Leviticus 11:33 (DRB)

Passage

But an earthen vessel, into which any of these shall fall, shall be defiled: and therefore is to be broken.

Nearby Context

Leviticus 11:31 All these are unclean. He that toucheth their carcasses shall be unclean until the evening.

Leviticus 11:32 And upon what thing soever any of their carcasses shall fall, it shall be defiled, whether it be a vessel of wood, or a garment, or skins or haircloths: or any thing in which work is done. They shall be dipped in water, and shall be unclean until the evening, and so afterwards shall be clean.

Leviticus 11:33 But an earthen vessel, into which any of these shall fall, shall be defiled: and therefore is to be broken.

Leviticus 11:34 Any meat which you eat, if water from such a vessel be poured upon it, shall be unclean; and every liquor that is drunk out of any such vessel, shall be unclean.

Leviticus 11:35 And upon whatsoever thing any of these dead beasts shall fall, it shall be unclean. Whether it be oven, or pots with feet, they shall be destroyed, and shall be unclean.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "earthen", "vessel", "shall", "fall", "defiled", "therefore", and "broken". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "earthen" and "vessel", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 32's "And upon what thing soever any of..." into verse 34's "Any meat which you eat if water...", so "earthen" and "vessel" belong inside that flow. In Leviticus context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "earthen" and "vessel" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.