Deuteronomy 14:11-20 · Bible study
Deuteronomy 14:11-20 Commentary: Clean Birds, Unclean Birds
Hebrew · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore how Israel identified clean birds by the list of unclean ones. Discover the principles behind these dietary laws and their meaning for holiness.
Research Summary
- Meaning: This passage lists the flying creatures Israel could not eat; any bird not named was considered clean.
- Key words: “clean” (טָהוֹר, tahor), ceremonially pure; “unclean” (טָמֵא, tame), impure; “bird” (עוֹף, oph), flying creature, including insects.
- Main debate: The exact identification of several bird species is uncertain; also the underlying principle (why these birds are unclean) is debated among commentators.
- Theological theme: Holiness as separation, God’s people live distinctly, even in daily habits like eating.
- Best use: Teaching on Old Testament dietary laws, the nature of biblical holiness, and how Christians understand the old covenant in light of Christ.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
11You may eat any clean bird,
12but these you may not eat: the eagle, the bearded vulture, the black vulture,
13the red kite, the falcon, any kind of kite,
14any kind of raven,
15the ostrich, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk,
16the little owl, the great owl, the white owl,
17the desert owl, the osprey, the cormorant,
18the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe, or the bat.
19All flying insects are unclean for you; they may not be eaten.
20But you may eat any clean bird.
WEB World English Bible 2000
11Of all clean birds you may eat.
12But these are they of which you shall not eat: the eagle, the vulture, the osprey,
13the red kite, the falcon, the kite of any kind,
14every raven of any kind,
15the ostrich, the owl, the seagull, the hawk of any kind,
16the little owl, the great owl, the horned owl,
17the pelican, the vulture, the cormorant,
18the stork, the heron after its kind, the hoopoe, and the bat.
19All winged creeping things are unclean to you. They shall not be eaten.
20Of all clean birds you may eat.
KJV King James Version 1769
11Of all clean birds ye shall eat.
12But these are they of which ye shall not eat: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray,
13And the glede, and the kite, and the vulture after his kind,
14And every raven after his kind,
15And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind,
16The little owl, and the great owl, and the swan,
17And the pelican, and the gier eagle, and the cormorant,
18And the stork, and the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.
19And every creeping thing that flieth is unclean unto you: they shall not be eaten.
20But of all clean fowls ye may eat.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
11Of all clean birds ye may eat.
12But these are they of which ye shall not eat: the eagle, and the gier-eagle, and the ospray,
13and the glede, and the falcon, and the kite after its kind,
14and every raven after its kind,
15and the ostrich, and the night-hawk, and the sea-mew, and the hawk after its kind,
16the little owl, and the great owl, and the horned owl,
17and the pelican, and the vulture, and the cormorant,
18and the stork, and the heron after its kind, and the hoopoe, and the bat.
19And all winged creeping things are unclean unto you: they shall not be eaten.
20Of all clean birds ye may eat.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
11`Any clean bird ye do eat;
12and these are they of which ye do not eat: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray,
13and the glede, and the kite, and the vulture after its kind,
14and every raven after its kind;
15and the owl, and the night-hawk, and the cuckoo, and the hawk after its kind;
16the little owl, and the great owl, and the swan,
17and the pelican, and the gier-eagle, and the cormorant,
18and the stork, and the heron after its kind, and the lapwing, and the bat;
19and every teeming thing which is flying, unclean it is to you; they are not eaten;
20any clean fowl ye do eat.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
11All clean birds shall ye eat.
12But these are they of which ye shall not eat: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the sea-eagle,
13and the falcon, and the kite, and the black kite after its kind;
14and every raven after its kind;
15and the female ostrich, and the male ostrich, and the sea-gull, and the hawk after its kind;
16the owl, and the ibis and the swan,
17and the pelican, and the carrion vulture, and the gannet,
18and the stork, and the heron after its kind, and the hoopoe, and the bat.
19And every winged crawling thing shall be unclean unto you; they shall not be eaten.
20All clean fowls shall ye eat.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
11All birds that are clean you shall eat.
12The unclean eat not: to wit, the eagle, and the grype, and the osprey,
13The ringtail, and the vulture, and the kite according to their kind:
14And all of the raven's kind:
15And the ostrich, and the owl, and the larus, and the hawk according to its kind:
16The heron, and the swan, and the stork,
17And the cormorant, the porphirion, and the night crow,
18The bittern, and the charadrion, every one in their kind: the houp also and the bat.
19Every thing that creepeth, and hath little wings, shall be unclean, and shall not be eaten.
