Man’s Original Diet What is Clean and What is Unclean?

In the beginning, when Elohim first created Adam and Eve, He told them what they could eat.  “And Elohim said, See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the land and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food” (Genesis 1:29, Amplified Version, emphasis added).  Their diet consisted of fruits, grains, and nuts.  Vegetables at the time of Adam and Eve’s creation were not part of their diet.  Of those things Elohim gave them to eat, He put one restriction on them.  They could eat of every tree in the Garden of Eden but one.  “And Yahuwah Elohim took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.  And Yahuwah Elohim commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:  but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it:  for in the day that thou eatest thou shalt surely die” (Gen. 2:15-17, emphasis added).  The result of eating the fruit of that one tree was made plain to them, warning them of the consequences.  It was left with Adam and Eve as to whether they would obey Elohim or not. 

It seems that as a result of that one act of disobedience and believing what the serpent (Satan) told them over what Elohim had told them, that humanity has always been resistive to any restriction placed on him, whether by Elohim or by anyone in authority.  It seems to be a part of the fallen nature which we have inherited from Adam (Gen. 5:1-3).

We want to have it “my way”; after all Elohim had created humanity with a “free will,” but that “free will” was to operate on the basis of being well-informed in order to make intelligent decisions.

After the fall of humanity to the temptations of Satan, Elohim included the use of vegetables as a part of their diet.  “And you shall eat of the plants of the field” (Genesis 3:18, Amplified Version, emphasis added).  When Elohim brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, He placed a number of restrictions on them.  After sin had existed in this world for approximately 2,500 years by then, Elohim felt it necessary to spell out and make plain to humanity what would be good for us to eat and what would not be good for us to eat.  He was not restricting us to show His arbitrary authority, but like any informed and good-meaning parent, He was looking out for our best interest.  The restrictions which this article is discussing are the restrictions Elohim had placed on our diet from the beginning.

In the book of Deuteronomy Elohim spelled out what animals, birds, fish, and insect His chosen people could eat and what they could not eat.  “For you are a holy people [set apart] to Yahuwah your Elohim; and Yahuwah has chosen you to be a peculiar people to Himself, above all the nations on the earth.  You shall not eat anything that is abominable [to Yahuwah and so forbidden by Him]. These are the beasts which you may eat:  the ox, the sheep, and the goat, the hart, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep.   And every beast that parts the hoof and has it divided into two and brings up and chews the cud among the beasts you may eat.  Yet these you shall not eat of those that chew the cud or have the hoof split in two:  the camel, the hare, and the coney (rabbit), because they chew the cud but divide not the hoof; they are unclean for you.  And the swine (pig) because it parts the hoof but does not chew the cud; it is unclean to you.  You shall not eat of their flesh or (even) touch their dead bodies.   These you may eat of all that are in the waters:  whatever has fins and scales you may eat.  And whatever has not fins and scales you may not eat; it is unclean for you.  Of all clean birds you may eat.  But these are the ones which you shall not eat:  the eagle, the vulture, the osprey, the buzzard, the kite in its several species, the raven in all its species, the ostrich, the nighthawk, the sea gull, the hawk of any variety, the little owl, the great owl, the horned owl, the pelican, the carrion vulture, the cormorant, the stork, the heron of any variety, the hoopoe, and the bat, and all flying insects are unclean for you; they shall not be eaten.  But of all clean winged things you may eat.  You shall not eat of anything that dies of itself.  You may give it to the stranger or the foreigner who is within your towns, that he may eat it, or you may sell it to an alien.  [They are not under Elohim’s law in this matter] but you are a people holy to Yahuwah your Elohim.  You shall not [even] boil a kid in its mother’s milk” (Deuteronomy 14:2-21,).

Leviticus chapter eleven gives another account of the animals, birds, fish and insects that the children of Israel were allowed to eat and those which they were forbidden to eat.  It is the same list as the one in Deuteronomy chapter fourteen with a few additions.  The animals that were allowed to be eaten had two restrictions on them.  The blood and the fat could not be eaten; neither of which are good for the human body.  Again Elohim was not just being arbitrary in this matter, but He only wanted His people to be in good health.

“Only you shall not eat the blood;  you shall pour it upon the earth as water” (Deuteronomy 12:16).  “And it shall be a perpetual statute [never ending or changing] for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that you eat neither fat not blood” (Leviticus 3:17, emphasis added).

