Clean and Unclean or Forbidden Foods of The Bible

Brian Kuehmichel
March 7, 2013



Even though Genesis 9:3-4 permits eating all manner of things because of our broken world, many of these are not healthful. For this reason God gave to Israel the directions about clean and unclean foods for the well-being of those who limit themselves to the clean and healthful foods. Here is a list of common Clean and Unclean foods.

List Of Biblical Needs For Society
Clean
Clean
Unclean
With scales and fins
With scales and fins
Without scales and fins
black bass
black drum
catfish
bluefish
carp
clams
channel bass
chub
crabs
croaker
flounder
eel
flying fish
goldfish
lobster
haddock
hake
octopus
halibut
herring
oysters
kingfish
mullet
porcupine fish
pike
pompano
puffer
porgy
rock bass
sand skate
salmon
smelt
scallops
sea bass
shad
shark (dog fish)
Spanish mackerel
spot
shrimp
sturgeon
trout (all varieties)
squid
tuna (bluefin)
white perch
stingray
Carolina whiting
yellow perch
toadfish
 

Clean fowl
Unclean fowl
Unclean fowl
Plant & insect eaters
Flesh, fish or carrion eaters
Flesh, fish or carrion eaters
chicken
bat
cormorant
coot
crow
eagle
dove
falcon
hawks
duck, loon
heron
ibis
goose
kite
nighthawk
partridge
osprey
ostrich, emu
pheasant
owl
pelican
pigeon
raven
sea gull
quail
stork
vulture
turkey
 

Clean Quadrupeds (four footed)
Unclean Quadrupeds (four footed)
Unclean Quadrupeds (four footed)
Plant eaters
Flesh, fish or carrion eaters
Flesh, fish or carrion eaters
Cloven-hoof &: cud chewing
Without split-hoof and cud chewing
Without split-hoof and cud chewing
bison/buffalo (American & European wisent, yak; water & African buffalo)
Canines (dingo, dog, coyote, fox, jackals, wolf, etc.)
Felines (cat, leopard, tiger, etc.)
Bovini (banteng, gayal, gaur, kouprey)
marsupial (kangaroo, koala, opossum, etc.)
Procyon (raccoon)
Capra (goat, markhor, ibex)
reptiles (alligators, crocodiles, lizards, snakes, etc.)
rhinosceros
cattle (beef, dairy, taurine cattle, zebu, etc.)
rodents (chipmunk, coney [guinea pig], hamster; marmot, mouse, ondatra [muskrat], rabbit, rat, squirrel, woodchuck, etc.)
swine (pig, babirusa, peccary, warthog, etc.)
deer (antelope, caribou, elk, gazelle, hart, moose, oryx, etc.)
ungulates: Camelus, (dromedary, camel); Lama (alpaca, llama, vicuna)
Ursus (bear)
Ovis (sheep: Bighorn, Argali, Urial, Dall)
 
 
ox (musk ox, water buffalo, etc.)
 
 
 

To learn more about Clean and Unclean or Forbidden Foods of The Bible
Leviticus chapter 11 gives specific details. Click for an alphabetical list of approved foods.