20All that is clean, you shall eat.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Deuteronomy 14:11
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree on the basic method of Deuteronomy 14:11-20. Unlike mammals (chewing the cud, split hoof) and fish (fins and scales), no explicit criteria for clean birds are given. Instead, the text lists only the unclean species. As Gill notes, citing Maimonides, “only the number of the unclean are reckoned, so that all the rest are free.” The Cambridge Bible adds that the names are “generic, not specific” and “popular,” based on close observation of bird structure and habits. The list is not exhaustive; it names the unacceptable birds, and any bird not named was considered clean. The exact identification of several birds (e.g., the “glede,” “vulture after his kind”) remains uncertain, as animal names shift across languages and eras. But the principle is clear: the Israelites could eat any bird not on this prohibited list. This approach set Israel apart from surrounding nations, marking their daily life as holy to God.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Exhaustive list view: The text states 'these are they of which you shall not eat,' implying the list is complete. Any bird not explicitly named is clean.
- Representative list view: The repeated phrase 'after its kind' opens categories, suggesting other species within those families are also forbidden. The list is illustrative, not exhaustive (Cambridge Bible).
What is clear: The passage establishes a clear method: any flying creature not on the prohibited list is considered clean and may be eaten. The method is negative listing, not descriptive criteria.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose of the bird list | All traditions agree the list serves to mark Israel as a holy people set apart from other nations. | Some emphasize a health or hygienic rationale (scavenger birds carry disease), while others see purely ceremonial separation with no known natural basis. The text itself does not decide. |
| Completeness of the list | Commentators agree that only unclean birds are named, so any unlisted bird is clean. | Some argue the list is exhaustive, covering every unclean species known at the time. Others (including the Cambridge Bible) hold it is representative but not exhaustive; additional species were recognized as unclean by extension (e.g., 'after its kind'). |
| Identification of specific birds | All recognize that many Hebrew bird names cannot be identified with certainty today. | Translations vary widely: the same Hebrew word is rendered 'ossifrage,' 'vulture,' or 'bearded vulture' in different versions. The debate is philological, not theological. |
| Christian application | Christians across traditions agree that the ceremonial food laws are fulfilled in Christ and are not binding today. | Some see a continuing principle of distinguishing holy from common in daily life; others argue the law's purpose was uniquely tied to Israel's national identity and no parallel applies to the church. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Deuteronomy 14 belongs to Moses’ second address on the plains of Moab, just before Israel enters Canaan. The chapter opens with a call to holiness: “You are the children of the Lord your God” (v.1). The dietary rules that follow are one way Israel lived out that identity. All ancient Near Eastern cultures had food taboos. The Cambridge Bible notes that “all Semitic peoples have distinguished between animals lawful and unlawful for food,” though the specifics varied widely.
The bird list in v.11-20 mirrors Leviticus 11:13-19 with minor differences. The Hebrew word for “bird” (oph, עוֹף) can also mean flying insects, which explains v.19: “All winged creeping things are unclean to you.” The bat (a mammal) is included because it flies. The birds named are mostly predators or scavengers (eagle, vulture, raven, owl) or birds of desolate places (ostrich, pelican). This may reflect a general association of these birds with death or impurity, though the text itself gives no explicit rule. The surrounding verses (v.21) tie the laws to identity: “for you are a holy people to Yahweh your God.” Dietary boundaries were a tangible, daily reminder that Israel belonged to God.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants in the Hebrew manuscripts of Deuteronomy 14:11-20. The parallel list in Leviticus 11:13-19 uses slightly different Hebrew names for some birds (e.g., “rà’āh” in Lev. 11:14 vs. “daiyāh” in Deut. 14:13 for the kite), but these are differences in vocabulary between the two passages, not variants within the Deuteronomy tradition. The bird names in this passage are among the most uncertain in the Old Testament, but the textual tradition itself is stable.
Reception History
In Jewish tradition, the dietary laws (kashrut) developed from passages like this into an elaborate system. The Mishnah and Talmud derived criteria for clean birds (a crop, a gizzard that can be peeled, an extra talon) from hints in the text. The medieval commentator Maimonides offered rational explanations for the prohibitions, often linking them to pagan cultic practices.
Early Christian writers, such as Clement of Alexandria, sometimes allegorised the unclean birds as types of vices (the eagle as pride, the owl as love of darkness). The Reformers, including Calvin and Luther, distinguished between the ceremonial law (fulfilled in Christ and no longer binding) and the moral law. Anglicans and Lutherans kept this distinction, while Anabaptist traditions sometimes saw ongoing symbolic value in the clean/unclean categories. In modern scholarship, the passage is studied for what it reveals about ancient Israelite culture, taxonomy, and the function of law in forming community identity.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God calls his people to live distinctly. Deuteronomy 14 opens with Israel’s identity as children of God. The dietary laws are not random; they shape a holy community. What we eat matters because our whole lives belong to him.
- Clear boundaries bring freedom. The list of unclean birds sets a boundary: avoid these, and everything else is permitted. This negative list gave Israelites clarity without endless rules. In the same way, God’s commands often protect our freedom rather than restrict it.
- Small obediences shape identity. Choosing which birds to eat seems small, but daily decisions formed habits of holiness. These laws trained Israel to see all of life, even meals, as an act of worship.
