Leviticus 7:22

(22) And the Lord spake unto Moses.—This formula introduces a fresh communication made to the lawgiver (Lev_7:22-27), containing explanations and restrictions of the precept laid down in Lev_3:17, about the fat and blood of animals. The section before us, therefore, supplements and expands the previous law upon the same subject, just as the foregoing section supplemented and expanded the regulations about the different sacrifices.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Lev 7:22 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Ver. 22. And the Lord spake unto Moses.] This is oft repeated to draw attention and get authority. See 1Th 2:13.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

On the other hand, "the soul which eats flesh of the peace-offering, and his uncleanness is upon him (for "whilst uncleanness is upon him;" the suffix is to be understood as referring to נפשׁ construed as a masculine, see Lev 2:1), "shall be cut off" (see Gen 17:14). This was to be done, whether the uncleanness arose from contact with an unclean object (any unclean thing), or from the uncleanness of man (cf. ch. 12-15), or from an unclean beast (see at Lev 11:4-8), or from any other unclean abomination. שׁקץ, abomination, includes the unclean fishes, birds, and smaller animals, to which this expression is applied in Lev 11:10-42 (cf. Eze 8:10 and Isa 66:17). Moreover contact with animals that were pronounced unclean so far as eating was concerned, did not produce uncleanness so long as they were alive, or if they had been put to death by man; but contact with animals that had died a natural death, whether they belonged to the edible animals or not, that is to say, with carrion (see at Lev 11:8).

There is appended to these regulations, as being substantially connected with them, the prohibition of fat and blood as articles of food (Lev 7:22-27). By "the fat of ox, or of sheep, or of goat," i.e., the three kinds of animals used in sacrifice, or "the fat of the beast of which men offer a firing to Jehovah" (Lev 7:25), we are to understand only those portions of fat which are mentioned in Lev 3:3-4, Lev 3:9; not fat which grows in with the flesh, nor the fat portions of other animals, which were clean but not allowed as sacrifices, such as the stag, the antelope, and other kinds of game.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

7:22-27 In the sacrificial system, the fat and blood of all altar offerings belonged to God. They were offered before any of the sacrifice could be eaten. Consuming blood was specifically forbidden because it represented the very life of the animal (17:10-16). The injunction against eating fat might have been because fat, considered to be the best part of the offering, belonged to God.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Ye shall eat no manner of fat--(See on Lev 3:17).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Fat and Blood prohibited (22–27)

The Peace-Offering being the only sacrifice which was partly consumed by the offerer, any rule as to portions of the animal that were not to be eaten would appropriately be added to the regulations concerning this sacrifice. Accordingly, in ch. 3, which treats of the Peace-Offering, the prohibition of fat and blood occurs in a short form (Lev_7:17). It is repeated here in connexion with the preceding regulations about Peace-Offerings. The fat which is prohibited is that contained in the portions reserved as an offering made by fire unto the Lord, described at length in chs. 3, 4 and Lev_7:3-5. They were the same in the Peace-, Guilt-, and Sin-Offerings. The ordinary fat found with the flesh was not forbidden. Lev_7:25 explains that the portions which in a sacrifice are set apart for the Lord must not be consumed as food by man, even when the animals were not suitable to be offered on the altar, as in the case of that which dieth of itself, or is torn of beasts. If the animal were fit to be offered, according to Lev_17:4-5, it must when killed be brought before the Lord, and these portions would be burnt on the altar by the priest. The prohibition extends only to the ox, sheep, or goat, i.e. to the animals which were brought for sacrifice, but the prohibition of blood (Lev_7:26) is more general. No manner of blood may be eaten, whether of fowl or beast. It is of permanent obligation (Lev_3:17).