Most believe that the “clean and unclean” animals were so designated at the time of Moses, but at the time of the flood in the days of Noah the “clean” animals went into Noah’s ark by sevens.  “Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female:  and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and female.  Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth” (Genesis 7:2-3).  There were certain animals that were fit for food and others that were not fit to be eaten.  Many of the animals which are in the “unclean” category are scavengers and feast on other carcasses.  Elohim was not being arbitrary when He was telling mankind what was good for food and what was not good for food.  It has been Elohim’s desire that man should be holy, happy and healthy, and when we eat certain things that are not good for us we suffer the consequences of our actions.  Meat of any kind was not permitted to be eaten by man prior to the flood, but Elohim was going to be giving humanity permission to eat meat and therefore had seven of the "clean" animals brought into the ark.

Elohim gave man permission to eat of the “clean” beasts after the flood for two reasons.  First, everything had been destroyed by the flood.  “And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; they were destroyed from the earth:  and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark” (Genesis 7:23).

Second, the length of man’s life was shortened after the flood probably due to the eating of animals which was not permitted prior to the flood.  Man went from living 777 to 969 years, to 205 years in just a few generations removed from the time of the flood (Gen. 5 and 11:10-32).  It seemed that the longer mankind lived, the more evil they became so Elohim shortened man’s existence by allowing him to eat “meat.”

There are groups of isolated people still in the world today who outlive many who have adopted the western lifestyle prominent in our world today.  “A tiny population known as the Hunzas (pronounced Hoonzas) reside in an inaccessible valley at the extreme northern point of India are said to be the healthiest, longest-lived, and happiest human beings on Earth. “It’s not unusual for these people to live to one hundred thirty or even one hundred forty-five years. They also enjoy near perfect mental and physical health—practically untouched by cancer

. . . heart disease . . . heart attacks . . . high and low blood pressure . . . diabetes . . . obesity . . . or other ailments common throughout the western world.”  Click on the shaded area to go to our article on the "Hunzas."  The Hunzas are not strictly vegetarian but eat very little meat.

It is a commonly held belief by many within the Christian Community of believers that the restrictions on man’s diet are longer binding.  They cite what is written in the book of Acts to sustain that belief, but they accept what their ministers tell them and do not read the complete passage for themselves, for if they did, they would readily see that this portion of Scripture is not talking about there no longer being “clean and unclean” meats, but it is talking about not calling Gentiles “unclean.”  They do not “study to shew thyself approved unto Elohim, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15), and they will be greatly ashamed when they discover that they have been deceived because of it.  “And at the times of this ignorance Elohim winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30).  When humanity remains willfully ignorant of something which is made clear in the studying and reading of the Scriptures, Elohim does not wink at it.  Repent according to Webster’s Dictionary means “to change one’s mind and to regret the original decision.”

The following is quoted from the Acts 10:1-28.  1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,

2 A devout man, and one that feared Elohim with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to Elohim always.

3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of Elohim coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.

4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before Elohim.

5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter:

6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.  [It is a part of Elohim's plan to use men to communicate with others.]

7 And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually;

8 And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.

9 On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour:

10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,

11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:

12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.

13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.

14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.

15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What Elohim hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

16 This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.

17 Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate,

18 And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there.

19 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.

20 Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.

21 Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom you seek: what is the cause wherefore you are come?

22 And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth Elohim, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from Elohim by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.

23 Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

24 And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends.

25 And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.

26 But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.

27 And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together.

28 And he said unto them, You know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but Elohim hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. (emphasis added).  Certainly far different from what the ministers of today are telling their congregations.  At first Peter did not understand what the vision meant until he had time to think about it and circumstances played out where he could see exactly what Elohim had meant when He gave him this vision.

Elohim gave Peter this vision in order to show him that the Gentiles were no longer to be considered “unclean.”  It was not given to do away with the unclean foods.  Most ministers have perverted the Scriptures to give them a meaning that is false and misleading, and most people do not bother to study for themselves what the Scriptures teach and are easily mislead.  In speaking to the ministers of his time Jeremiah said, “For you have perverted the words of the living Elohim, of Yahuwah of hosts our Elohim” (Jer. 23:36).

Perverting the Word of Elohimhas been a common practice among those who do not want to obey what it says, and they have been used by Satan to mislead the multitudes who do not study for themselves.

