fat (1) Summary and Overview

The Hebrews distinguished between the suet or pure fat of an animal and the fat which was intermixed with the lean. #Ne 8:10| Certain restrictions were imposed upon them in reference to the former; some parts of the suet, viz., about the stomach, the entrails, the kidneys, and the tail of a sheep, which grows to an excessive size in many eastern countries, and produces a large quantity of rich fat, were forbidden to be eaten in the case of animals offered to Jehovah in sacrifice. #Le 3:3,9,17; 7:3,23| The ground of the prohibition was that the fat was the richest part of the animal, and therefore belonged to him. #Le 3:16| The burning of the fat of sacrifices was particularly specified in each kind of offering.