Leviticus 7:22-27

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, Leviticus 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, Genesis 9:4; Cf Leviticus 3:17; Leviticus 17:10-2 Chronicles :, 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.