Hare
The Hare in the Dietary Laws
The hare is mentioned in only two passages in the Bible, both within the lists of clean and unclean animals in the Mosaic law. Leviticus 11:6 states: "The hare, because it chews the cud but does not part the hoof, is unclean to you." Deuteronomy 14:7 repeats this classification in nearly identical language.
In these lists, the hare is grouped with the camel and the rock badger (coney) as animals that appear to chew the cud but do not have divided hooves. The pig, by contrast, is listed as having divided hooves but not chewing the cud. All four animals are declared unclean, meaning the Israelites were forbidden to eat their flesh.
The Question of Cud-Chewing
Modern readers sometimes note that hares are not true ruminants. They do not possess the multi-chambered stomach of cattle, sheep, and other genuine cud-chewing animals. This observation has led to questions about the accuracy of the biblical classification.
However, the biblical text is using observational rather than scientific language. Hares have a distinctive habit of almost constantly moving their jaws in a way that closely resembles the chewing motion of ruminant animals. This behavior, called cecotrophy (in which hares re-ingest certain digestive pellets), would have been visually indistinguishable from cud-chewing to an ancient observer. The law classified animals based on visible characteristics, providing practical criteria that any Israelite could apply without specialized knowledge.
The Hare in Its Natural Habitat
The species native to the biblical lands was the Syrian hare, which was common throughout Palestine and the surrounding regions. Hares differ from rabbits in several notable ways: they are larger, with longer legs and ears, and their young are born with open eyes and a full coat of fur, unlike the blind and naked newborns of rabbits.
Hares were abundant in Palestine, inhabiting both the hill country and the lower plains. The Arabic word for hare shares the same root as the Hebrew, confirming the consistent identification of this animal across Semitic languages. Despite their unclean status under Mosaic law, hares were freely eaten by the Arabs and other neighboring peoples.
The Purpose of the Dietary Laws
The classification of the hare as unclean serves the broader purposes of the Mosaic dietary laws. These regulations functioned on multiple levels. Practically, they provided Israel with a distinctive set of food practices that set them apart from surrounding nations. Theologically, the dietary laws served as a daily reminder that Israel was called to be holy, to distinguish between clean and unclean in every area of life.
The specific criteria used for classification, divided hooves and cud-chewing for land animals, created a system that was both comprehensive and easy to apply. Animals that met both criteria were clean; those that met only one or neither were unclean. The hare, along with the camel and the rock badger, fell into the category of animals that appeared to meet one criterion but not the other, serving as borderline cases that required explicit ruling.
The Hare and the New Covenant
In the New Testament, the dietary distinctions of the Mosaic law were set aside as the gospel extended to all nations. Jesus declared all foods clean (Mark 7:19), and Peter's vision of the sheet full of unclean animals, including by implication creatures like the hare, taught that God had broken down the barriers between Jew and Gentile (Acts 10:9-16). The dietary laws had served their purpose in setting Israel apart during the old covenant; in Christ, a new and deeper holiness was established that transcended food regulations.
Biblical Context
The hare appears only in Leviticus 11:6 and Deuteronomy 14:7, both within the dietary laws distinguishing clean from unclean animals. It is grouped with the camel and the rock badger as animals that appear to chew the cud but lack divided hooves. The broader context of these laws is the holiness code that governed Israel's daily life and distinguished them from the surrounding nations.
Theological Significance
The classification of the hare as unclean illustrates the broader principle of the dietary laws: Israel was called to exercise discernment in all areas of life, distinguishing between what was permitted and what was forbidden. These regulations trained God's people in the habit of holiness, making even the act of eating a reminder of their covenant identity. The eventual setting aside of these distinctions in the New Testament demonstrates that the ceremonial aspects of the law were fulfilled in Christ, who established a holiness of heart and life that goes beyond outward observance.
Historical Background
The Syrian hare was common throughout Palestine and the broader Levant. Unlike rabbits, which are native to the western Mediterranean, hares are distributed across the Northern Hemisphere. Archaeological evidence from the region confirms the presence of hare bones at ancient sites. The ancient Greek translation of the Bible uses a word meaning 'rough-footed' for the hare, referring to the distinctive feature of hair-covered soles. The Arabs freely ate hare meat, and it remains a common food animal in the Middle East today.