become unclean until evening.
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28 If you pick up the dead bodies of these unclean animals, you must wash your clothes. You will be unclean until evening. These animals are unclean for you.
29 "These small animals are unclean for you: moles, mice, all kinds of great lizards,
30 geckos, crocodiles, lizards, sand reptiles, and chameleons.
31 Whoever touches their dead bodies will be unclean until evening.
32 "If any of these unclean animals dies and falls on something, that thing will become unclean. It might be something made from wood, cloth, leather, or sackcloth. Whatever it is or is used for, it must be washed with water. It will be unclean until evening. Then it will become clean again.
33 If any of these unclean animals dies and falls into a clay dish, anything in the dish will become unclean. And you must break the dish.
34 If water from the unclean clay dish touches any food, that food will become unclean. Any drink in the unclean dish will become unclean.
35 If any part of a dead, unclean animal falls on something, that thing is unclean. It may be a clay oven or a clay baking pan. It must be broken into pieces. These things will remain unclean. They will always be unclean for you.
36 "A spring or a well that collects water will remain clean, but anyone who touches the dead bodies of any unclean animal {in that water} will become unclean.
37 If any part of a dead, unclean animal falls on seed that is to be planted, that seed is still clean.
38 But if you put water on some seed and if any part of a dead, unclean animal falls on those seeds, they are unclean for you.
39 "Also, if an animal which you use for food dies, whoever touches its dead body will be unclean until evening.
40 If you eat meat from this animal's body, you must wash your clothes. You will be unclean until evening. If you pick up the dead body of the animal, you must wash your clothes. You will be unclean until evening.
41 "You must treat all the crawling animals that live on the dirt as disgusting things that you must not eat.
42 You must not eat any of the reptiles that crawl on their bellies or that walk on all four feet, or that have many feet. Don't eat these animals!
43 Don't let them make you filthy. You must not become unclean,
44 because I am the Lord your God. I am holy, so you should keep yourselves holy. Don't make yourselves unclean with these crawling things.
45 I brought you out of Egypt so that you could be my special people and I could be your God. I am holy, so you must be holy too."
46 These are the rules about all of the tame animals, birds, all of the animals in the sea, and all of the animals that crawl on the ground.
47 These rules will help the people know which animals are unclean and which animals they are allowed to eat and which ones they cannot eat.
The Easy-To-Read Version (ERV)
The Easy-To-Read Version (ERV) is a Bible translation specifically designed to be accessible and comprehensible for people with limited reading skills or those for whom English is a second language. Originally published in 1987 by the World Bible Translation Center, the ERV was initially developed to serve the deaf community, using a simplified vocabulary and straightforward sentence structures. The goal of the ERV is to make the scriptures understandable to a wide range of readers, ensuring that everyone can grasp the essential messages of the Bible without being hindered by complex language or archaic terms.
One of the defining characteristics of the ERV is its commitment to clarity and simplicity. The translators employed a thought-for-thought translation philosophy, focusing on conveying the meaning of the original texts in plain, everyday English. This approach ensures that readers can easily comprehend the Bible’s teachings and narratives, making it a valuable resource for children, new Christians, and those with limited literacy skills. The ERV avoids technical theological terms and instead uses language that is commonly spoken, making it accessible for personal study and public reading alike.
The ERV also pays careful attention to the cultural and contextual nuances of the original manuscripts. The translators sought to present the Bible’s messages in a way that is relevant and meaningful to contemporary readers while maintaining faithfulness to the original texts. This cultural sensitivity helps bridge the gap between ancient scriptures and modern readers, allowing them to connect more deeply with the biblical stories and teachings. Additionally, the ERV includes helpful footnotes and cross-references that provide further explanation and context, enhancing the reader’s understanding of the text.
Despite its strengths, the ERV has faced some criticism from those who prefer more traditional or literal translations. Critics argue that the simplified language and thought-for-thought approach can sometimes result in a loss of depth and richness found in the original texts. Some theologians believe that the ERV’s emphasis on accessibility may lead to oversimplification of complex theological concepts. Nonetheless, the Easy-To-Read Version remains a highly valuable translation for its target audience, offering a clear and approachable rendition of the Bible that helps people of all backgrounds engage with and understand the scriptures.