Leviticus 11:43
New International Version
Do not defile yourselves by any of these creatures. Do not make yourselves unclean by means of them or be made unclean by them.

New Living Translation
Do not defile yourselves by touching them. You must not make yourselves ceremonially unclean because of them.

English Standard Version
You shall not make yourselves detestable with any swarming thing that swarms, and you shall not defile yourselves with them, and become unclean through them.

Berean Standard Bible
Do not defile yourselves by any crawling creature; do not become unclean or defiled by them.

King James Bible
Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby.

New King James Version
You shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creeps; nor shall you make yourselves unclean with them, lest you be defiled by them.

New American Standard Bible
Do not make yourselves detestable through any of the swarming things that swarm; and you shall not make yourselves unclean with them so that you become unclean.

NASB 1995
‘Do not render yourselves detestable through any of the swarming things that swarm; and you shall not make yourselves unclean with them so that you become unclean.

NASB 1977
‘Do not render yourselves detestable through any of the swarming things that swarm; and you shall not make yourselves unclean with them so that you become unclean.

Legacy Standard Bible
Do not render yourselves detestable through any of the swarming things that swarm; and you shall not make yourselves unclean with them so that you become unclean.

Amplified Bible
Do not make yourselves loathsome (impure, repulsive) by [eating] any swarming thing; you shall not make yourselves unclean by them so as to defile yourselves.

Christian Standard Bible
Do not become contaminated by any creature that swarms; do not become unclean or defiled by them.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Do not become contaminated by any creature that swarms; do not become unclean or defiled by them.

American Standard Version
Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby.

Contemporary English Version
If you eat any of them, you will become just as disgusting and unclean as they are.

English Revised Version
Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Don't become disgusting by eating anything that swarms on the ground. Never allow yourselves to become unclean because of them.

Good News Translation
Do not make yourselves unclean by eating any of these.

International Standard Version
You are not to make yourselves detestable on account of any swarming creature that swarms the land, and you are not to defile yourselves and become unclean due to them,

Majority Standard Bible
Do not defile yourselves by any crawling creature; do not become unclean or defiled by them.

NET Bible
Do not make yourselves detestable by any of the swarming things. You must not defile yourselves by them and become unclean by them,

New Heart English Bible
You shall not make yourselves abominable with any crawling creature that crawls, neither shall you make yourselves unclean with them, that you should be defiled thereby.

Webster's Bible Translation
Ye shall not make your selves abominable with any creeping animal that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled by them.

World English Bible
You shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creeps. You shall not make yourselves unclean with them, that you should be defiled by them.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
you do not make yourselves abominable with any teeming thing which is teeming, nor do you make yourselves unclean with them, so that you have been unclean with them.

Young's Literal Translation
ye do not make yourselves abominable with any teeming thing which is teeming, nor do ye make yourselves unclean with them, so that ye have been unclean thereby.

Smith's Literal Translation
Ye shall not make your souls abominable by any creeping thing creeping, and ye shall not be unclean by them, and be defiled by them.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Do not defile your souls, nor touch aught thereof, lest you be unclean,

Catholic Public Domain Version
Do not be willing to contaminate your souls, nor shall you touch any of these, lest you become unclean.

New American Bible
Do not make yourselves loathsome by any swarming creature nor defile yourselves with them and so become unclean by them.

New Revised Standard Version
You shall not make yourselves detestable with any creature that swarms; you shall not defile yourselves with them, and so become unclean.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
You shall not make yourselves unclean with any creeping thing that creeps upon the earth, lest you become unclean with them; defile not yourselves with them.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
You shall not defile your souls with any creeping thing that creeps on the Earth, that you will not be defiled by them; you shall not be defiled by them.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Ye shall not make yourselves detestable with any swarming thing that swarmeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And ye shall not defile your souls with any of the reptiles that creep upon the earth, and ye shall not be polluted with them, and ye shall not be unclean by them.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Clean and Unclean Animals
42Do not eat any creature that moves along the ground, whether it crawls on its belly or walks on four or more feet; for such creatures are detestable. 43Do not defile yourselves by any crawling creature; do not become unclean or defiled by them. 44For I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, because I am holy. You must not defile yourselves by any creature that crawls along the ground.…

Cross References
Acts 10:14-15
“No, Lord!” Peter answered. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” / The voice spoke to him a second time: “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”

1 Peter 1:15-16
But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, / for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

Deuteronomy 14:3-21
You must not eat any detestable thing. / These are the animals that you may eat: The ox, the sheep, the goat, / the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep. ...

Isaiah 52:11
Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing; come out from it, purify yourselves, you who carry the vessels of the LORD.

2 Corinthians 6:17
“Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”

Ezekiel 4:14
“Ah, Lord GOD,” I said, “I have never defiled myself. From my youth until now I have not eaten anything found dead or mauled by wild beasts. No unclean meat has ever entered my mouth.”

Romans 14:14
I am convinced and fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.

Mark 7:18-19
“Are you still so dull?” He asked. “Do you not understand? Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him, / because it does not enter his heart, but it goes into the stomach and then is eliminated.” (Thus all foods are clean.)

Matthew 15:11
A man is not defiled by what enters his mouth, but by what comes out of it.”

1 Corinthians 3:17
If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

1 Thessalonians 4:7
For God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness.

Ephesians 5:3
But among you, as is proper among the saints, there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed.

Colossians 3:5
Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.

