For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.
Read it in contextClean and Unclean Animals
Start reading at Deuteronomy 14:1 (Deuteronomy 14:1 to Deuteronomy 14:21).
An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
This opening unit introduces the chapter’s movement. Detailed commands apply covenant faithfulness to public worship, leadership, households, work, and the care of vulnerable people.
14:1Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.
14:2For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.
14:3Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing.
14:4These are the beasts which ye shall eat: the ox, the sheep, and the goat,
14:5The hart, and the roebuck, and the fallow deer, and the wild goat, and the pygarg, and the wild ox, and the chamois.
14:6And every beast that parteth the hoof, and cleaveth the cleft into two claws, and cheweth the cud among the beasts, that ye shall eat.
14:7Nevertheless these ye shall not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the cloven hoof; as the camel, and the hare, and the coney: for they chew the cud, but divide not the hoof; therefore they are unclean unto you.
14:8And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcase.
14:9These ye shall eat of all that are in the waters: all that have fins and scales shall ye eat:
14:10And whatsoever hath not fins and scales ye may not eat; it is unclean unto you.
14:11Of all clean birds ye shall eat.
14:12But these are they of which ye shall not eat: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray,
14:13And the glede, and the kite, and the vulture after his kind,
14:14And every raven after his kind,
14:15And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind,
14:16The little owl, and the great owl, and the swan,
14:17And the pelican, and the gier eagle, and the cormorant,
14:18And the stork, and the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.
14:19And every creeping thing that flieth is unclean unto you: they shall not be eaten.
14:20But of all clean fowls ye may eat.
14:21Ye shall not eat of anything that dieth of itself: thou shalt give it unto the stranger that is in thy gates, that he may eat it; or thou mayest sell it unto an alien: for thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk.
Study content, not yet reviewed.
Who
Who wrote the book? Moses is the principal speaker and is expressly credited with writing the law. The account of his death was supplied by a later hand; identifying that final writer as Joshua is traditional, not certain. Biblical references: Deuteronomy 31:9; Deuteronomy 31:24; Deuteronomy 34:5. Historical source: Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra 14b–15a (record of Jewish attribution, not contemporary proof). stated in the text
Who was present or being addressed in this passage? In the surrounding chapter context (Deuteronomy 12:1–26:19): Moses instructs Israel concerning life in the land. Priests, judges, rulers, households, and other groups are addressed within particular laws as members of that covenant community. stated in the text
Who was the book written to? Israel assembled in Moab before entering Canaan, and their children and later generations who were to hear the law read. Biblical references: Deuteronomy 1:1; Deuteronomy 29:10; Deuteronomy 31:12. stated in the text
What
What is the topic of this reading unit? Clean and Unclean Animals. Read Deuteronomy 14:1 through Deuteronomy 14:21 as a connected unit. interpretation
How does it contribute to the book? This opening unit introduces the chapter’s movement. Detailed commands apply covenant faithfulness to public worship, leadership, households, work, and the care of vulnerable people. interpretation
When
When are the events or message set? Moses speaks at the end of the wilderness period, before Israel crosses the Jordan. Deuteronomy 1:3 identifies the fortieth year and gives a month and day. book background
Where
What is the book’s geographic setting? The speeches are set in Moab east of the Jordan, recalling earlier places and anticipating life in Canaan. book background
Where does the context start?
This passage sits in Clean and Unclean Animals (Deuteronomy 14:1 to Deuteronomy 14:21).
Start reading at Deuteronomy 14:1. An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
How
How does this book connect with Jesus Christ? Acts applies Moses' promise of a prophet to Jesus, and Jesus uses Deuteronomy in His answers during temptation. These are explicit New Testament connections to the book. See Deuteronomy 18:15, Acts 3:22, Matthew 4:4, Matthew 4:7. interpretation
How should this book guide our response? Remember what God has done and join hearing with obedience. Preserve the covenant audience and conditions when applying promises about land, blessing, judgment, and return. interpretation
Cited: Deuteronomy 14:1, Deuteronomy 14:21, Deuteronomy 18:15, Acts 3:22, Matthew 4:4, Matthew 4:7
Early traditionJewish tradition (Baba Bathra 14b) and the early church name Moses.
What is debatedChapter 34 records the death of Moses, so even conservative scholars hold that a later hand, often identified as Joshua, added the closing account. Critical scholars date the book much later, to the seventh century B.C.
Cross references from CrossReferences-org (CC BY 4.0).
Macro-Structure
See how this passage fits the chapter and the book.
Macro-Structure of Deuteronomy 14
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Moses addresses Israel in Moab before the people cross the Jordan. The speeches recall the wilderness, expound covenant obligations, and confront the next generation with choices and consequences. Local headings and stanza divisions are editorial reading aids adapted from public-domain BSB headings; verse boundaries and Scripture links use the KJV. Connections describe the surrounding book movement.
Connection to the wholeThis opening unit introduces the chapter’s movement. Detailed commands apply covenant faithfulness to public worship, leadership, households, work, and the care of vulnerable people.
Connection to the wholeThis unit closes the chapter’s selected reading divisions. Detailed commands apply covenant faithfulness to public worship, leadership, households, work, and the care of vulnerable people.
interpretation
Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.
Macro-Structure of Deuteronomy
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Moses addresses Israel in Moab before the people cross the Jordan. The speeches recall the wilderness, expound covenant obligations, and confront the next generation with choices and consequences.
Connection to the wholeThe covenant commands and appeals join exclusive devotion to the LORD with hearing, remembering, teaching, and obeying His words.
Connection to the wholeDetailed commands apply covenant faithfulness to public worship, leadership, households, work, and the care of vulnerable people.
Connection to the wholeThe speeches set out covenant consequences and call Israel to choose life through love and obedience rather than presume upon privilege.