Five-point outline
- Holiness begins with belonging. (v.11, in context of v.1-2). Before any rule, Israel is God’s children.
- God gives specific guidance for daily life. The list of birds is concrete, not abstract.
- The principle of “all else is permitted.” Only unclean birds are named; the rest are clean. God trusts his people to use wisdom within boundaries.
- Some uncertainties remain. The identification of certain birds (like the “glede”) is unclear today, but the original hearers understood. We can trust that God’s Word was sufficient for them.
- These laws point to a greater holiness. For Christians, the dietary laws are fulfilled in Christ (Mark 7:19; Acts 10:15), but the call to live as set-apart people continues.
Illustration hooks
- The supermarket shelf: Modern shoppers face hundreds of choices. Imagine a rule that says “avoid these five brands; everything else is fine.” That is the kind of clarity Israel had with birds, a simple boundary that made daily decisions easier.
- A family recipe: Some families avoid certain ingredients for health, allergy, or tradition. Over time, those choices become part of who they are. Israel’s food laws worked the same way: what they did not eat reminded them whose they were.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Do I need to follow these dietary laws today? Most Christian traditions teach that the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament are fulfilled in Christ, so these specific food restrictions no longer apply. But the call to holiness and to honor God in what we eat remains (1 Corinthians 10:31).
- Why did God care about which birds they ate? The laws were not about the birds themselves but about shaping Israel as a distinct people. Everyday choices, including meals, taught dependence on God and separation from pagan practices.
- How do I decide what is “clean” in my life today? Christians apply the principle of holiness to areas the New Testament addresses: avoiding sin, pursuing purity, and honoring God with the body. Specific food restrictions are no longer the boundary, but the heart of set-apart living remains.
Leading a Discussion
This passage may seem like a dry list of bird names, but it reveals how God taught Israel to live as a holy people. The main question it raises is: how did they know which birds were clean when only the unclean are listed? The answer shapes how we read the whole Old Testament law: God often gives boundaries and lets freedom flourish within them.
Discussion questions
- Read Deuteronomy 14:11-20. What stands out to you about the way the passage is structured, first a general permission, then a list of prohibitions, then the permission repeated?
- Why do you think the text gives no criteria for clean birds, unlike mammals and fish? How would an Israelite family have known what to eat?
- Look at the list of unclean birds: eagles, vultures, owls, bats. What do these creatures have in common? Do you see a principle behind the list, even if it is not stated?
- Gill’s commentary says that only the unclean are listed “so that all the rest are free.” How does that affect your view of God’s commands, do they feel restrictive or freeing?
- Deuteronomy 14:2 calls Israel “a holy people.” How did these dietary laws help them live that out in everyday life?
- For Christians, the New Testament declares all foods clean (Mark 7:19). What then is the lasting purpose of this passage for us? What does it teach about holiness?
- If God gave Israel a principle of “all else is permitted” in this area, where in your life might you need clearer boundaries, or more freedom to trust God’s goodness?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Leviticus 11:13 | “‘You shall detest these among the birds; they shall not be eaten because they are an abomination: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture, |
| Leviticus 11:19 | the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe, and the bat. |
| Leviticus 11:14 | the red kite, any kind of black kite, |
| Job 30:29 | I am a brother to jackals, and a companion to ostriches. |
| Leviticus 11:20 | “‘All flying insects that walk on all fours are an abomination to you. |
| Leviticus 11:23 | But all winged creeping things which have four feet are an abomination to you. |
| Philippians 3:19 | whose end is destruction, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who think about earthly things. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke corrects a common mistranslation: the Hebrew word daah in this verse does not mean vulture but a kite or glede. He distinguishes it from daiyah, a different animal properly translated as vulture, unlike the similar word in Leviticus.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that the marks of chewing the cud and parting the hoof are practical signs, not the cause of cleanness. The animal names are generic, not specific species. No single theory (hygiene, familiarity, or ritual) explains every case; the law likely blends physical observation with religious separation from foreign cults.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that the law lists only the unclean birds by name, which implies that every bird not mentioned is clean and fit to eat. He adds that Jewish interpreters see this as a deliberate teaching that clean birds outnumber the unclean.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that some bird names in this passage are better identified by their Hebrew and Arabic roots than by traditional English renderings. For example, the "cuckow" is more likely a sea-gull, the "swan" a goose, and the "lapwing" the hoopoe, a bird of unclean habits.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange reads the food and mourning laws as Israel's daily confession that they belong to the living God, not to death. The prohibitions against heathen mourning rites and unclean foods mark Israel as holy children who visibly separate themselves from sin and the dominion of death, pointing back to the original creation.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry connects Israel's unusual dietary laws directly to their identity as God's own children, chosen and holy. What they ate and how they mourned were not just arbitrary rules but daily reminders that they belonged to the Lord above all other nations.