KJV ORIGINAL
And whether it be cow or ewe, ye shall not kill it and her young both in one day.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
Whether it's a cow or a sheep, you must not kill both the mother and her baby on the same day.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
God is teaching compassion by prohibiting the killing of a mother animal and her offspring on the same day.
📚 Historical Context
This law was given to the Israelites as part of the detailed regulations for sacrificial animals and food preparation. It reflects God's concern for humane treatment of animals and may have distinguished Israel's practices from some pagan rituals that involved cruel animal sacrifices. The command shows that even in a culture where animal sacrifice was central to worship, there were boundaries of mercy and compassion.
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