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These you may eat: the locust after its kind, the destroying locust after its kind, the cricket after its kind, and the grasshopper after its kind.
Leviticus 11:22 · New King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB Even of these you may eat: any kind of locust, any kind of katydid, any kind of cricket, and any kind of grasshopper.
  • KJV Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind.
  • BSB Of these you may eat any kind of locust, katydid, cricket, or grasshopper.
  • NASB These of them you may eat: the locust in its kinds, the devastating locust in its kinds, the cricket in its kinds, and the grasshopper in its kinds.
  • NLT The insects you are permitted to eat include all kinds of locusts, bald locusts, crickets, and grasshoppers.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Locusts, katydids, crickets, and grasshoppers may be eaten. These hopping insects are declared clean.

Overview

This verse names the permitted leaping insects, a food source in the ancient Near East. Notably, John the Baptist's diet included locusts (Matthew 3:4), in keeping with this provision. The allowance shows God's gracious provision of sustenance within the boundaries of holiness he set for his people.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 8

  • Mark 1:6John was clothed with camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey.
  • Matt 3:4Now John himself wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
  • Exod 10:4–5Or else, if you refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country,
  • Isa 35:3Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees.
  • Heb 5:11About him we have many words to say, and hard to interpret, seeing you have become dull of hearing.
  • Rom 14:1Now accept one who is weak in faith, but not for disputes over opinions.
  • Heb 12:12–13Therefore lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees,
  • Rom 15:1Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (7)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Leviticus videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Leviticus 11:22YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on LeviticusMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Every sacrifice, every priest, and every day of atonement points beyond itself to the one perfect offering and the great High Priest who, by his own blood, makes the unclean holy once for all.

How Leviticus 11:22 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.