Exodus 23:19

Why is boiling a kid in its mother’s milk prohibited?

PROBLEM: This verse commands: “You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.” What does this mean and why were the Israelites commanded not to do this?

SOLUTION: There are two distinct questions here, and they should be separated. First of all, what does this passage mean? Second, why was God opposed to their doing this? The answer to the first question is easy. Every word in the sentence is clear. The Israelites knew exactly what to do. They were not supposed to cook a baby goat in its mother’s milk. So there was absolutely no problem in their knowing what God did not want them to do.