1 John 3:3
And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as Christ is pure.

Revelation 18:4
Then I heard another voice from heaven say: “Come out of her, My people, so that you will not share in her sins or contract any of her plagues.


Treasury of Scripture

You shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creeps, neither shall you make yourselves unclean with them, that you should be defiled thereby.

Ye shall

Leviticus 11:41,42
And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination; it shall not be eaten…

Leviticus 20:25
Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean.

yourselves [heb] your souls

Jump to Previous
Abominable Animal Crawleth Crawling Creatures Creepeth Creeping Creeps Defile Defiled Detestable Disgusting Earth Flat Goes Holy Means Render Selves Swarm Swarmeth Swarming Swarms Teeming Thereby Unclean Way Yourselves
Jump to Next
Abominable Animal Crawleth Crawling Creatures Creepeth Creeping Creeps Defile Defiled Detestable Disgusting Earth Flat Goes Holy Means Render Selves Swarm Swarmeth Swarming Swarms Teeming Thereby Unclean Way Yourselves
Leviticus 11
1. What animals may be eaten
4. and what may not be eaten
9. What fishes
13. What fowls
29. The creeping things which are unclean














Do not defile yourselves by any crawling creature;
In the context of Leviticus, the term "defile" refers to becoming ritually impure, which would prevent an individual from participating in worship and community activities. The Israelites were called to be a holy people, set apart for God, and maintaining ritual purity was a significant aspect of this calling. Crawling creatures, or "creeping things," are often associated with death and decay, which are antithetical to the holiness and life that God represents. This command reflects the broader Levitical theme of distinguishing between the clean and unclean, a concept that underscores the holiness of God and the need for His people to reflect that holiness in their daily lives. The prohibition against defilement by crawling creatures can also be seen as a call to avoid spiritual contamination, a theme echoed in the New Testament where believers are urged to avoid sin and live pure lives (2 Corinthians 6:17).

do not become unclean or defiled by them.
The repetition of the command emphasizes the seriousness of maintaining purity. In the ancient Near Eastern context, purity laws were not unique to Israel, but the specific regulations given to the Israelites were intended to set them apart from surrounding nations. The concept of uncleanness in Leviticus is not merely about physical hygiene but is deeply connected to spiritual and moral purity. The Israelites' adherence to these laws was a tangible expression of their covenant relationship with God. This phrase also points forward to the New Testament, where Jesus fulfills the law and redefines purity, teaching that it is not what enters a person that defiles them, but what comes from the heart (Mark 7:15). This shift highlights the ultimate purpose of the law: to point to the need for inner transformation and holiness that comes through Christ.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The primary human author of Leviticus, who received the laws from God to instruct the Israelites.

2. Israelites
The chosen people of God, to whom the laws of cleanliness and dietary restrictions were given.

3. Mount Sinai
The place where God delivered the laws to Moses, including the dietary laws found in Leviticus.

4. Crawling Creatures
Refers to various small animals and insects considered unclean under the Mosaic Law.

5. The Wilderness
The setting where the Israelites received these laws during their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land.
Teaching Points
Holiness and Separation
The command to avoid defilement by unclean creatures underscores the call for God's people to be distinct and holy. This separation is not just physical but spiritual, reflecting God's holiness.

Obedience to God's Commands
The dietary laws were a test of obedience for the Israelites. Today, believers are called to obey God's commands as a demonstration of their faith and commitment.

Symbolism of Purity
The avoidance of unclean animals symbolizes the broader principle of spiritual purity. Believers are to guard their hearts and minds against anything that defiles.

New Covenant Understanding
While the specific dietary laws are not binding under the New Covenant, the principle of living a life set apart for God remains. Believers are called to discernment in their choices and actions.

Practical Holiness
The call to avoid defilement is a reminder to pursue practical holiness in everyday life, making choices that honor God and reflect His character.(43) Ye shall not make your selves abominable.--By eating the unclean creatures which are constantly characterised in this book as "abominable" (see Leviticus 7:21; Leviticus 11:10-13; Leviticus 11:20; Leviticus 11:23; Leviticus 11:41-42)--a term which only occurs twice more in the Hebrew Scriptures (Isaiah 66:17; Ezekiel 8:10)--those who do so render themselves abominable and repulsive; hence the admonition. The phrase only occurs once more, viz., Leviticus 20:25, where it is translated in the Authorised Version, "Ye shall not make your souls abominable." This is the reason why "soul" is put here in the margin on the word "selves." . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Do not
אַל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

defile
תְּשַׁקְּצוּ֙ (tə·šaq·qə·ṣū)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 8262: To be filthy, to loathe, pollute

yourselves
נַפְשֹׁ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם (nap̄·šō·ṯê·ḵem)
Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

by any
בְּכָל־ (bə·ḵāl)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

crawling creature;
הַשֶּׁ֖רֶץ (haš·še·reṣ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 8318: A swarm, active mass of minute animals

do not
וְלֹ֤א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

become unclean
תִֽטַּמְּאוּ֙ (ṯiṭ·ṭam·mə·’ū)
Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 2930: To be or become unclean

or defiled
וְנִטְמֵתֶ֖ם (wə·niṭ·mê·ṯem)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 2933: To be stopped up, stupid

by them.
בָּֽם׃ (bām)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew


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OT Law: Leviticus 11:43 You shall not make yourselves abominable (Le Lv Lev.)
Leviticus 11:42
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