Biblical Hebrew Forum

["David Kimbrough (CLWA)" <dkimbrough AT clwa.org>]

I am not sure I agree.  First, Isa 66:17 clearly references the eating of
the "akbar" along with pork as abominations.  

Second, while you are correct that Lev 11 24-28 governs the handling of
carcasses, but this seems to reference back to 11:23, "flying four footed
creepers", not forward to 11:29 which covers "creeping creepers", which are
just forbidden.


David Eugene Kimbrough

-----Original Message-----
From: Peter Kirk [mailto:peterkirk AT qaya.org]
Sent: Thursday, April 29, 2004 9:04 AM
To: David Kimbrough (CLWA)
Cc: Joel Nothman; b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: Mice, Rats, Badgers, & Weasels


On 29/04/2004 08:31, David Kimbrough (CLWA) wrote:

>Of the four times that the word "mice" (akbari) occurs in the OT,  all are
>associated with golden objects resembling the animal rather than actual
>animal.  Further, all four occur in 1 Sam  6 (4-18) as "trespass
offerings".
>The two times that the  word "mouse" (akbar) is used, it is in association
>with dietary prohibitions (Lev 11:29 and Isa 66:17).  I know people will
eat
>mice and rats in desperation but I don't know of any societies where it is
>the norm.  If people were not actually eating these animals on some sort of
>routine and conspicuous basis, there would be no need for a prohibition.
It
>may well be that it is a reference to some other small mammal, although I
>guess the LXX translators clearly thought the appropriate Greek word was
>"mus".
>
>In terms of given names, many English family names are from small (and
large
>mammals), e.g. Fox, Lamb, Hare, Rabbit, Mink, Hogge, etc.
>
>
>David Eugene Kimbrough
>
>  
>
I looked at Leviticus 11:29 and found that in fact this is not primarily 
about dietary laws. Unclean food animals have already been listed in 
vv.4-8. Although the animals listed in vv.29-30 are certainly also not 
to be eaten, what the text actually says about them is that any person, 
article or food which touches theire dead bodies is unclean. Finding a 
dead mouse, rat or whatever would have been a common occurrence; eating 
them would not normally have been attempted.

-- 
Peter Kirk
peter AT qaya.org (personal)
peterkirk AT qaya.org (work)
http://www.qaya.org/