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Leviticus 7:24 — Word Study

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WLCוְחֵ֤לֶב נְבֵלָה֙ וְחֵ֣לֶב טְרֵפָ֔ה יֵעָשֶׂ֖ה לְכָל־ מְלָאכָ֑ה וְאָכֹ֖ל לֹ֥א תֹאכְלֻֽהוּ׃

BSAThe fatcheleb [richest or best part] of an animal found deadnᵉbêlâh [as a carcass] or mauled by wild beastsṭᵉrêphâh [torn apart] may be usedʻâsâh for any otherkôl purposemᵉlâʼkâh [work] but you must notlôʼ [absolutely not] eatʼâkal [consume] itʼâkal

Word
Listen & take awayLeviticus 7
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 24 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (to.khe.Lu.hu) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Leviticus 7:24quick helps
In a sentenceThis verse outlines the rules regarding the fat of animals found dead or torn by wild beasts.
What is forbiddenYou must not eat the fat from these animals.
What is allowedThe fat may be used for other purposes.
Key termsחֵלֶב, cheleb and נְבֵלָה, nevelah
Take awayThe fat is designated for use but not for consumption.
6 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbעָשָׂה The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Leviticus 7:24

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — Regulations on Animal Fatgenerated

23“Speak to the Israelites and say, ‘You are not to eat any of the fat of an ox, a sheep, or a goat.
24The fat of an animal found dead or mauled by wild beasts may be used for any other purpose, but you must not eat it.
25If anyone eats the fat of an animal from which an offering made by fire may be presented to the LORD, the one who eats it must be cut off from his people.
26You must not eat the blood of any bird or animal in any of your dwellings.

Leviticus 7:24 provides guidelines for the Israelites regarding the consumption of animal fat, particularly focusing on animals that have died naturally or been killed by predators. This verse is part of a broader set of laws concerning dietary practices and offerings, emphasizing the importance of adhering to God's commands about what is permissible to eat. The surrounding verses reinforce the prohibitions against consuming certain animal parts, as seen in Leviticus 7:23 and Leviticus 7:25.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Leviticus 17:15And any person, whether native or foreigner, who eats anything found dead or mauled by wild beasts must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening; then he will be clean.
2Leviticus 22:8He must not eat anything found dead or torn by wild animals, which would make him unclean. I am the LORD.
3Exodus 22:31You are to be My holy people. You must not eat the meat of a mauled animal found in the field; you are to throw it to the dogs.
4Deuteronomy 14:21You are not to eat any carcass; you may give it to the foreigner residing within your gates, and he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner. For you are a holy people belonging to the LORD your God. You must not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.
5Ezekiel 4:14“Ah, Lord GOD,” I said, “I have never defiled myself. From my youth until now I have not eaten anything found dead or mauled by wild beasts. No unclean meat has ever entered my mouth.”

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word חֵלֶב, ve.Che.levgenerated

The word חֵלֶב (cheleb) refers to fat, representing the richest or best part of something, whether human or animal. It is often associated with abundance and richness, indicating the choicest portions available.

In this verse, it highlights that while the fat from animals found dead or torn may be utilized for other purposes, it is strictly prohibited for consumption. This distinction underscores the importance of purity and holiness in dietary laws.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses may be used for any other purpose and you must not eat it.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb יֵעָשֶׂ֖ה, it will be used, governs the sentence, with a noun phrase as the subject and several prepositional phrases detailing the conditions and restrictions. The structure emphasizes the action of using the fat while clearly stating the prohibition against eating it.

The Hebrew word order places the focus on the fat and its permissible uses, followed by the clear prohibition, which is a common feature in legal texts.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates חֵלֶב as στέαρ, which also means fat, indicating a direct correspondence in meaning. This choice reflects the translators' intent to maintain the concept of richness associated with fat.

The term נְבֵלָה is rendered as θνησιμαίων, which emphasizes the dead or lifeless nature of the carcass, aligning with the original Hebrew meaning.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Leviticus 7:24 states that the fat of an animal found dead or killed by wild beasts can be used for other purposes, but it is forbidden to eat it. This rule is part of the dietary laws given to the Israelites, emphasizing what is acceptable and what is not in their diet.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does this verse say about the fat of animals?

