Moses starts this chapter condemning pagan self-mutilation practices for the dead because they must live as God's chosen people. From this Moses goes on to remind the Israelites of their eating laws with animals that chew the cud and divided hoofs (bull, goat, sheep etc.) being classified as clean and fine for eating, whereas animals that don't have both these features (camel, rabbit, pig and coney etc.) were taboo.
As regards water creatures the defining factors of cleanliness was that they should have scales and fins. Those without were not to be eaten.
Flying creatures were deemed edible other than kites, falcons, vultures, owls, hawks and bats. Flying insects that swarm should not be eaten, and nothing found dead could be eaten.
Finally in this section for the third time (Exodus 23:19 & 34:26) in the law cooking a young goat in it mother's milk is banned. It is strange to see this emphasis and many think this is because it was something carried out in pagan rituals.
The chapter's final section focuses on the tithing of the Israelites annual produce. Such tithes were used for the upkeep of feasts, the upkeep of the Levites and to help orphans, widows and foreigners.
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