We are in chapter eleven of Leviticus with our word for today. שָׁפָן hyrax, rock badger, coney, daman. It is used 4 times in the Old Testament. Our word is used in the sense of a small hoofed mammal with rodent-like incisors and feet with hoof like toes. Let’s start with our chapter today since it is the first time it is used in the Bible. Leviticus 11:1-3, 5 And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying to them, “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, These are the living things that you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth. Whatever parts the hoof and is cloven-footed and chews the cud, among the animals, you may eat … And הַשָּׁפָ֗ן the rock badger, because it chews the cud but does not part the hoof, is unclean to you. This animal is on the list as unclean for God’s people at that time to eat. We find this same instruction in our next use of our word. Deuteronomy 14:3, 7 You shall not eat any abomination. These are the animals you may eat … Yet of those that chew the cud or have the hoof cloven you shall not eat these: the camel, the hare, and הַשָּׁפָ֜ן the rock badger, because they chew the cud but do not part the hoof, are unclean for you. It is interesting that God identifies this list as an abomination to eat. We don’t want to make the mistake in thinking that these animals on this unclean list that are an abomination would mean that God does not value or care for them. We are not talking about their value but rather a boundary that God has set up for his people. In several Psalms we find God’s love and care for all he has created. Here is a good example. Psalm 104:16-18 The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. In them the birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees. The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge לַֽשְׁפַנִּֽיםfor the rock badgers. Did you see that? God provides the rocks for the rock badgers to have protection. In our last use we see again God pointing to the value of these creatures. He uses them to teach people about wisdom. I’ll close with this great Proverb. Proverbs 30:24-28 Four things on earth are small, but they are exceedingly wise: the ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer; the שְׁ֭פַנִּיםrock badgers are a people not mighty, yet they make their homes in the cliffs; the locusts have no king, yet all of them march in rank; the lizard you can take in your hands, yet it is in kings' palaces.
