10 Times the Bible Talks About Clean Eating

The Bible has a lot to say about what we eat! From Adam and Eve being kicked out of Eden because of their consumption choices, to enumerating animals that shouldn't be eaten, to New Testament debates about eating with unwashed hands, food is a topic that comes up a lot. Here I want to focus on Biblically clean eating. The Creator gave us many delicious things to eat that he calls clean, while certain animals he forbids us to eat, calling them unclean. I use clean eating to mean eating in the way that Scripture instructs us to.

Ten Times the Bible Talks About Clean Eating:

1. Genesis 1:29

"I have given you every seed-yielding plant on the earth, and the fruit trees to you as food."

This is the second recorded thing that the Creator speaks following the creation of mankind. And it's instructions about eating!

2. Genesis 2:16-17

"And YHWH commanded the man saying, 'Eat of every tree of the garden, but do not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for if you eat of it you will certainly die.'"

We know that Adam and Eve were not obedient to this instruction and as a result they were sent out of the paradisaical garden of Eden. In Eden they walked with YHWH; something they ate literally took them away from his presence.

3. Genesis 7:2

"Of the clean animals take with you seven pairs, a male and female, and of the unclean animals take two, a male and female."

The distinction of clean and unclean animals began way before the list of dietary instructions in Leviticus. Noah was instructed to take different amounts of clean and unclean animals on board the ark. This tells us that Noah and his family knew which types of animals were considered clean.

4. Genesis 9:3

"The living creatures I give to you for food. I have given them to you as I gave you the green plants." 

Mankind is now allowed to eat meat. But wait a minute, what was that fuss about the clean versus unclean animals just a few chapters prior?  Is YHWH now saying that any animal is okay to eat? Let's not miss the catch here: as I gave you the green plants. Mankind was not permitted by the Creator to eat every single plant that grew on earth. They were restricted to plants that were green and bear seed, as well as the fruit trees. They did not consume every plant, just as we don't eat Kentucky bluegrass or poison ivy. In both cases of eating plants and animals distinctions are made.

5. Leviticus 11:2-8

"These are the living creatures which you eat: whatever has a split hoof completely divided, and chews the cud, you may eat. These you do not eat: the camel, the rabbit, the hare, the pig. Their flesh you do not eat, and their carcasses you do not touch. They are unclean."

This chapter in Leviticus plainly lays out which animals are forbidden as food. There is the guideline that the hoofs of animals need to be divided, and they need to chew the cud. But just to be doubly clear we are specifically told not to eat things like camels, rabbits, and pigs. It's interesting to me that eating something like camel or horse is very repulsive in Western culture, but most people think nothing of eating a pig. In many places in the Middle East that thinking is reversed as camel is considered food, but eating pig would be abhorrent. That abhorrence is how the entire list of unclean animals in Leviticus 11 is meant to be understood. If the Bible says not to eat something, then it shouldn't even cross our minds to do so.

If you're familiar with the Chronicles of Narnia you may remember that the characters eat meat on their adventures, but eating an animal that talks is anathema. When the giants serve a talking stag in The Silver Chair it is a major sign that something is wrong; and the true Narnians are horrified. Something similar I've noticed in the dietary laws of Scripture is that the unclean animals tend to be much smarter creatures than the clean. Cows are clean but their intelligence doesn't touch that of unclean horses. Pigs are incredibly smart and I've heard many stories of small-scale farmers being unable to butcher them after looking them in the eyes. My dog is much more intelligent than clean sheep and goats. I'm not saying clean animals don't have their own strengths, but it really interesting to think about.

6. Leviticus 11:9

"Of the fish in the water you may eat any that have fins and scales. If a water creatures does not have fins and scales it is an abomination."

Fish like trout, perch, salmon, whiting, tuna, sea bass, pollock, halibut, and mahi mahi all have scales and fins and are permissable to eat according to Scripture. Fish without fins and scales (such as catfish, swordfish, and monkfish) we are told are unclean for us to eat. Crustaceans such as lobster, crab, clams, and shrimp are also off-limits according to Scripture since they don't have fins or scales.

7. Daniel 1:8

"Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king's food."

Why would Daniel reject the food he was provided with in captivity? Because he was being served animals that we are commanded not to eat! He wasn't just being picky, he knew that if he ate those things it would be polluting and defiling to him and a dishonor to YHWH. 

8. Daniel 1:15

"At the end of ten days their appearances looked better than all the young men who ate the portion of the king's food."

Fitting with Biblical dietary instructions, Daniel asked the chief eunuch if he and three others could eat only vegetables. The chief was initially concerned that this diet would provide inadequate nutrition for Daniel and his companions and didn't want to get in trouble with the king, but he agreed to let them try this for ten days. At the end of this time the difference was so noticeable, and Daniel and his friends looked so much better than those eating a Biblically unclean diet that the chief put everyone on same diet as Daniel. Don't miss that eating a Biblically clean diet made Daniel and his companions stand out in the crowd. The difference in their health was noticeable!

9. Acts 10:14

"I have never eaten food that was unclean."

Peter made this statement probably ten years after the Messiah ascended into heaven; he was still following Scripture's instructions for how to eat. This tells us that all the meals he shared with Yahusha were clean. It also tells us that Peter and the rest of the disciples and leaders didn't think these commandments were done away with.

10. 1 Corinthians 10:31

"Whether you eat or drink, do it to the glory of YHWH."

Our choices about what we eat can glorify YHWH - or not. Here is a New Testament verse that calls for us to eat in a way that honors YHWH. It doesn't say that anything we eat glorifies him. It is a reminder that in every thing we do - including how we nourish ourselves - we should work to be obedient to Scripture's instructions.

These are just ten passages where the Bible talks about clean eating, but there are many more. Throughout Scripture we can see the foods eaten by YHWH's people fit into the clean category (think of Isaac craving goat meat, Jacob making lentil stew, Abigail taking David lamb, roasted grains, and figs, the lovers in Song of Songs talking about pomegranates and apples, the Messiah serving bread and fish, the Israelites desiring quail). In Isaiah 65:4 YHWH himself is lamenting about disobedient people who "provoke me continually...who eat the flesh of pigs." We don't have to participate in the offense of unclean eating! He gives us instructions on how to eat. And we can see from the above stories that there is blessing for us when we live out those instructions.

Learn more details about clean eating here.
More about Daniel's food choices here.
Peter had a vision about eating unclean animals - what did it mean?