---
title: "Leviticus 11 – Catholic Bible (CPDV) & Latin Vulgate · Bless"
url: https://blessbible.app/bible/leviticus/11/
description: "The distinction of clean and unclean animals. Leviticus 11 in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin Vulgate."
---

# Leviticus 11

Leviticus 11 is chapter 11 of 27 in the Book of Leviticus. Here are all 47 verses in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin of the Clementine Vulgate beside them.

> The distinction of clean and unclean animals.
>
> — Bp. Richard Challoner, chapter summary

## Leviticus 11 (Catholic Public Domain Version)

1. And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying:
2. Say to the sons of Israel: These are the animals that you ought to eat out of all the living things of the earth.
3. All that has a divided hoof, and that chews over again, among the cattle, you shall eat.
4. But whatever certainly chews over again, but has a hoof that is not divided, such as the camel and others, these you shall not eat, and you shall consider them to be among what is unclean.
5. The rock rabbit which chews over again, and whose hoof is not divided, is unclean,
6. and so also is the hare, for it too chews over again, yet its hoof is not divided,
7. and also the swine, which, though its hoof is divided, does not chew over again.
8. The flesh of these you shall not eat, nor shall you touch their carcasses, because they are unclean to you.
9. These are the things that breed in the waters, and which it is lawful to eat. All that has little fins and scales, as much in the sea, as in the rivers and ponds, you shall eat.
10. But whatever does not have fins and scales, of those things that live and move in the waters, shall be abominable to you,
11. and detestable; their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall avoid.
12. All that does not have fins and scales in the waters shall be polluted.
13. These are those things among the birds which you must not eat, and which are to be avoided by you: the eagle, and the griffin, and the osprey,
14. and the kite, as well as the vulture, according to their kind,
15. and all that is of the raven kind, according to their likeness,
16. the ostrich, and the owl, and the gull, and the hawk, according to its kind,
17. the owl, and the sea bird, and the ibis,
18. and the swan, and the pelican, and the marsh hen,
19. the heron, and the plover according to its kind, the crested hoopoe, and also the bat.
20. Of all that flies, whatever steps upon four feet shall be abominable to you.
21. But whatever certainly walks upon four feet, and also has longer legs behind, with which it hops upon the earth,
22. you shall eat, such as the beetle in its kind, and the cricket, and grasshopper, and the locust, each one according to its kind.
23. But among flying things, whatever has only four feet shall be detestable to you.
24. And whoever will have touched their carcasses shall be defiled, and he shall be unclean until evening.
25. And if it will be necessary to carry any of these dead things, he shall wash his clothes, and he shall be unclean until the sun sets.
26. Every animal that certainly has a hoof, but which is not divided, nor does it chew over again, shall be unclean. And whoever will have touched it shall be contaminated.
27. Whatever walks upon its hands, out of all the animals that advance on all fours, shall be unclean. Whoever will have touched their carcasses shall be polluted until evening.
28. And whoever will have carried this kind of carcass shall wash his clothes, and he shall be unclean until evening. For all these are unclean to you.
29. Likewise, these shall be considered among the polluted things, out of all that moves upon the earth: the weasel, and the mouse, and the crocodile, each one according to its kind,
30. the shrew, and the chameleon, and the gecko, and the lizard, and the mole.
31. All these are unclean. Whoever will have touched their carcasses shall be unclean until evening.
32. And anything upon which something from their carcasses will have fallen shall be defiled, whether it is a vessel of wood, or a garment, or skins, or haircloths, or anything by which work is done. These shall be dipped in water and shall be defiled until evening, but then afterwards these shall be clean.
33. But an earthen vessel, into which something from these will fall, shall be defiled; and therefore it is to be broken.
34. Any of the foods that you eat, if water from such a vessel will have been poured upon it, it shall be unclean. And every liquid which one may drink from such a vessel shall be unclean.
35. And if anything from among these kinds of dead things has fallen upon it, it shall be unclean, whether it be an oven, or a pot with feet, these shall be unclean and shall be destroyed.
36. Yet truly, fountains and cisterns, and all reservoirs of water shall be clean. Whoever will have touched their carcasses shall be defiled.
37. If it falls upon seed grain, it shall not defile it.
38. But if anyone has poured water upon the seed grain, and afterwards it was touched by the carcasses, it shall be immediately defiled.
39. If any animals will have died, from which it is lawful for you to eat, whoever will have touched its carcass shall be unclean until evening.
40. And whoever will have eaten or carried anything of these shall wash his clothes, and he shall be unclean until evening.
41. All that creeps across the earth shall be abominable, neither shall it be taken up as food.
42. Whatever advances by four feet upon the chest, or that has many feet, or that drags across the soil, you shall not eat, because it is abominable.
43. Do not be willing to contaminate your souls, nor shall you touch any of these, lest you become unclean.
44. For I am the Lord your God. Be holy, for I am Holy. Do not pollute your souls with any creeping thing, which moves across the land.
45. For I am the Lord, who led you away from the land of Egypt, so that I would be your God; you shall be holy, for I am Holy.
46. This is the law of animals and flying things, and of every living soul that moves in the waters or creeps upon the land,
47. so that you may know the difference between clean and unclean, and so that you may know what you ought to eat, and what you ought to refuse.

