Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Leviticus 7:22
And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,
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 Koran 2 , Sur. 2. [xci. The Cow ] 168.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
22-27. Ye shall eat no manner offat(See on Le 3:17).
Le7:28-38. THE PRIESTS’PORTION.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the Lord spake unto Moses,…. Continued speaking to him:
saying; as follows.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
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 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. , 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.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Verses 22-27:
This text reiterates the prohibition of eating either fat or blood. The prohibition of eating fat apparently applies to the animals offered in sacrifice, as already specified, see Le 3:16, 17. The prohibition regarding the eating of blood applies perpetually, and universally, see Ge 9:3-6; De 12:16. The penalty for violating this statute was excommunication.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(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.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Further Instructions Concerning The Fat And The Blood Of Offerings and Sacrifices ( Lev 7:22-27 ).
Further emphasis is now placed on the fat and the blood of animals. As we have already seen the fat of sacrificial animals has to be offered on the altar to God, and the blood must be applied accordingly. But now we are reminded again that no fat or blood may be eaten, although certain fat may be used for other purposes. Had modern man observed these suggestions much heart disease and flabbiness might have been avoided.
Lev 7:22
‘And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,’
Once again we are reminded that this is divine revelation given through Moses..
Lev 7:23-25
‘Speak to the children of Israel, saying, You shall eat no fat, of ox, or sheep, or goat. And the fat of that which dies of itself, and the fat of that which is torn of beasts, may be used for any other service; but you shall in no wise eat of it. For whoever eats the fat of the beast, of which men offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh, even the person who eats it shall be cut off from his people.’
No fat of any animal which could be offered as an offering or sacrifice is to be eaten. Where the animal dies naturally, or is torn by wild animals, the fat may be used for other purposes, but it may not be eaten. And to eat the fat of such animals incurs the death sentence, or at the best expulsion from the camp of Israel. This would certainly suggest that most of the fat is in mind, not just that round the vital parts.
Lev 7:26
‘And you shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of bird or of beast, in any of your dwellings. Whoever it be who eats any blood, that soul shall be cut off from his people.’
And the same applies to the blood of the animals. Indeed the blood of no animals or birds at all may be eaten. Again the penalty is death or permanent expulsion.
Religiously speaking the idea here was to prevent the partaking of the essential life of creatures. It counteracted the beliefs of certain of those with whom Israel came in contact who sought to do exactly that. It emphasised the uniqueness of man in God’s eyes. When man sought power and life he should look to God for it, not seek to drain it from lower creatures. But hygienically speaking it also unquestionably saved Israel from many of the diseases that inflicted mankind. We do well to regard the hygienic advice especially when we go to countries where hygienic standards are not observed. It may be that to us nothing is ‘unclean’. But it can certainly be dangerous.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
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. v. 24. And the fat of the beast that dieth of itself, v. 25. For whosoever eateth the fat of the beast, of which men offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord, v. 26. Moreover, ye shall eat no manner of blood, v. 27. Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
This prohibition of fat and blood is a renewal of the same law, as in Chap. 3:16, 17. We know that the blood in a particular manner, was all along considered as sacred, in reference to the atonement, by the blood of JESUS. Gen 9:4 ; Deu 12:16 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
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 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
spake. Indicating explanations and restrictions in verses: Lev 7:22-27, additional to those given in Ch. Lev 3:17.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Things Forbidden; the Portion of the Priests
Lev 7:22-38
The eating of the fat and the blood was prohibited; the first probably during the pilgrimage, the latter in perpetuity. See Lev 3:17. When we are told that the disobedient soul must be cut off, it refers probably to the excommunication which the priest pronounced until the offender had repented and was reinstated in the privileges of Gods house. The waving of parts of the victim consisted in the priest placing his hands beneath those of the offerer, who held the piece to be waved, and moving them slowly backward and forward before the Lord, to and from the altar. The heaving was performed by slowly lifting the pieces upward and downward. These movements signified that the pieces, though not burned at the altar, were specially consecrated to Gods service. The shoulder is the emblem of government and strength; the breast of the affections. We specially need to meditate on these aspects of our Lords character. It may be that the action referred to in Act 13:3 meant that the Church waved the two first missionaries as a votive-offering to God.
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
Lev 7:22-27. General Prohibition of Eating Fat and Blood (cf. Lev 3:6).The fat of sacrificial animals is to be offered to Yahweh; the fat of other animals may be used for anything except food. For disobedience to this prohibition, no atoning sacrifice avails. One of the most distinguishing marks of Judaism has been its avoidance of all save kosher meat.
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
THE PROHIBITION OF FAT AND BLOOD
Lev 3:16-17; Lev 7:22-27; Lev 17:10-16
And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire, for a sweet savour: all the fat is the Lords. It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings, that ye shall eat neither fat nor blood. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saving, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Ye shall eat no fat, of ox, or sheep, or goat. And the fat of that which dieth of itself, and the fat of that which is torn of beasts, may be used for any other service; but ye shall in no wise eat of it. For whosoever eateth the fat of the beast, of which men offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord, even the soul that eateth it shall be cut off from his people. And ye shall eat no man net of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings. Whosoever it be that eateth any blood, that soul shall be cut off from his people And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among them, that eateth any manner of blood; I will set My face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh atonement by reason of the life. Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood. And whatsoever man there be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among them, which taketh in hunting any beast or fowl that may be eaten; he shall pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust. For as to the life of all flesh, the blood thereof is all one with the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off. And every soul that eateth that which dieth of itself, or that which is torn of beasts, whether he be homeborn or a stranger, he shall, wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even: then shall he be clean. But if he wash them not, nor bathe his flesh, then “he shall bear his iniquity.”
