What Does Leviticus 11:41 Mean in the King James?
And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination; it shall not be eaten.
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 Hebrew names it as the swarm that swarms, then draws its boundary at eating.
THE MEANING
This verse marks the ground-swarming creature as detestable for food and excludes it from eating. Its teeming presence belongs to the living world; the boundary concerns what is eaten.
THE ROOT
הַשֶּׁרֶץ הַשֹּׁרֵץ
ha-sheretz ha-shoretz
GROWS FROM
שרץ
to swarm, teem, or multiply
“creeping thing that creepeth” in this verse is ha-sheretz ha-shoretz. The Hebrew repeats one root as noun and verb: roughly, “the swarm that swarms.” “Creeping” can sound like mere locomotion, while the root carries the image of teeming life; this verse places that ground life outside the food boundary.
ALSO GROWS
sheretz: a swarming or teeming creature
שֶׁרֶץ
This is the creature named in the verse, carrying the root’s sense of abundance.
sharats: to swarm, teem, or multiply
שָׁרַץ
The verb behind the repeated description links the creature to the act of swarming.
שֶׁקֶץ
sheqets
GROWS FROM
שקץ
to regard as detestable or loathsome
“abomination” in this verse is sheqets. Sheqets names the creature’s status in this food rule. It nearly echoes sheretz in sound, binding creature and food-status in the Hebrew ear, though the two words have distinct roots.
ALSO GROWS
shaqats: to regard as detestable; to abhor
שָׁקַץ
This verb carries the judgment expressed by the noun sheqets.
shiqquts: a detestable thing, often an abhorrent idol
שִׁקּוּץ
This related noun shows the root’s language of what is regarded as loathsome.
THE PATTERN
Scripture presents teeming creatures as part of life, then places eating under named boundaries.
And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.And every creeping thing that flieth is unclean unto you: they shall not be eaten.But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.THE THREAD
And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.Genesis uses שרץ in both “bring forth abundantly” and “moving creature”; Leviticus repeats that swarm-root for what moves across the earth. The root names teeming life in both places, while Leviticus adds the food boundary.
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