The command is given to Noah, Gen_9:4 (P), and is repeated in this book, Lev_17:10-14. Cp. 1Sa_14:32-34. The prohibition of blood was enforced among the Arabs by Mohammed. See J. M. Rodwell’s Koran2, Sur. 2. [xci. The Cow] 168.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Speak unto the children of Israel, saying,.... Putting them in mind, by repeating to them the laws concerning fat and blood, Lev 3:17.

ye shall eat no manner of fat; of any creature fit for food, whose flesh otherwise may be eaten, and particularly

of ox, or of sheep, or of goats: creatures used in sacrifice; though this is not to be restrained to such of them, and the fat of them that were sacrificed, whose fat was claimed by the Lord as his, and was burnt on his altar; but this is to be understood of the fat of these creatures when killed for their common use, for the food of them and their families; the fat even of these was not to be eaten; that which was not separated from the flesh, but mixed with it, might be eaten, but not that which was separated (l).

(l) Bechai in Lev. 3. 17.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Vers. 22-27. Repetition of the prohibition of eating the fat and the blood, addressed to the people in the midst of the instructions to the priests. Ye shall eat no manner of fat must be taken to mean none of the fat already specified, that is, the internal fat, and, in the case of the sheep, the tail; It is uncertain whether the law as to fat was regarded as binding upon the Israelites after they had settled in Palestine. Probably it was silently abrogated; but the prohibition of Mood was undoubtedly perpetual, (Deu_12:16) and it is based on a principle which does not apply to the fat. (Lev_17:11)

Vers. 22-27. Instructions for the people on the fat and on the blood.

The prohibition of fat was to secure the rights of Jehovah from invasion. The fat was a gift sanctified to God. The prohibition of the blood was to keep up the idea of atonement, the blood being regarded as the soul of the animal which God had appointed as the medium of atonement for the soul of man. Here is

I THE SUPREMACY OF THE DIVINE CLAIMS.

1. The recognition by the conscience in doctrine, in the place religion holds in the life.

2. The social state should be regulated on this principle. Man must not invade God"s rights if he would retain God"s blessing. Observance of the sabbath. The law of nations rests on the Law of God.

3. The individual believer will take care that he robs God of nothing. His service demands the fat, the choicest faculties, the deepest feelings, the largest gifts.

II THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD MADE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF MAN. Life for life. The blood sanctified, the blood saved. On the foundation of a perfect reconciliation alone can a true humanity be preserved and developed. Mistake of the ancient Greeks in worshipping humanity unredeemed, leading to animalism, and eventually to the substitution of mere art for morality, therefore the degradation of humanity. The elevation of the soul is the elevation of the whole man; "Im ganzen, guten, schoenen resolut zu leben," is a motto only to be adopted in the Christian sense. "He that sayeth his life shall lose it;" he that offers it up to God shall redeem it. R.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The Eating of Fat And Blood Forbidden

v. 22. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

v. 23. Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat. This seems to apply to the fat of the abdominal cavity in sacrificial animals only, Lev 3:17.

v. 24. And the fat of the beast that dieth of itself, its blood therefore not having a chance to drain out, and the fat of that which is torn with beasts, may be used in any other use, for purposes of every-day life; but ye shall in no wise eat of it, for animals that found their death in this manner were unclean and defiled those that ate of their flesh or of their fat.

v. 25. For whosoever eateth the fat of the beast, of which men offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord, the loose fat of the abdominal cavity, even the soul that eateth it shall be cut off from his people.

v. 26. Moreover, ye shall eat no manner of blood, a prohibition which had been given as early as the time of Noah, Gen 9:4; Cf Lev 3:17; Lev 17:10-14, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings.

v. 27. Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people. The blood was regarded as the bearer of the soul of the animal, and the latter had been set apart for the atonement of men; hence its great value and the strictness of the prohibition. As a holy people, the children of Israel were to avoid every form of defilement.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to the people of Israel and say, 'You must eat no fat

This has a quotation within a quotation. A direct quotation can be stated as an indirect quotation. AT: "Then Yahweh spoke to Moses and told him to tell the people of Israel this: 'You must eat no fat" (See: Quotes Within Quotes and Direct and Indirect Quotations)

died without being a sacrifice

"died but was not a sacrifice"

the fat of an animal torn by wild animals

This can be translated in active form. AT: "the fat of an animal that wild animals killed" (See: Active or Passive)

may be used

This can be translated in active form. AT: "you may use" (See: Active or Passive)

translationWords

Yahweh

Moses

Israel

cow

ewe

goat

die

sacrifice

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.