Leviticus 11:21 Meaning and Explanation
“Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth;”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Verse 21 introduces a limited covenant permission inside the preceding general prohibition. Among the flying creeping creatures described as going upon all four, Israel may specifically eat those with the additional stated leg structure used for leaping upon the earth.
Israel may eat the flying creeping creatures in this covenant category that have legs above their feet specifically for leaping upon the earth.
The Context of Leviticus 11:21
Verse 20 broadly prohibits fowls that creep and go upon all four. Verse 21 begins with yet and identifies an exception based on legs above the feet that enable leaping on the earth. Verse 22 then names four permitted examples after their kinds: locust, bald locust, beetle, and grasshopper. Verse 23 closes the section by classifying all other flying creeping things with four feet as prohibited. Deuteronomy 14 gives a shorter statement about flying creeping things without spelling out the exception. Later biblical references show locusts as food, including the account of John the Baptist. Leviticus 11 concludes by tying the full set of food distinctions to Israel's holy life before the LORD.
What Does Leviticus 11:21 Mean?
Yet signals a genuine exception, and these may ye eat makes the permission explicit. The qualifying creatures share the broader movement language of verse 20 and also have legs above their feet for leaping on the earth. The text thus asks Israel to notice a further physical distinction within an otherwise prohibited group. Verse 22 is necessary for concrete examples, so verse 21 should not be stretched into permission for every creature a reader considers capable of jumping. The entire four-verse section supplies the operative boundaries.
The KJV description is practical movement language, not a complete lesson in modern insect anatomy. It identifies walking and leaping features within the passage's food-classification framework. Readers should quote that wording accurately and avoid creating diagrams or limb-count explanations without responsible supporting evidence. The strongest interpretation stays close to the sequence: general rule, leaping exception, named permitted kinds, and closing exclusion. That pattern is clear even when an interpreter remains cautious about mapping every traditional term onto a modern scientific category.
John the Baptist later eats locusts and wild honey while preparing the way for the Lord, providing a concrete biblical example of food allowed by the next verse. His diet should not be turned into a universal command, a stunt, or a promise of spiritual power. It does show that this permission belonged to lived practice rather than abstract classification alone. Christians following Jesus can receive the passage with gratitude and humility, respect people who eat such foods, and equally protect those who abstain because of conscience, allergy, disability, culture, or ordinary preference.
Bible Verses Related to Leviticus 11:21
“All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you. Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth; Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind. But all other flying creeping things, which have four feet, shall be an abomination unto you.”
- Leviticus 11:20-23
“And every creeping thing that flieth is unclean unto you: they shall not be eaten. But of all clean fowls ye may eat.”
- Deuteronomy 14:19-20
“John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.”
- Mark 1:4-7
“For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy. This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth: To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.”
- Leviticus 11:44-47
Where Leviticus 11:21 Echoes in Scripture
Verse 22 immediately names four permitted kinds that embody the leaping exception, while Mark 1:6 later records John eating locusts and wild honey. Together, these passages show a real food permission without turning one person's diet into a rule for every reader.
How to Apply Leviticus 11:21 Today
Trace exception words such as yet and ask exactly what condition changes the general rule. Keep the named examples in view before applying the permission. Do not encourage insect eating as a spiritual challenge, fundraising stunt, initiation, or cure. Food allergies, contamination, and local regulations require current qualified guidance, and no biblical category guarantees modern safety. If serving an unfamiliar food, obtain informed consent, identify every ingredient, and provide an equal alternative. Honor both communities that traditionally eat insects and people who decline, without using disgust, exoticism, or pressure.
Reflection & Prayer
Can we receive God's permission without turning it into pressure upon someone else? We might pray: 'Generous LORD, teach us the exact boundaries of your word, free our tables from coercion, and form in us the humble welcome of Jesus.'