And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.
The stork, the heron after her kind, the lapwing, and the bat are named among the birds forbidden as food, as part of the restrictions that limited Israel's use of animal food to clean kinds. The verse belongs to the requirements given through Moses in Leviticus 11:1-47, distinguishing clean from unclean animals and forbidding the Hebrews and Israel to eat what is unclean and unfit for food, including swine's flesh and certain other animals. That law of Moses identified certain meats as unclean and therefore not suitable for the Hebrews' chosen diet.
God forbade these animals because they were not the best articles of food and could harm health. Eating them fills and pollutes the blood with impurities and shortens life, including swine and certain other animals whose flesh was considered likely to pollute the blood and shorten life. The restrictions were therefore given to protect life and health and to keep the blood pure. They were intended to prevent impurities in the blood and the shortening of life through simple, healthful food.
The foods were unsuitable for the Hebrews' chosen diet, which sought to protect health and keep minds clear for God's service. As God gave it, the law was just and reasonable and not arbitrary. This instruction to preserve health, including health principles and sanitary laws, was taught to the people during their wilderness training before they entered Canaan.
Daniel's refusal of the king's food was obedience to this law, even at the risk of losing his position and life. The restrictions were not a basis for adding further rules. The Pharisees perverted the law by going to unwarranted extremes and burdening the people with excessive ceremonies and restrictions, requiring them to strain all water used lest it contain the smallest insect that might be classed with the unclean animals, a trivial rigor rebuked while serious sins went unchecked.
The stork, the heron after her kind, the lapwing, and the bat are named among the birds forbidden as food, as part of the restrictions that limited Israel's use of animal food to clean kinds. The verse belongs to the requirements given through Moses in Leviticus 11:1-47, distinguishing clean from unclean animals and forbidding the Hebrews and Israel to eat what is unclean and unfit for food, including swine's flesh and certain other animals. That law of Moses identified certain meats as unclean and therefore not suitable for the Hebrews' chosen diet.
God forbade these animals because they were not the best articles of food and could harm health. Eating them fills and pollutes the blood with impurities and shortens life, including swine and certain other animals whose flesh was considered likely to pollute the blood and shorten life. The restrictions were therefore given to protect life and health and to keep the blood pure. They were intended to prevent impurities in the blood and the shortening of life through simple, healthful food.
The foods were unsuitable for the Hebrews' chosen diet, which sought to protect health and keep minds clear for God's service. As God gave it, the law was just and reasonable and not arbitrary. This instruction to preserve health, including health principles and sanitary laws, was taught to the people during their wilderness training before they entered Canaan.
Daniel's refusal of the king's food was obedience to this law, even at the risk of losing his position and life. The restrictions were not a basis for adding further rules. The Pharisees perverted the law by going to unwarranted extremes and burdening the people with excessive ceremonies and restrictions, requiring them to strain all water used lest it contain the smallest insect that might be classed with the unclean animals, a trivial rigor rebuked while serious sins went unchecked.