Leg
Legs as a Symbol of Strength
In biblical poetry, legs symbolize physical power and human capability. The psalmist declares, "He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man" (Psalm 147:10), emphasizing that God values faithfulness over physical prowess. The beloved in Song of Solomon is described with "legs like pillars of marble, set on bases of fine gold" (Song of Solomon 5:15), using the image of strong legs to convey beauty and stability. Conversely, weak or useless legs served as metaphors for futility: "Like the useless legs of one who is lame is a proverb in the mouth of a fool" (Proverbs 26:7).
Legs in the Sacrificial System
The legs of animals played a specific role in Israelite sacrificial worship. When preparing the burnt offering, the priest was to "wash the internal organs and the legs with water" before burning the entire animal on the altar (Leviticus 1:9, 13). The legs and entrails were washed as part of the ritual purification of the sacrifice. For the Passover lamb, God commanded that it be roasted whole, "with its head, legs and internal organs" (Exodus 12:9), not boiled in water. This instruction for the original Passover emphasized the completeness and urgency of the meal eaten on the night of Israel's deliverance from Egypt.
The Legs of Nebuchadnezzar's Statue
In Daniel's interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar's dream, the great statue had "legs of iron" (Daniel 2:33), representing the fourth kingdom in a succession of world empires. The legs of iron symbolized a kingdom of crushing military strength, while the feet of mixed iron and clay represented its eventual division and weakness (Daniel 2:40-43). This prophetic image has been widely understood as referring to the Roman Empire, which was indeed characterized by both iron military discipline and internal fragmentation.
The Breaking of Legs at the Crucifixion
The most theologically significant reference to legs in the New Testament occurs at the crucifixion of Jesus. The Roman practice of breaking the legs of crucified individuals was called crurifragium, performed to hasten death by preventing the victim from pushing upward to breathe. When the soldiers came to break the legs of those crucified with Jesus, they broke the legs of the two criminals but found that Jesus was already dead (John 19:31-33). John sees in this the fulfillment of the Scripture regarding the Passover lamb: "Not one of his bones will be broken" (John 19:36; cf. Exodus 12:46; Psalm 34:20).
Clean and Unclean Insects
An often-overlooked reference to legs appears in the dietary laws of Leviticus 11:21, where certain insects with jointed legs for hopping — specifically locusts, crickets, and grasshoppers — were permitted as food for the Israelites. The distinguishing feature was their leaping legs, which set them apart from other crawling insects that were considered unclean. This detail reflects the careful distinctions in the Mosaic Law regarding what was permissible for God's holy people to consume.
Biblical Context
References to legs span from the Pentateuch (Exodus 12:9; Leviticus 1:9; 11:21) through the historical books (1 Samuel 17:6, describing Goliath's bronze leg armor), wisdom literature (Proverbs 26:7; Song of Solomon 5:15), prophetic visions (Daniel 2:33), and the Gospels (John 19:31-33). The term appears in sacrificial instructions, prophetic symbolism, poetic metaphor, and the crucifixion narrative.
Theological Significance
The legs in Scripture carry deep theological meaning. In the sacrificial system, the washing of legs symbolized the complete purification required for offerings to a holy God. The unbroken legs of Jesus at the crucifixion fulfilled the Passover requirement that no bone of the lamb be broken (Exodus 12:46), identifying Jesus as the ultimate Passover Lamb whose sacrifice brings deliverance from sin and death. The legs of Nebuchadnezzar's statue remind readers that even the mightiest human empires are temporary before God's eternal kingdom (Daniel 2:44).
Historical Background
The Roman practice of crurifragium (leg-breaking) is documented by ancient authors including Cicero and Seneca. It was a common method to accelerate death during crucifixion, applied as a act of mercy or to comply with regulations requiring burial before certain holy days. Archaeological evidence from a crucified man found in Jerusalem (the Yehohanan ossuary, discovered in 1968) shows evidence of leg fracture consistent with this practice, confirming the historical accuracy of the Gospel accounts.