ANIMALS, the Hebrews distinguish pure Animals, that is, those which may be eaten, and offered to the Lord, from those which are impure, the use whereof is prohibited. The Sacrifices which they generally offered, were, 1°. A Cow, a Bull, and a Calf. The Ox could not be offered in Sacrifice, because it was cut and imperfect. And Lev. xxii. 18, 19.when it is said that Oxen were sacrificed, we are to understand Bulls. I do not think that the mutilation of Animals was either permitted or used among the Israelites. 2°. Ch. xxii. 24.The She-goat, the He-goat, and the Kid. 3°. The Ewe, the Ram, and the Lamb; and when it is said that Sheep are offered in Sacrifice, Rams are meant, or Lambs intire and without bodily defects. I would be understood here to speak of Burnt-offerings, and Sacrifices for Sin; for as to Peace-offerings, or Sacrifices made out of pure devotion, a female might be sometimes offered, provided Ch. iii. 1.it was pure, and without blemish.
Besides these three sorts of Animals used in Sacrifices, many others might be eaten either wild or tame; such as the Stag, the Roe -buck; and in general, all that have cloven feet, or that chew the cud. All that have not the hoof divided, and do not chew the cud, are esteemed impure, and can neither be offered in Sacrifices, nor eaten at common Ch. xi. 2, 3, 4, &c.tables. The fat of all sorts of Animals that were sacrificed was Lev. iii. 17. vii. 23, 24, 25. Ch. vii. 26, 27. Ver. 27. xvii. 10.forbidden to be eat. And the blood of all kinds of Animals generally, and in all cases, was likewise prohibited upon pain of death to those Hebrews who should eat it. Neither do they eat the sinew which is upon the hollow of the thigh, tho’ it be otherwise pure, because the Angel that wrestled with Jacob at Mahanaim touched the hollow of his thigh in the sinew that Gen. xxxii. 25. Ex. xxii. 31. Levit. v. 2. xi. 39. xvii. 15. xxii. 8. Levit. xi. 39. 40.shrunk. Lastly, neither did they eat of those Animals which had been taken and touched by a devouring and impure beast, such as a Dog, a Wolf, or a Boar, &c. Nor of any Animal that died of itself. Whoever touched the carcass of it was impure until the evening; and till that time, and after he had washed his clothes, he did not return to the common conversation of other Jews.
Fish that had neither fins nor scales were declared unclean, Levit. xi. 10.
Birds which walk upon the ground with four feet, such as Bats; and the several sorts of flies that have many feet were Ch. xi. 21, 22.declared impure. But the Law excepts the different kinds of Grashoppers which have their hind feet higher than those before, and rather leap than walk. These Animals Ver. ibid.are clean, and may be eaten; as in effect they were in Palestine.
Interpreters are very much divided with relation to the legal purity or impurity of Animals. It is believed that it was already in use before the Flood, since God commanded Gen. vii. 2.Noah to carry seven couple of clean Animals into the Ark, and only two of those which were unclean. Some are of opinion1 that this distinction is altogether symbolical, and that it denotes only the moral purity or impurity which the Hebrews were to endeavour after, or avoid, according to the nature and inclinations of those Animals which they were to use or to abstain from. A Hog, for example, signifies gluttony; a Hare lasciviousness, a Sheep gentleness, a Pigeon simplicity; and so of others. The principal design of Moses in prohibiting the use of Swine’s flesh, was to condemn gluttony, and excesses in eating and drinking. S. Barnabas, in his Epistles, is very large upon these symbolical significations.
Others2 believe that God intended to preserve the Hebrews from the temptation of adoring Animals, by permitting them to eat those the generality whereof were looked upon as Gods in Egypt; and by obliging them to think with horror on other Animals, to which likewise divine honours were paid. They never had any imagination of worshiping the Animals they eat, and still less of adoring those which they could not persuade themselves to use, even for their nourishment. Tertullian3 thought, that God proposed by this means to accustom the Hebrews to temperance, and make them averse to gluttony, by thus enjoining them to deprive themselves of several sorts of food.
Lastly, many Commentators allow nothing more to be in the Animals which are declared unclean, besides some natural qualities which are really hurtful, or which at least are so in the idea of certain people. Moses has forbidden the use of Beasts, Birds and Fishes, the flesh whereof was thought to be bad and pernicious to health; those which are wild, dangerous, or venomous, or that were thought to be such by the people. God likewise, who design’d to separate the Hebrews from other people, as a holy nation consecrated to his service, seems to have interdicted them the use of certain Animals, which were esteemed unclean, that by this outward and figurative purity they might be inclined to another more real and perfect. This he intimates sufficiently in these words, Levit. xx. 24,25,26.I am the Lord, the God who have separated you from other people; ye shall therefore put difference between clean Beasts and unclean, and between unclean Fowls and clean: And ye shall not make your souls abominable by Beast or by Fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean. And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.
I shall here set down a list of those unclean Animals, whereof Moses has made any express mention.
| Four footed Beasts. | The Camel. The Porcupine, or Hedge-hog. The Hare. The Hog. |
| Birds. | The Eagle. The Griffin, or rather the Ossifraga. The Sea-Eagle. The Kite. The Vultur, and those of its species. The Raven, and all Birds of the same species. The Ostrich. The Owl. The Moor-hen. The Spar-hawk. The Scritch-Owl. The Cormorant. The Ibis. The Swan. The Bittern. The Porphyrio, or perhaps the Vultur. The Hern. The Curlew. The Lap-wing. The Bat. |
| Four-footed Creatures. | The Weasel. The Mouse. The Crocodile. The Shrew-Mouse. The Cameleon. The Eft. The Lizard. The Mole. |
But it may be proper to advertise the Reader, that we know but very imperfectly the signification of the Hebrew terms, which denote the generality of these Animals. We have followed the Vulgate in the Catalogue above written. They who please may consult on this matter the large work composed by Samuel Bochart, concerning the several Animals whereof there is any mention in the Bible, and the Commentators on the XI chapter of Leviticus; as also S. Barnabas’s Epistle. They may likewise turn to the names of each of these Animals, inserted under their proper Articles in this Dictionary.
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