Leviticus 11:10
“All that don’t have fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of all the living creatures that are in the waters, they are an abomination to you,”
What does Leviticus 11:10 mean?
In ancient Israel, these dietary laws helped God's people maintain a distinct identity and practice obedience in something as ordinary as eating. The reasoning behind which animals were "clean" or "unclean" wasn't primarily about health, though these rules did have practical benefits, but rather about teaching reverence and intentionality toward God through daily choices. The word "abomination" sounds harsh to modern ears, but it simply means these creatures were set apart as not for consumption, the way we might say certain things are "off limits" in our own lives. For the original audience, avoiding shellfish and other creatures without fins and scales was a constant, gentle reminder that they belonged to God and lived according to His design, not just cultural convenience. Whether you keep these laws today or not, the deeper principle invites us to consider: what practices or boundaries help us remember who we follow and why?