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;  and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables" (2 Tim. 4:3-4).

We are told in Revelation 12:9, “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world:  he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”  The Devil has the ministers once again perverting the Scriptures and deceiving the people.  “There is no new thing under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9).  “The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means, and My people love to have it so [They are too lazy to study for themselves and place their eternal destiny in the hands of a minister.]:  and what will you do in the end thereof” [When you find yourself locked out of eternity and are perishing in the “lake of fire.”] (Jer. 5:31, emphasis added).  

Most Christians today can be described by what is written in Isaiah 4:1.  “And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel:  only let us be called by Thy name [Christian], to take away our reproach.”   People consider it needful to called a Christian without following what the Bible teaches.

“Whosoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings, and does them, I will shew you to whom he is like:  he is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.  But he that hears, and does not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great” (Luke 6:47-49).

For the most part, the blame falls on the ministers but that will not excuse those who have allowed themselves to be deceived.  “They which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy thy paths” (Isaiah 3:12, emphasis added).  Until people begin to study for themselves to know what it is that Elohim requires from them they will continue to be deceived and in the end be lost for eternity (2 Tim. 2:15).  

We read in 3 John 2 what Elohim’s desire is for His people and yet Christians are in no better health than an unbeliever because they eat no differently than those who do not follow the teachings of the Bible.  “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth” (emphasis added).  

Daniel would not defile himself with the food being served him and his companions in Babylon.  “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank” (Dan. 1:8).   

“What?  Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which you have of Elohim, and you are not your own?  For you are bought with a price [That price was precious sufferings and death of the Son of Elohim]:  therefore glorify Elohim in your body, and in your spirit, which are Elohim’s” (1 Cor. 6:19-20, emphasis added).  “Whatsoever therefore you eat, or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of Elohim” (1 Cor. 10:31, emphasis added).  

Some of those critters that Elohim designated as “unclean” are also considered an “abomination” to Elohim.  Abomination according to Webster’s Dictionary means “extremely disgusting or loathsome.”  Most people have not seen how these animal are raised and what they eat and therefore are not “loathsome and disgusting” in their eyes.  Maybe if people would take the time to become informed they would understand why Elohim has told His people that those critters He has called “unclean” are not fit for food.  Elohim is only interested in His people being healthy and what you eat affects one’s health.  

Clean foods in the Bible are those that, in their natural state, do not harm the human body and which man can use for his nourishment and health. Those considered unclean, however, are those which are unhealthy to consume and poisonous to the body.

Below is a list of various animals and fishes humans have taken upon themselves to consider as food. Please note that this list does not denote every animal on the planet and where it is classified but rather those that humans, somewhere, have tried to use for nourishment.

MEATS THAT ARE GOOD TO EAT

Clean Land Animals

Antelope - Buffalo - Caribou - Cattle (Beef, Veal) - Deer - Elk - Gazelle - Giraffe - Goat - Hart - Ibex - Moose - Ox - Reindeer - Sheep

Clean Birds

Chicken - Dove - Duck - Goose - Grouse - Guinea fowl - Partridge - Peafowl - Pheasant - Pigeon - Prairie chicken - Ptarmigan - Quail - Sagehen - Sparrow (plus any other songbirds) - Swan - Teal - Turkey

Clean Insects

Clean insects include types of locusts that may include crickets and grasshoppers