The verse indicates that the fat from animals found dead or torn by wild beasts can be used for other purposes but must not be consumed.

Why is it forbidden to eat this fat?

This prohibition is part of the dietary laws given to the Israelites, which emphasize purity and holiness in what they consume.

What is the significance of using the fat for other purposes?

Using the fat for other purposes allows for resourcefulness while maintaining the dietary restrictions set by God.

How does this verse relate to other dietary laws?

This verse is part of a broader set of regulations in Leviticus that govern what is clean and unclean for the Israelites, reinforcing the importance of following God's commands.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What do you think the significance of dietary laws is in your life today?
  2. How can understanding these regulations help you appreciate the cultural context of the Israelites?
  3. In what ways can you apply the principles of purity and holiness in your own life?
  4. What resources or practices do you have that help you maintain your dietary choices?

Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Leviticus 7:24 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And the fat of the beast that dieth of itself,.... Of any disease, and is not regularly killed: and the fat of that which is torn with beasts; with wild beasts: may be used in any other use; as in

Read John Gill on Leviticus 7 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Ye shall eat no manner of fat.

Read Robert Jamieson on Leviticus 7 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

He speaketh still of the same kinds of beasts, and showeth that this prohibition reacheth not only to the fat of those beasts which were offered to God, but also of those that died, or were killed at home. And if this seems a superfluous prohibition concerning the fat, since the lean as well as the fat of such beasts was forbidden, , it must be noted that that prohibition reached only to the priests, .

Read Matthew Poole on Leviticus 7 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Leviticus 7:24 And the fat of the beast that dieth of itself, and the fat of that which is torn with beasts, may be used in any other use: but ye shall in no wise eat of it.Ver. 24. Used in any other use.] Though not in sacrifice. Mud walls may be made up of any refuse matter: not so the walls of a church or palace.

Read John Trapp on Leviticus 7 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(24) And the fat of the beast that dieth of itself.—That is, of the aforesaid animals which died of any disease or accident, or were killed by wild beasts, and which, therefore, are entirely unclean (see Leviticus 17:15; Leviticus 22:8), might be used for common purposes in ordinary life, such as making candles, &c., &c.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Leviticus 7 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

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 (Leviticus 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 Leviticus 7:3-5. They were the same in the Peace-, Guilt-, and…

Read Cambridge on Leviticus 7 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

The fat of an animal found dead or mauled by wild beasts may be used for any other purpose, but you must not eat it.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

The fat of that which dies of itself, and the fat of that which is torn of animals, may be used for any other service, but you shall in no way eat of it.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

The fat of an animal found dead or mauled by wild beasts may be used for any other purpose, but you must not eat it.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Moreover, the fat of an animal that has died of natural causes and the fat of an animal torn by beasts may be used for any other purpose, but you must certainly never eat it.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And the fat of the beast that dieth of itself, and the fat of that which is torn with beasts, may be used in any other use: but ye shall in no wise eat of it.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

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.

RVARevised Version, American1894

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.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

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 purpose; but ye shall in no wise eat of it.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Yet the fat of the dead beast, and the fat of that, which is torne with beastes, shalbe occupied to any vse, but ye shall not eate of it.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

But the fat of a dead carcase, and the fat of that which is torn, may be used in any other use; but ye shall in no wise eat it.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and the fat of a carcase, and the fat of a torn thing is prepared for any work, but ye do certainly not eat it;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and the fat of a carcass, and the fat of a torn thing, is prepared for any work, but you certainly do not eat it;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And the fat of a beast that dieth of itself, and the fat of that which is torn by beasts, may be used for any manner of work, but ye shall in no wise eat of it.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

The fat of an animal that died without being a sacrifice, or the fat of an animal torn by wild animals, may be used for other purposes, but you must certainly not eat it.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

The fat of a carcass that hath died of itself, and of a beast that was caught by another beast, you shall have for divers uses.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

