What Does Leviticus 11:12 Mean in the King James?
Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The boundary is not simply water versus land: the creature’s observable marks decide whether it is received or rejected.
THE MEANING
This verse draws a boundary at the point of receiving: a creature in the waters without both signs is marked as detestable to you. Its force is exact and concrete; the sentence concerns what is received, not the creature’s whole nature.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
Anything found in the waters is automatically fit to receive.
THE ROOT
שֶׁקֶץ
sheqets
GROWS FROM
שׁ־ק־ץ
To detest or regard as loathsome.
“abomination” in this verse is sheqets. The root carries the response of abhorrence, while the noun names what is held as detestable. Here, “unto you” places that designation within the boundary of what you receive; it does not pronounce a general verdict on the creature’s nature.
ALSO GROWS
shaqats: To detest or regard as detestable.
שָׁקַץ
The verb shows the response carried by the root behind the noun: rejection is built into the boundary.
shiqquts: A detestable thing; often used for an abhorrent object or practice.
שִׁקּוּץ
This related noun carries the same root into other contexts, showing how the root marks what is set apart as repellent.
THE PATTERN
A boundary is made legible by distinguishing marks that separate what is received from what is rejected.
These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat.These ye shall eat of all that are in the waters: all that have fins and scales shall ye eat:Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.THE THREAD
These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat.This is the positive half of the same boundary: the paired signs mark what may be eaten, while 11:12 names what lacks them as detestable. Together, the two verses define the boundary by presence and absence, not by water habitat alone.
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