And the glede, and the kite, and the vulture after his kinde, Deuteronomy 14:13 (KJV)
Deuteronomy 14:13 belongs to a passage that outlines the dietary laws given to the Israelites. These regulations were intended primarily to set Israel apart as a holy nation and to guide everyday life, including the choices of food that the people were permitted to eat.
In this verse the text lists several bird species—specifically the stork, the heron, the lapwing, and also mentions the bat. The stork, heron, and lapwing were classified as unclean birds, and the bat, although a mammal, appears in the list, reflecting a translation difficulty that scholars have noted. The ancient Hebrew term rendered “bat” (ataleph or atalleph) may have originally referred to another flying creature, which explains the apparent anomaly from a modern biological perspective.
The designation of clean and unclean animals was first set out in Leviticus 11 and reiterated in Deuteronomy 14. The birds named were likely regarded as unsuitable for consumption because of their scavenging habits, their tendency to feed on carrion, or other characteristics that were considered unsanitary or inappropriate for the community. The broader purpose of these dietary restrictions was to promote cleanliness, health, and obedience to God’s statutes, thereby reinforcing Israel’s identity as a people set apart.
For Christians today these ceremonial food laws are not binding. The New Testament presents a different understanding of dietary matters, emphasizing freedom in Christ and a focus on the condition of the heart rather than external regulations (see Mark 7:14‑23; Romans 14:14‑17; 1 Timothy 4:1‑5). This shift underscores that the moral principles behind the laws—holiness and respect for God—remain, while the specific food restrictions were fulfilled in Christ.
As with any biblical passage, careful study of the historical and cultural context, consultation of multiple translations, and comparison with related Scriptures enriches our comprehension of the text and its lasting theological significance.
