Inquiry:
Leviticus 11:21-23 reads, “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.”
Insects do not have four feet! Is there a contradiction?
Response:
The questioner has assumed that the “…flying creeping things…” spoken of must be insects. This is a false assumption. The Hebrew word translated “flying” in verses 21 & 23 is also translated as “fowl” in verses 13 & 20. The word is neither specific to birds nor to insects, but simply refers to flying creatures.
The contextual subject is not insects, but flying creatures. The writer speaks of several “flying creatures” (birds) which could not be eaaten (v 13-19). At the end of these, the bat is mentioned (also refer June 3, 2001), which fits the description given in verse 20, “…fowls (flying creatures) that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you.” There are several varieties of bats (all flying creatures that creep, going upon all four), none of which could be eaten.
The writer then mentions that some “…flying creeping thing(s) that goeth upon all four…” can be eaten. Among those that can eaten, the locust is mentioned. Incidentally, locust sport 4 common legs which are above the 2 large jumping legs.
There is no contradiction.
This article is a response to Skeptic’s Annotated Bible, but original article is no longer listed
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