You can use the fat of an animal found dead or killed by wild beasts for whatever purpose you want, but you must not eat it.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And the fat of that which comes to a natural death, and the fat of that which is attacked by beasts, may be used for other purposes, but not in any way for food.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

וְand.[the]clausenoun phrase · subjectnoun phraseחֵ֤לֶבfatנְבֵלָה֙of.a.carcassוְand.[the]noun phraseחֵ֣לֶבfatטְרֵפָ֔הa.torn.animalverbיֵעָשֶׂ֖הit.will.be.usedprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְfornoun phraseכָלanyמְלָאכָ֑הworkוְandclauseadverbialאָכֹ֖לcertainly.(eat)adverbialלֹ֥אnotverbתֹאכְלֻֽyouobjectהוּmust.eat.it

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text of Leviticus 7:24 states that the fat of an animal found dead or mauled by wild beasts may be used for any other purpose, but it must not be eaten. The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text in meaning, although its word order and articles differ due to its translation style. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs from the Masoretic Text by including the definite article 'the' (ה) before 'fat,' which is absent in the Masoretic Text. The Dead Sea Scrolls (4Q26b) also align closely with the Masoretic Text, but contain some restored words, indicating minor textual variations. Overall, the core message remains consistent across these ancient witnesses, with only slight differences in wording.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וְחֵ֤לֶב נְבֵלָה֙ וְחֵ֣לֶב טְרֵפָ֔ה יֵעָשֶׂ֖ה לְכָל־ מְלָאכָ֑ה וְאָכֹ֖ל לֹ֥א תֹאכְלֻֽהוּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְחֵ֤לֶבστέαρנְבֵלָה֙θνησιμαίωνוְחֵ֣לֶבκαὶטְרֵפָ֔הθηριάλωτονיֵעָשֶׂ֖הποιηθήσεταιלְכָל־πᾶνמְלָאכָ֑הἔργονוְאָכֹ֖לβρῶσινלֹ֥אοὐתֹאכְלֻֽהוּ׃βρωθήσεται

10 of the 10 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

וחלב נבלה וחלב טרפה יעשׂה לכל המלאכה ואכל לא תאכלהו

1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: ה (the)

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q26ba copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[וחלב] [נבלה] [וחלב] טרפה יעשה לכול מלאכה ואכול לא תאכל׳הו

5 words on the leather — 2 partly restored, 3 supplied entire by an editor.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Leviticus 7:24חֵ֫לֶבand [the] fand [the] fat oחֵ֫לֶבנְבֵלָהa carcassa carcassנְבֵלָהחֵ֫לֶבand [the] fand [the] fatחֵ֫לֶבטְרֵפָהa torn anima torn animalטְרֵפָהעָשָׂהit will be it will be usedעָשָׂהכֹּלfor anyfor anyכֹּלמְלָאכָהworkworkמְלָאכָהאָכַלand certainand certainlyאָכַללֹאnotnotלֹאאָכַלyou must eayou must eat itאָכַלנָבֵלbe senselebe senselessנָבֵלכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלטֶ֫רֶףpreypreyטֶ֫רֶףמַלְאָךְmessengermessengerמַלְאָךְכִּלְיָהkidneykidneyכִּלְיָהקָטַרto offer: to offer: burnקָטַרעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהשָׁתָהto drinkto drinkשָׁתָהלֶ֫חֶםfoodfoodלֶ֫חֶםטְרֵפָהtorn animatorn animalטְרֵפָהמַאֲכָלfoodfoodמַאֲכָלנְבֵלָהcarcasscarcassנְבֵלָהחֵ֫לֶבfatfatחֵ֫לֶבמְלָאכָהworkworkמְלָאכָהתּוֹעֵבַהabominatioabominationתּוֹעֵבַהעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהשָׁבַתto ceaseto ceaseשָׁבַתיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹל
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Leviticus 7:24

