Leviticus 11:5 Meaning and Explanation
“And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The KJV names the coney as another specific land animal that meets only one part of Israel's paired covenant food criterion. The verse describes cud chewing without a divided hoof and therefore clearly classifies the animal as unclean to Israel for eating.
The coney is unclean to Israel because the text describes it as chewing the cud while lacking the divided hoof also required.
The Context of Leviticus 11:5
The LORD has told Moses and Aaron to teach Israel which land beasts may be eaten. An edible animal must both have the divided cloven hoof and chew the cud. Verse 4 names the camel as a partial match. Verse 5 applies the same reasoning to the animal the KJV calls the coney, and verse 6 applies it to the hare. Verse 7 gives the reverse case of swine, which divides the hoof and does not chew the cud. Israel must not eat their flesh or touch their carcasses. Deuteronomy 14 repeats the camel, hare, coney, and swine under the same covenant distinction.
What Does Leviticus 11:5 Mean?
The coney adds a second example to the same side of the rule. As the verse presents it, cud chewing is present and hoof division is absent. The result remains unclean for Israel's diet. Repetition prevents the camel from being treated as an isolated exception and demonstrates that the two features must remain joined across different animals. A clear rule becomes easier to teach when more than one case shows how a partial match is handled. Covenant practice is built through stable application.
The traditional English animal name can naturally prompt questions about exact modern species identification and biological terminology. This verse study should not pretend to settle those questions with unsupported claims or confident guesses. The safe textual observation is that the KJV calls the animal a coney and places it in Israel's food classification for the stated reason. Humility about identification does not require contempt for Scripture. It requires carefully distinguishing what the verse clearly teaches from a modern explanation we have not responsibly established.
Acts shows Peter taking clean and unclean distinctions seriously before God directs him toward a new action and teaches him not to call any person common or unclean. Christian readers can receive that instruction in Christ while honoring the long obedience reflected in Peter's response. We should never use an uncertain animal label to mock Scripture or an unclean category to demean people. Faithful Christian conversation welcomes careful questions, admits evidentiary limits honestly, and preserves both scriptural truth and patient neighbor love.
Bible Verses Related to Leviticus 11:5
“Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat. Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you. Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.”
- Leviticus 11:3-8
“And every beast that parteth the hoof, and cleaveth the cleft into two claws, and cheweth the cud among the beasts, that ye shall eat. Nevertheless these ye shall not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the cloven hoof; as the camel, and the hare, and the coney: for they chew the cud, but divide not the hoof; therefore they are unclean unto you. And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcase.”
- Deuteronomy 14:6-8
“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
“And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for: I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me?”
- Acts 10:28-29
Where Leviticus 11:5 Echoes in Scripture
Deuteronomy 14:7 directly groups the coney with the camel and hare as animals described as chewing the cud without dividing the hoof. The repeated and stable covenant teaching confirms the same prohibited classification for Israel's food practice and household obedience in the land.
How to Apply Leviticus 11:5 Today
When a biblical animal name or identification is disputed, state the translation wording, the clear rule, and the limit of your evidence. Consult qualified language and zoological sources before making scientific claims. Do not build a sermon on a species identification you cannot support. At shared meals, label unfamiliar meat and provide an alternative for guests who abstain. Never turn the word 'unclean' into a label for a person, people group, illness, or disability. Humble accuracy serves both Scripture and neighbor.
Reflection & Prayer
Can we admit an identification limit while still obeying what the passage clearly teaches? We might pray: 'God of truth, keep us genuinely humble about what we do not know, patient in careful study, faithful to every clear word, and gentle and respectful toward every neighbor.'