## Leviticus 11 in Latin (Clementine Vulgate, 1592)

1. Locutusque est Dominus ad Moysen et Aaron, dicens:
2. Dicite filiis Israël: Hæc sunt animalia quæ comedere debetis de cunctis animantibus terræ:
3. omne quod habet divisam ungulam, et ruminat in pecoribus, comedetis.
4. Quidquid autem ruminat quidem, et habet ungulam, sed non dividit eam, sicut camelus et cetera, non comedetis illud, et inter immunda reputabitis.
5. Chœrogryllus qui ruminat, ungulamque non dividit, immundus est.
6. Lepus quoque: nam et ipse ruminat, sed ungulam non dividit.
7. Et sus: qui cum ungulam dividat, non ruminat.
8. Horum carnibus non vescemini, nec cadavera contingetis, quia immunda sunt vobis.
9. Hæc sunt quæ gignuntur in aquis, et vesci licitum est: omne quod habet pinnulas et squamas, tam in mari quam in fluminibus et stagnis, comedetis.
10. Quidquid autem pinnulas et squamas non habet, eorum quæ in aquis moventur et vivunt, abominabile vobis,
11. execrandumque erit: carnes eorum non comedetis, et morticina vitabitis.
12. Cuncta quæ non habent pinnulas et squamas in aquis, polluta erunt.
13. Hæc sunt quæ de avibus comedere non debetis, et vitanda sunt vobis: aquilam, et gryphem, et haliæetum,
14. et milvum ac vulturem juxta genus suum,
15. et omne corvini generis in similitudinem suam,
16. struthionem, et noctuam, et larum, et accipitrem juxta genus suum:
17. bubonem, et mergulum, et ibin,
18. et cygnum, et onocrotalum, et porphyrionem,
19. herodionem, et charadrion juxta genus suum, upupam quoque, et vespertilionem.
20. Omne de volucribus quod graditur super quatuor pedes, abominabile erit vobis.
21. Quidquid autem ambulat quidem super quatuor pedes, sed habet longiora retro crura, per quæ salit super terram,
22. comedere debetis, ut est bruchus in genere suo, et attacus atque ophiomachus, ac locusta, singula juxta genus suum.
23. Quidquid autem ex volucribus quatuor tantum habet pedes, execrabile erit vobis:
24. et quicumque morticina eorum tetigerit, polluetur, et erit immundus usque ad vesperum:
25. et si necesse fuerit ut portet quippiam horum mortuum, lavabit vestimenta sua, et immundus erit usque ad occasum solis.
26. Omne animal quod habet quidem ungulam, sed non dividit eam, nec ruminat, immundum erit: et qui tetigerit illud, contaminabitur.
27. Quod ambulat super manus ex cunctis animantibus, quæ incedunt quadrupedia, immundum erit: qui tetigerit morticina eorum, polluetur usque ad vesperum.
28. Et qui portaverit hujuscemodi cadavera, lavabit vestimenta sua, et immundus erit usque ad vesperum: quia omnia hæc immunda sunt vobis.
29. Hæc quoque inter polluta reputabuntur de his quæ moventur in terra, mustela et mus et crocodilus, singula juxta genus suum,
30. mygale, et chamæleon, et stellio, et lacerta, et talpa.
31. Omnia hæc immunda sunt. Qui tetigerit morticina eorum, immundus erit usque ad vesperum:
32. et super quod ceciderit quidquam de morticinis eorum, polluetur, tam vas ligneum et vestimentum, quam pelles et cilicia: et in quocumque fit opus, tingentur aqua, et polluta erunt usque ad vesperum, et sic postea mundabuntur.
33. Vas autem fictile, in quod horum quidquam intro cecidit, polluetur, et idcirco frangendum est.
34. Omnis cibus, quem comedetis, si fusa fuerit super eum aqua, immundus erit: et omne liquens quod bibitur de universo vase, immundum erit.
35. Et quidquid de morticinis hujuscemodi ceciderit super illud, immundum erit: sive clibani, sive chytropodes, destruentur, et immundi erunt.
36. Fontes vero et cisternæ, et omnis aquarum congregatio munda erit. Qui morticinum eorum tetigerit, polluetur.
37. Si ceciderit super sementem, non polluet eam.
38. Si autem quispiam aqua sementem perfuderit, et postea morticinis tacta fuerit, illico polluetur.
39. Si mortuum fuerit animal, quod licet vobis comedere, qui cadaver ejus tetigerit, immundus erit usque ad vesperum:
40. et qui comederit ex eo quippiam, sive portaverit, lavabit vestimenta sua, et immundus erit usque ad vesperum.
41. Omne quod reptat super terram, abominabile erit, nec assumetur in cibum.
42. Quidquid super pectus quadrupes graditur, et multos habet pedes, sive per humum trahitur, non comedetis, quia abominabile est.
43. Nolite contaminare animas vestras, nec tangatis quidquam eorum, ne immundi sitis.
44. Ego enim sum Dominus Deus vester: sancti estote, quia ego sanctus sum. Ne polluatis animas vestras in omni reptili quod movetur super terram.
45. Ego enim sum Dominus, qui eduxi vos de terra Ægypti, ut essem vobis in Deum. Sancti eritis, quia ego sanctus sum.
46. Ista est lex animantium ac volucrum, et omnis animæ viventis, quæ movetur in aqua, et reptat in terra,
47. ut differentias noveritis mundi et immundi, et sciatis quid comedere et quid respuere debeatis.