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and [the] fat of a carcass and [the] fat a torn animal it will be used for any work and certainly not you must eat it
וְחֵ֤לֶבve.Che.lev and [the] fat of H2459 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
92× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, cheleb refers to fat, whether literal or figurative, representing the richest or best part of something. It can describe the choicest products of the land or the best of human or animal fat. This term is used to convey abundance and richness.
Amplified meaning
richest or best part
Tyndale gloss
fat
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֵ֫לֶב (cheleb) means fat, referring to both human and animal fat, as well as the choicest parts of agricultural products. It conveys the idea of richness or abundance, highlighting the best or finest portions. The entries consistently emphasize its literal and figurative uses, but do not provide specific verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֵ֫לֶב n.m. fat

fat of human body

fat of beasts

choicest, best part of products of land

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2459 חֵ֫לֶב fat . fat of human body

. fat of beasts

. choicest, best part of products of land

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2459 cheleb kheh'-leb

or cheleb {khay'-leb}; from an unused root meaning to be fat;

fat, whether literally or figuratively; hence, the richest or

choice part:--X best, fat(-ness), X finest, grease, marrow.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֵ֫לֶב (che.lev) — fat.

1) fat

1a) fat (of humans)

1b) fat (of beasts)

1c) choicest, best part, abundance (of products of the land)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
HC/Ncmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

and [the] fat of a carcass and [the] fat a torn animal it will be used for any work and certainly not you must eat it
נְבֵלָה֙ne.ve.Lah a carcass H5038 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
48× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to a dead body or carcass, whether human or animal, often translated as 'dead body' or 'carcass'. It can also symbolize an idol.
Amplified meaning
as a carcass
Tyndale gloss
carcass
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נְבֵלָה (nevelah) refers to a carcass or corpse, applicable to both humans and animals. It can also denote carrion and, in a figurative sense, an idol. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to be flabby' and encompasses the idea of a dead body, whether it died naturally or otherwise.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נְבֵלָה n.f. carcass, corpse

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5038 נְבֵלָה carcass, corpse

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5038 nbelah neb-ay-law'

from 5034; a flabby thing, i.e. a carcase or carrion (human

or bestial, often collectively); figuratively, an idol:--

(dead) body, (dead) carcase, dead of itself, which died,

(beast) that (which) dieth of itself.

see HEBREW for 05034

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נְבֵלָה (ne.ve.lah) — carcass.

1) carcass, corpse

1a) of humans, idols, animals

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
and [the] fat of a carcass and [the] fat a torn animal it will be used for any work and certainly not you must eat it
וְחֵ֣לֶבve.Che.lev and [the] fat H2459 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
92× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, cheleb refers to fat, whether literal or figurative, representing the richest or best part of something. It can describe the choicest products of the land or the best of human or animal fat. This term is used to convey abundance and richness.
Tyndale gloss
fat
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֵ֫לֶב (cheleb) means fat, referring to both human and animal fat, as well as the choicest parts of agricultural products. It conveys the idea of richness or abundance, highlighting the best or finest portions. The entries consistently emphasize its literal and figurative uses, but do not provide specific verse references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֵ֫לֶב n.m. fat

fat of human body

fat of beasts

choicest, best part of products of land

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2459 חֵ֫לֶב fat . fat of human body

. fat of beasts

. choicest, best part of products of land

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2459 cheleb kheh'-leb

or cheleb {khay'-leb}; from an unused root meaning to be fat;

fat, whether literally or figuratively; hence, the richest or

choice part:--X best, fat(-ness), X finest, grease, marrow.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֵ֫לֶב (che.lev) — fat.

1) fat

1a) fat (of humans)

1b) fat (of beasts)

1c) choicest, best part, abundance (of products of the land)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Ncmsc — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
HC/Ncmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(chelebh, chelebh): The layer of subcutaneous fat and the compact suet surrounding the viscera and imbedded in the entrails, which, like the blood, was forbidden as food in the Mosaic code (Le 3:17). It was to be sacrificed to God by being burnt upon the altar (Le 3:16; 30). This had to be done on the very day on which a beast had been slaughtered, to remove temptation from the Israelite to use it otherwise (Ex 23:18). The law was probably a sanitary restriction, for, at an early date, leprosy, scrofula and disfiguring cutaneous diseases were thought to be caused by the use of fat as food. It was, moreover, an important pedagogical provision teaching the idea of self-denial, and the maxim that the richest and best meat of the…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Fat

