← Back
4

What made some animals clean and others unclean?



      

Genesis 7:1 - 24

ESV - 1 Then the Lord said to Noah, "Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation. 2 Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and his mate, and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and his mate.

Clarify Share Report Asked July 01 2013 Mini Anonymous (via GotQuestions)

Community answers are sorted based on votes. The higher the vote, the further up an answer is.

26
Shea S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries
Noah took two of every kind of animal into the ark, right? Not exactly. The Bible states, "Take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and one pair of every kind o...

July 01 2013 6 responses Vote Up Share Report


5
Mini A F Supporter
It's simple. It's how they're fed. Some fish are bottom feeders, some birds eat road kill, some animals eat trash, I.e. Pigs. These were unclean because they produced illness in the man who ate them. God wanted to grow his kingdom. If they are the unclean animals, their chance of survival was null. Grain fed animals were for the human race. Rot fed animals were for controlling the environment. God created the universe to be self sustaining and he shared that with the Jews. When they kept His laws, they prospered.

June 24 2017 0 responses Vote Up Share Report


4
Ari Ariel HaNaviy Supporter Messianic Jew and Torah Teacher with Messianic Congregation 'The Harvest'
Leviticus chapter 11 and Deuteronomy chapter 14 are key passages in outlining to the people of God which animals are permitted for food and which are not. A good way to interpret the Leviticus and Deuteronomy texts is to affirm that God created certain animals intrinsically “tamei” (unclean) and others intrinsically “tahor” (clean). This is not a defect in the animals themselves. This speaks of the superior intellect of a Creator that is in control over the ecosystem that he created. Some animals ingest helpful items and consequently produce toxins. Other creatures ingest toxins and consequently produce helpful waste in its place. Obviously I am describing biological symbiosis. Even if we argue against this logic, based on our lack of understanding, we cannot argue that God told Noach (Noah) to gather two of each kind of every unclean animal into the ark while also commanding him to collect seven couples of the clean animals:

"1. ADONAI said to Noach, "Come into the ark, you and all your household; for I have seen that you alone in this generation are righteous before me. 2. Of every clean animal you are to take seven couples, and of the animals that are not clean, one couple; 3. also of the birds in the air take seven couples - in order to preserve their species throughout the earth (Genesis 7:1-3).

Clean and unclean, then, do not seem to be limited to the Torah (Law) that Moshe (Moses) handed down. After all Noach lived thousands of years prior to any written Torah that we know of. God knew which animals were clean and which were unclean because he made them that way and he obviously endowed Noach with a way to tell, and all of this was long before he told Moshe to pen Leviticus and Deuteronomy.

September 02 2015 0 responses Vote Up Share Report


1
Stringio Vincent Mercado Supporter Skeptic turned believer, Catholic, father of 3
Clean animals = animals that can be offered to Gos as sacrifice.
Unclean animals = animals that cannot be offered to God as sacrifice.

The Clean-Unclean distinction also applies to men and utensils.

Clean person = person who can offer sacrifice.
Unclean person = person who cannot offer sacrifice.

Clean utensils = utensils used during a sacrifice.
Unclean utensils = utensils that are not used during a sacrifice.

July 29 2013 1 response Vote Up Share Report


Add your Answer

All answers are REVIEWED and MODERATED.
Please ensure your answer MEETS all our guidelines.

What makes a good answer? ▼

A good answer provides new insight and perspective. Here are guidelines to help facilitate a meaningful learning experience for everyone.

  1. Adhere to the eBible Statement of Faith.
  2. Your answer should be complete and stand-alone.
  3. Include supporting arguments, and scripture references if possible. Seek to answer the "why".
  4. Adhere to a proper tone and spirit of love and understanding.
  5. For more info see The Complete Guide to eBible
Header
  1. 4000 characters remaining