## Bishop Challoner's notes

Bp. Richard Challoner, notes on the Douay-Rheims (1750); they comment on its older wording.
- Verse 2: The prohibition of so many kinds of beasts, birds, and fishes, in the law, was ordered, 1 st, to exercise the people in obedience, and temperance; 2 ndly, to restrain them from the vices of which these animals were symbols; 3 rdly, because the things here forbidden were for the most part unwholesome, and not proper to be eaten; 4 thly, that the people of God, by being obliged to abstain from things corporally unclean, might be trained up to seek a spiritual cleanness.
- Verse 3: The dividing of the hoof and chewing of the cud, signify discretion between good and evil, and meditating on the law of God; and where either of these is wanting a man is unclean. In like manner fishes were reputed unclean that had not fins and scales: that is, souls that did not raise themselves up by prayer and cover themselves with the scales of virtue.
- Verse 5: Some suppose it to be the rabbit, others the hedgehog. St. Jerome intimates that it is another kind of animal common in Palestine, which lives in the holes of rocks or in the earth. We choose here, as also in the names of several other creatures that follow (which are little known in this part of the world,) to keep the Greek or Latin names.
- Verse 13: Not the monster which the painter represent, which hath no being upon earth; but a bird of the eagle kind, larger than the common.

Source: Catholic Public Domain Version (Ronald L. Conte Jr., 2009), public domain; Latin: Clementine Vulgate (1592).