(Heb. heleb) denotes the richest part of the animal, or the fattest of the flock, in the account of Abel’s sacrifice (Gen. 4:4). It sometimes denotes the best of any production (Gen. 45:18; Num. 18:12; Ps. 81:16; 147:47). The fat of sacrifices was to be burned (Lev. 3:9-11; 4:8; 7:3; 8:25; Num. 18:17. Comp. Ex. 29:13-22; Lev. 3:3-5).

It is used figuratively for a dull, stupid state of mind (Ps 17:10).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

i.e. VAT, the word employed in the Authorized Version to translate the Hebrew term yekeb , in (Joel 2:24; 3:13) The word commonly used for yekeb is "winepress" or "winefat," and once "pressfat." (Haggai 2:16) The "vats" appear to have been excavated out of the native rock of the hills on which the vineyards lay.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The fat portions of animals offered in sacrifice were always to be consumed, as being the choice part and especially sacred to the Lord. The blood was also sacred, as containing the life of the animal. The Jews were forbidden to eat either, Le 3:16,17; 7:23-27.

and [the] fat of a carcass and [the] fat a torn animal it will be used for any work and certainly not you must eat it
טְרֵפָ֔הte.re.Fah a torn animal H2966 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
9× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to an animal that has been torn apart by another animal. In Exodus 22:13 and Leviticus 7:24, it describes the remains of an animal that has been attacked by a predator.
Amplified meaning
torn apart
Tyndale gloss
torn animal
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

טְרֵפָה (trephah) refers to an animal that has been torn, typically by wild beasts. It is derived from a related term and denotes prey or flesh that has been ravaged. The entries consistently emphasize its meaning related to torn animals and do not present any significant disagreements.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

טְרֵפָה n.f. animal torn (by wild beasts); torn flesh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2966 טְרֵפָה animal torn (by wild beasts); torn flesh

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2966 trephah ter-ay-faw'

feminine (collectively) of 2964; prey, i.e. flocks devoured

by animals:--ravin, (that which was) torn (of beasts, in

pieces).

see HEBREW for 02964

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

טְרֵפָה (te.re.phah) — torn animal.

that which is torn, animal torn (by beasts)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

an'-i-mal: See under the various names and also the general article on ZOOLOGY.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Animal

An organized living creature endowed with sensation. The Levitical law divided animals into clean and unclean, although the distinction seems to have existed before the Flood (Gen. 7:2). The clean could be offered in sacrifice and eaten. All animals that had not cloven hoofs and did not chew the cud were unclean. The list of clean and unclean quadrupeds is set forth in the Levitical law (Deut. 14:3-20; Lev. 11).

and [the] fat of a carcass and [the] fat a torn animal it will be used for any work and certainly not you must eat it
יֵעָשֶׂ֖הye.'a.Seh it will be used H6213 Verb · Niphal · imperfect third person masculine singular
2,629× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to make or do something, and is used over 2,600 times in the Bible. It is first used in Genesis 1:7 to describe God's creation of the world and is also used in Exodus 31:5 to describe the work of skilled craftsmen.
Tyndale gloss
to make
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָשָׂה (asah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to do or make, encompassing a wide range of actions such as producing, preparing, and observing. It can refer to both concrete and abstract activities, including making offerings and attending to tasks. The verb also has forms indicating passive meanings, such as being made or offered. Notably, the Piel form refers to pressing or squeezing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָשָׂה 2622 vb. do, make

Qal 2524

do (1560 t.)

deal with

oft. in phr. do kindness with

abs. act, act with effect

make (670 t.)

produce, yield

prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food

make offering

attend to, put in order

observe, celebrate, religious festival

acquire property of various kinds

appoint priests

bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance

use

spend, pass, days of life

Niph.