Clean Fish

Albacore (Crevalle, Horse Mackerel, Jack) - Alewives (Branch, River Herring) - Anchovy - Barracuda - Bass - Black Drum - Black Pomfret (Monchong) - Blue Runner (Hardtail) - Bluebacks (Glut Herrings) - Bluebill Sunfish - Bluefish - Bluegill - Bonitos - Bowfin - Buffalofish - Carp - Chubs (Bloater, Longjaw, Blackfin) - Cod - Common Sucker (Fresh Water Mullet, White Sucker) - Crappie (Black or White Crappies) - Drum - Flounder (Dab, Gray, Lemon Sole, Summer - Grouper (Black, Nassau, Red, or Yellowfish Grouper, Gag) - Grunt (White / Yellow Grunts) - Gulf Pike (Robalo, Snook, Sergeant) - Haddock - Hake - Halibut - Hardhead - Hardtail (Blue Runner) - Herring (Alewife, Branch, Glut. Lake, River, Sea Herrings) - Kingfish - Long Nose Sucker (Northern or Red Striped Sucker) - Mackerel (Cobia) - Mahimahi (Dorado, Dolphinfish) - Menhaden - Minnow - Mullet - Muskellunge (Jacks) - Orange Roughy - Perch (Bream) - Pig Fish - Pike (Pickerel, Jack) - Pollack (Pollock, Boston Bluefish) - Pompano - Porgy (Scup) - Red Drum (Redfish) - Red Horse Sucker (Redfin) - Red Snapper - Redfish - Robalo (Gulf Pike) - Rockfish - Salmon (Chum, Coho, King, Pink or Red) - Sardine (Pilchard) - Scup (Porgy) - Sea Bass - Sergeant Fish (Gulf Pike) - Shad - Sheepshead - Silver Hake (Whiting) - Silversides - Smelt - Snapper - Snook (Gulf Pike) - Sole - Spanish Mackerel - Steelhead - Striped Bass - Sucker (Red Horse Sucker, Redfin) - Sunfish - Tarpon - Trout (Gray Sea, Lake, Sand Sea, White Sea, Spotted Sea Trouts, Weakfish) - Tuna - Turbot (all except European variety) - Whitefish - Whiting (Silver Hake) - Winter Flounder, Yellow Tail - Yellow Perch

MEATS THAT ARE NOT GOOD TO EAT

Unclean Land Animals

Armadillo - Ass - Badger - Bear - Beaver - Boar - Camel - Cat - Cheetah - Coyote - Dog - Donkey - Elephant - Fox - Gorilla - Groundhog - Hare - Hippopotamus - Horse - Hyena - Jackal - Kangaroo - Leopard - Lion - Llama (alpaca, vicuña) - Mole - Monkey - Mouse - Mule - Muskrat - Onager - Opossum - Panther - Peccary - Pig (hog, bacon, ham, lard, pork) - Porcupine - Rabbit - Raccoon - Rat - Rhinoceros - Skunk - Slug - Snail (escargot) - Squirrel - Tiger - Wallaby - Weasel - Wolf - Wolverine - Worm - Zebra

Unclean Birds

Albatross - Bat - Bittern - Buzzard - Condor - Coot - Cormorant - Crane - Crow - Cuckoo - Eagle - Flamingo - Grebe - Grosbeak - Gull - Hawk - Heron - Kite - Lapwing - Loon - Magpie - Osprey - Ostrich - Owl - Parrot - Pelican - Penguin - Plover - Rail - Raven - Roadrunner- Sandpiper - Seagull - Stork - Swallow - Swift - Vulture - Water Hen - Woodpecker

Unclean Insects

All insects except some in the locust family should not be consumed.

Reptiles and Amphibians

Alligator - Blindworm - Caiman - Crocodile - Frogs - Lizard - Newts - Salamanders - Snakes - Toads - Turtles

Unclean Fish and Marine Animals

Abalone - Bullhead - Catfish - Clam - Crab - Crayfish - Cuttlefish - Dolphin - Eel - European Turbot - Jellyfish - Limpet - Lobsters - Marlin - Mussels - Octopus - Otter - Oysters - Paddlefish - Porpoise - Prawn - Scallop - Seal - Shark - Shrimp - Squid (calamari) - Stickleback - Sturgeon - Swordfish - Walrus – Whale

“Beloved, I [Elohim] wish above all things that you may prosper and be in [good] health, even as thy soul prospers” (3 John 2, emphasis added).  How it must sadden Elohim when His creation refuses to follow the counsel He has given to us in the Holy Bible, and they suffer the consequences.  “Be not deceived; Elohim is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7).  If we ask Elohim to bless our food, can He do so if He has previously warned us of the danger of eating that item?

“Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!” (Eccl. 10:17).  “Eat in due season.”  There are appropriate times when one should eat.  Eating anytime one “feels” like it is not healthful and wears out the digestive organs because they are never given a chance to rest. 

Eat “for strength, and not for drunkenness.”   Too many eat what are called “comfort foods” that do not provide proper nutrition to the human body.  We are to eat those foods that provide strength to the body.  One should become familiar with how the body works in order to properly care for it.  Courses on anatomy and nutrition would be of great benefit to humanity; to learn how our bodies function and what we should put in them to get the most out of them.  There is so much disinformation available through the media today that people allow themselves to be deceived on this most important subject.  When one loses their health, they lose so much more!