Translation
yet this
Go to footnote numberyou may eat of all
Go to footnote numberthe swarming, flying [creatures] that walk on four,
Go to footnote numberthose which to it ______
Go to footnote numbertwo lower legs
Go to footnote number_____ from above to the feet, with which to leap
Go to footnote numberon the earth.
Go to footnote numberParaphrase
These you may eat from among all the creatures that swarm in large masses, fly, and walk in a horizontal orientation – those to whom were given two legs in which the lower part of the leg comes down to the feet from high above the feet, because those two legs were designed for jumping from the ground to safety.
Footnotes
1
This pronoun is singular where we would expect a plural. But we should not make too much of this.
2
“all” is in the construct form, meaning it shows possession – “of all”… The verse above has said that swarming, flying things that move with their bodies in a horizontal orientation cannot be eaten. But here it points out that there is a class of animals within that larger group which can indeed be eaten.
3
See the previous verse for footnotes on “swarming”, “flying”, “walk”, “on four”.
4
Something seems to be left out here. See my paraphrase.
5
This is the word “legs” which was used of the lower shank of the leg, here in a dual form, meaning precisely two of them.
6
This verb is key to understanding this passage. It means “to leap” but also “to spring, to start up, to loosen, to unbind, to free.” It is a powerful word with many implications related to spiritual, physical and relational freedom. The jumping legs of these insects can quickly propel them into the air where they can fly to freedom and safely.
7
This is the word for “earth,” which is neutral, not good like tillable soil or bad like dust. However, the context points to dust with its negative connotations because the creature feels the need to “rapidly spring away from” something dangerous. The way God inspired the writers of the Bible often included gems which had to be dug up from the place where they were hidden; the fact that work is required in order to understand certain things ads more meaning and power to the text when we do find those gems.
A PICTURE OF FREEDOM
Notice that locusts and grasshoppers usually get ready for a jump by positioning their back legs so that the midway joint is high above the insect and the shaft of the lower leg is coming down to the feet. That is exactly what is described in this verse when it says, “from above to the feet”.
Besides being a symbol for devastation and divine judgment, the locust was a picture of freedom because they could quickly spring away to safety and nothing could be done to them (you could kill a few, but the swarm was unstoppable). Part of the spiritual application of this regulation has to do with being ready to find freedom by moving quickly away from a negative environment.