97be done

be made, of concr. things

be produced from vine

be prepared, of food

be offered

be observed, passover

be used

Pu. I was made

base

[עָשָׂה] vb. Pi. press, squeeze

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6213a עָשָׂה do, make .. . do (1560 + t.)

. deal with

. oft. in phr. do kindness with

. abs. act, act with effect

. . make (670 + t.)

. produce, yield

. prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food

. make offering

. attend to, put in order

. observe, celebrate, religious festival

. acquire property of various kinds

. appoint priests

. bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance

. use

. spend, pass, days of life

. . be done

. . be made, of concr. things

. be produced from vine

. be prepared, of food

. be offered

. be observed, passover

. be used

. I was made

H6213b עָשָׂה Pi. press, squeeze

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6213 `asah aw-saw'

a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and

widest application (as follows):--accomplish, advance,

appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth,

bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal

(with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in)

execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, +

finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go

about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X

indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain,

make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare,

bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure,

provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin,

spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be

(warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make: do.

: do/perform

1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to do, work, make, produce

1a1a) to do

1a1b) to work

1a1c) to deal (with)

1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect

1a2) to make

1a2a) to make

1a2b) to produce

1a2c) to prepare

1a2d) to make (an offering)

1a2e) to attend to, put in order

1a2f) to observe, celebrate

1a2g) to acquire (property)

1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute

1a2i) to bring about

1a2j) to use

1a2k) to spend, pass

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be done

1b2) to be made

1b3) to be produced

1b4) to be offered

1b5) to be observed

1b6) to be used

1c) (Pual) to be made

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to press.

(Piel) to press, squeeze

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make.

: make(OBJECT)

1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to do, work, make, produce

1a1a) to do

1a1b) to work

1a1c) to deal (with)

1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect

1a2) to make

1a2a) to make

1a2b) to produce

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Niphal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Niphal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVNi3ms
and [the] fat of a carcass and [the] fat a torn animal it will be used for any work and certainly not you must eat it
לְכָל־le.khol for any H3605 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

Absolutely:

without the art., all things, all

with the art. הַכֹּל

where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all

. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3605 kol kole

or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;

hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a

plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any

(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as

many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,

whoso(-ever).

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּל (kol) — all.

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/Ncmsc
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and [the] fat of a carcass and [the] fat a torn animal it will be used for any work and certainly not you must eat it
מְלָאכָ֑הme.la.Khah work H4399 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
167× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means work or employment, like a job or business, and is used to describe someone's occupation or the result of their labor, as seen in the Bible's description of various professions and industries.
Amplified meaning
work
Tyndale gloss
work
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מְלָאכָה (mla'kah) refers to work or occupation, encompassing various aspects such as business, craftsmanship, and service. It can denote both the act of working and the products resulting from labor. The term also extends to public and political business. There is a slight variation in emphasis among lexicons, with some highlighting its non-servile nature.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מְלָאכָה 167 n.f. occupation, work

occupation, business

property in which one is occupied

work as something done or made

workmanship

service, use

public business

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4399 מְלָאכָה occupation, work . occupation, business

. property in which one is occupied

. work as something done or made

. workmanship

. service, use

. public business

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4399 mla'kah mel-aw-kaw'

from the same as 4397; properly, deputyship, i.e. ministry;

generally, employment (never servile) or work (abstractly or

concretely); also property (as the result of

labor):--business, + cattle, + industrious, occupation,

(+ -pied), + officer, thing (made), use, (manner of)

work((-man), -manship).

see HEBREW for 04397

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מְלָאכָה (me.la.khah) — work.

