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.

That you may know the differences of the clean, and unclean, and know what you ought to eat, and what to refuse.

to make separation between the unclean and the pure, and between the beast that is eaten, and the beast that is not eaten.'

Marking out the unclean from the clean, and the living thing which may be used for food from that which may not.

so that you may know the difference between clean and unclean, and so that you may know what you ought to eat, and what you ought to refuse.

Ad distinguendum inter immundum et mundum, et inter bestias qum comedi possunt, et bestias qum comedi non possunt.

To make a difference between the unclean and the clean,.... Whether of beasts, fish, fowl, and flying creeping things:
and between the beast that may be eaten, and the beast that may not be eaten; the former clause takes in all in general, this instances in a particular sort of creatures; and the first mentioned of which, that might be eaten, are, that part the hoof, are cloven footed, and chew the cud; and that might not, that chew the cud, but divide not the hoof, or divide the hoof, but chew not the cud; and now, by such like descriptions and distinctions of the creatures treated of, the Israelites would be able to make a difference between the one and the other, and know what was to be eaten, and what not.

make a difference between the unclean and the clean--that is, between animals used and not used for food. It is probable that the laws contained in this chapter were not entirely new, but only gave the sanction of divine enactment to ancient usages. Some of the prohibited animals have, on physiological grounds, been everywhere rejected by the general sense or experience of mankind; while others may have been declared unclean from their unwholesomeness in warm countries or from some reasons, which are now imperfectly known, connected with contemporary idolatry.