The chapter concerning the peace offering ends (Lev 3:16-17) with these words: “All the fat is the Lords. It shall be a perpetual statute for you throughout your generations, that ye shall eat neither fat nor blood.”
To this prohibition so much importance was attached that in the supplemental “law of the peace offering” {Lev 7:22-27} it is repeated with added explanation and solemn warning, thus: “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying. Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat. And the fat of the beast that dieth of itself, and the fat of that which is torn with beasts, may be used for any other service: but ye shall in no wise eat of it. For whosoever eateth the fat of the beast, of which men offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord, even the soul that eateth it shall be cut off from his people. And ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings. Whosoever it be that eateth any blood, that soul shall be cut off from his people.”
From which it appears that this prohibition of the eating of fat referred only to the fat of such beasts as were used for sacrifice. With these, however, the law was absolute, whether the animal was presented for sacrifice, or only slain for food. It held good with regard to these animals, even when, because of the manner of their death, they could not be used for sacrifice. In such cases, though the fat might be used for other purposes, still it must not be used for food.
The prohibition of the blood as food appears from Lev 17:10 to have been absolutely universal; it is said, “Whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among them, that eateth any manner of blood, I will set My face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people.”
The reason for the prohibition of the eating of blood, whether in the case of the sacrificial feasts of the peace offerings or on other occasions, is given, {Lev 17:11-12} in these words: “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh atonement by reason of the life. Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood.”
And the prohibition is then extended to include not only the blood of animals which were used upon the altar, but also such as were taken in hunting, thus (Lev 17:13): “And whatsoever man there be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among them, which taketh in hunting any beast or fowl that may be eaten, he shall pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust,” as something of peculiar sanctity; and then the reason previously given is repeated with emphasis (Lev 17:14): “For as to the life of all flesh, the blood thereof is all one with the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof; whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.”
And since, when an animal died from natural causes, or through being torn of a beast, the blood would be drawn from the flesh either not at all or but imperfectly, as further guarding against the possibility of eating blood, it is ordered (Lev 17:15-16) that he who does this shall be held unclean: “Every soul that eateth that which dieth of itself, or that which is torn of beasts, whether he be home born or a stranger, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. But if he wash them not nor bathe his flesh, then he shall bear his iniquity.”
These passages explicitly state the reason for the prohibition by God of the use of blood for food to be the fact that, as the vehicle of the life, it has been appointed by Him as the means of expiation for sin upon the altar. And the reason for the prohibition of the fat is similar; namely, its appropriation for God upon the altar, as in the peace offerings, the sin offerings, and the guilt offerings; “all the fat is the Lords.”
Thus the Israelite, by these two prohibitions, was to be continually reminded, so often as he partook of his daily food, of two things: by the one, of atonement by the blood as the only ground of acceptance; and by the other, of Gods claim on the man redeemed by the blood, for the consecration of his best. Not only so, but by the frequent repetition, and still more by the heavy penalty attached to the violation of these laws, he was reminded of the exceeding importance that these two things had in the mind of God. If he eat the blood of any animal claimed by God for the altar, he should be cut off from his people; that is, outlawed, and cut off from all covenant privilege as a citizen of the kingdom of God in Israel. And even though the blood were that of the beast taken in the chase, still ceremonial purification was required as the condition of resuming his covenant position.
Nothing, doubtless, seems to most Christians of our day more remote from practical religion than these regulations touching the fat and the blood which are brought before us with such fulness in the law of the peace offering and elsewhere. And yet nothing is of more present day importance in this law than the principles which underlie these regulations. For as with type, so with antitype. No less essential to the admission of the sinful man into that blessed fellowship with a reconciled God, which the peace offering typified, is the recognition of the supreme sanctity of the precious sacrificial blood of the Lamb of God; no less essential to the life of happy communion with God, is the ready consecration of the best fruit of our life to Him.
Surely, both of these, and especially the first, are truths for our time. For no observing man can fail to recognise the very ominous fact that a constantly increasing number, even of professed preachers of the Gospel, in so many words refuse to recognise the place which propitiatory blood has in the Gospel of Christ, and to admit its preeminent sanctity as consisting in this, that it was given on the altar to make atonement for our souls. Nor has the present generation outgrown the need of the other reminder touching the consecration of the best to the Lord. How many there are, comfortable, easy-going Christians, whose principle-if one might speak in the idiom of the Mosaic law-would rather seem to be, ever to give the lean to God, and keep the fat, the best fruit of their life and activity, for themselves! Such need to be most urgently and solemnly reminded that in spirit the warning against the eating of the blood and the fat is in full force. It was written of such as should break this law, “that soul shall be cut off from his people.” And so in the Epistle to the Hebrews {Heb 10:26-29} we find one of its most solemn warnings directed to those who “count this blood of the covenant,” the blood of Christ, “an unholy (i.e., common) thing”; as exposed by this, their undervaluation of the sanctity of the blood, to a “sorer punishment” than overtook him that “set at naught Moses law,” even the retribution of Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”
And so in this law of the peace offerings, which ordains the conditions of the holy feast of fellowship with a reconciled God, we find these two things made fundamental in the symbolism: full recognition of the sanctity of the blood as that which atones for the soul; and the full consecration of the redeemed and pardoned soul to the Lord. So was it in the symbol; and so shall it be when the sacrificial feast shall at last receive its most complete fulfilment in the communion of the redeemed with Christ in glory. There will be no differences of opinion then and there, either as to the transcendent value of that precious blood which made atonement, or as to the full consecration which such a redemption requires from the redeemed.