Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
However, there are some animals you must not eat, even though they either chew their cud or have split hooves. For example, the camel chews its cud but doesn't have a split hoof, so it is unclean for you to eat.
God is giving specific rules about which animals the Israelites could and couldn't eat, explaining that both conditions (chewing cud AND split hooves) must be met for an animal to be considered clean.
📚 Historical Context
In the time of Moses, God gave the Israelites detailed laws about what foods they could eat to promote holiness and separate them from pagan practices around them. These dietary rules, including the classification of animals like the camel as unclean because it chews the cud but does not divide the hoof, were part of the Mosaic Law given at Mount Sinai after the Exodus from Egypt. This system helped the Israelites maintain ritual purity and live as a distinct, holy nation dedicated to God.
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