“You shall not eat any abomination.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Deuteronomy 14:3
What does Deuteronomy 14:3 mean?
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Deuteronomy 14:3
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The term "abomination" here isn't just about something gross; it points to anything God has declared unclean and forbidden, making it spiritually distasteful for His people. This law wasn't just about hygiene, but about helping Israel learn to discern and separate themselves from the practices of surrounding nations, cultivating a distinct identity centered on God.
“You shall not eat any abomination.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse comes right after God reminds Israel that they are His chosen children, distinct from other nations. It immediately launches into specific laws about diet, detailing which animals are "clean" for them to eat and which are "abominable" or unclean. The prohibition against eating "any abomination" sets the stage for a list that follows, explaining the specific dietary boundaries God is establishing for His people to maintain their holiness.
Why did God care so much about what the Israelites ate? It wasn't just about avoiding tummy aches.
This command in Deuteronomy is part of a larger covenant agreement between God and Israel. Think of it like a marriage vow: God is saying, 'I've chosen you, I've adopted you, I've set you apart as holy. Now, live like you belong to me.'
A Distinct People
The dietary laws, and the concept of 'abomination' (things God declared unclean), served to visibly separate Israel from the surrounding nations. These nations often engaged in practices and worshipped gods that involved what God deemed 'abominable.' By abstaining from these foods, Israel was constantly reminded of their unique identity and their commitment to the one true God.
Spiritual and Physical Health
While not the sole reason, these laws also had practical benefits. Many of the forbidden foods were known to be unwholesome or carry disease, especially in the ancient Near East. God’s commands often protected His people's physical well-being, but more importantly, they were a sign of their spiritual dedication.
What does it really mean for something to be an 'abomination' in God's eyes?
The word translated 'abomination' here carries a strong sense of something being repulsive, detestable, or disgusting, specifically from God's perspective.
God Establishes Holiness
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It's crucial to understand that God, as the Creator, defines what is clean and unclean. These weren't arbitrary rules; they were declarations of holiness. What God declared 'abominable' was so because it was contrary to His nature and His design for His people.
More Than Just Food Laws
While this verse specifically addresses food, the concept of 'abomination' in the Old Testament often extended to idolatry, certain sexual practices, and other behaviors that deeply offended God and separated His people from Him and from surrounding pagan cults. The dietary laws were a tangible, everyday reminder of this broader call to detest what God detests and to embrace what He holds sacred.
Understand the original words
toebah · Hebrew Noun
Something that is detestable, loathsome, or ethically/ritually impure in the sight of God. It often refers to idolatrous practices or food/actions that violate the holiness required by the covenant.
This passage reiterates the command not to make yourselves 'detestable' by eating unclean creatures, directly linking the prohibition to a spiritual standing before God.
Acts 10:15Peter's vision reveals that 'what God has made clean, do not call common,' indicating a redefinition of clean and unclean, moving beyond the Old Testament dietary laws towards spiritual purity in Christ.
Romans 14:14Paul states, 'I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it is unclean,' highlighting the internal and spiritual aspect of what is considered 'unclean' for believers.
1 Timothy 4:4This verse asserts that 'every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,' showing how Christ's redemptive work transforms the understanding of food laws for those in Him.
1 Corinthians 10:31The principle 'whether you eat or drink, do everything for the glory of God' suggests that the modern application of such commands is about honoring God in all our choices, not just specific dietary rules.
gillDeuteronomy 14:3: "Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing."
Thou shall not eat any abominable thing. That is so either in its own nature, or because forbidden by the Lord; what are such are declared in the following verses.
calvinDeuteronomy 14:3-20: "Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing."
Nevertheless these ye shall not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the cloven hoof; as the camel, and the hare, and the coney: for they chew the cud, but divide not the hoof; therefore they are unclean unto you.
Veruntamen hoe non comedetis ex ruminantibus et ex findentibus ungulam divisam, camelum, et leporem, et cuniculum: quia ruminant, et ungulam non dividunt, immunda sunt vobis.
And the swine, bec…
The term "abomination" here isn't just about something gross; it points to anything God has declared unclean and forbidden, making it spiritually distasteful for His people. This law wasn't just about hygiene, but about helping Israel learn to discern and separate themselves from the practices of surrounding nations, cultivating a distinct identity centered on God.
This verse comes right after God reminds Israel that they are His chosen children, distinct from other nations. It immediately launches into specific laws about diet, detailing which animals are "clean" for them to eat and which are "abominable" or unclean. The prohibition against eating "any abomination" sets the stage for a list that follows, explaining the specific dietary boundaries God is establishing for His people to maintain their holiness.
This verse comes right after God reminds Israel that they are His chosen children, distinct from other nations. It immediately launches into specific laws about diet, detailing which animals are "clean" for them to eat and which are "abominable" or unclean. The prohibition against eating "any abomination" sets the stage for a list that follows, explaining the specific dietary boundaries God is establishing for His people to maintain their holiness.
"“You shall not eat any abomination." — The term "abomination" here isn't just about something gross; it points to anything God has declared unclean and forbidden, making it spiritually distasteful for His people. This law wasn't just ab…
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Last reviewed October 2026