1) occupation, work, business

1a) occupation, business

1b) property

1c) work (something done or made)

1d) workmanship

1e) service, use

1f) public business

1f1) political

1f2) religious

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ See INDUSTRY

→ See LABOR

and [the] fat of a carcass and [the] fat a torn animal it will be used for any work and certainly not you must eat it
וְאָכֹ֖לve.'a.Khol and certainly H398 Conjunction · verb qal infinitive absolute
810× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to eat or devour, and it's used in many stories, including when Jesus fed the 5000 with fish and bread in the book of Matthew. It's about taking in nourishment and being satisfied.
Amplified meaning
consume
Tyndale gloss
to eat
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָכַל (akal) means 'to eat' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including literal consumption by humans and animals, as well as figurative uses like devouring by fire or destruction. It can describe actions such as feeding or causing to eat, and it also appears in contexts of oppression and destruction. The verb has various forms, indicating different subjects and nuances.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָכַל 806 vb. eat

Qal

eat, human subject

of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour

fig. of fire, devour, consume

of sword, devour, slay

in genl., devour, consume, destroy

fig. of oppression, devour the poor

Niph.

be eaten by man

be devoured by fire, consumed

be wasted, destroyed, of flesh

Pu. be consumed

Hiph.

cause to eat, feed with

cause to devoure, obj. sword

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H398 אָכַל eat .. eat, human subject

. of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour

. fig. of fire, devour, consume

. of sword, devour, slay

. in genl., devour, consume, destroy

. fig. of oppression, devour the poor

. . be eaten by man

. be devoured by fire, consumed

. be wasted, destroyed, of flesh

. be consumed

. . cause to eat, feed with

. cause to devoure, obj. sword

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

398 'akal aw-kal'

a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively):--X at

all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up),

feed (with), food, X freely, X in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay)

meat, X quite.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָכַל (a.khal) — to eat.

1) to eat, devour, burn up, feed

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to eat (human subject)

1a2) to eat, devour (of beasts and birds)

1a3) to devour, consume (of fire)

1a4) to devour, slay (of sword)

1a5) to devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subjects - ie, pestilence, drought)

1a6) to devour (of oppression)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be eaten (by men)

1b2) to be devoured, consumed (of fire)

1b3) to be wasted, destroyed (of flesh)

1c) (Pual)

1c1) to cause to eat, feed with

1c2) to cause to devour

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to feed

1d2) to cause to eat

1e) (Piel)

1e1) consume

Aramaic equivalent: a.khal (אֲכַל "to devour" H0399)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-Ptc — Conjunction · verb qal infinitive absolute
HC/Vqaa
and [the] fat of a carcass and [the] fat a torn animal it will be used for any work and certainly not you must eat it
לֹ֥אlo' not H3808 Particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Amplified meaning
absolutely not
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and [the] fat of a carcass and [the] fat a torn animal it will be used for any work and certainly not you must eat it
תֹאכְלֻֽהוּ׃to.khe.Lu.hu you must eat it H398 Verb qal imperfect second person masculine plural · suffix
810× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to eat or devour, and it's used in many stories, including when Jesus fed the 5000 with fish and bread in the book of Matthew. It's about taking in nourishment and being satisfied.
Tyndale gloss
to eat
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָכַל (akal) means 'to eat' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including literal consumption by humans and animals, as well as figurative uses like devouring by fire or destruction. It can describe actions such as feeding or causing to eat, and it also appears in contexts of oppression and destruction. The verb has various forms, indicating different subjects and nuances.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָכַל 806 vb. eat

Qal

eat, human subject

of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour

fig. of fire, devour, consume

of sword, devour, slay

in genl., devour, consume, destroy

fig. of oppression, devour the poor

Niph.

be eaten by man

be devoured by fire, consumed

be wasted, destroyed, of flesh

Pu. be consumed

Hiph.

cause to eat, feed with

cause to devoure, obj. sword

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H398 אָכַל eat .. eat, human subject

. of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour

. fig. of fire, devour, consume

. of sword, devour, slay

. in genl., devour, consume, destroy

. fig. of oppression, devour the poor

. . be eaten by man

. be devoured by fire, consumed

. be wasted, destroyed, of flesh

. be consumed

. . cause to eat, feed with

. cause to devoure, obj. sword

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

398 'akal aw-kal'

a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively):--X at

all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up),

feed (with), food, X freely, X in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay)

meat, X quite.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָכַל (a.khal) — to eat.

1) to eat, devour, burn up, feed

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to eat (human subject)

1a2) to eat, devour (of beasts and birds)

1a3) to devour, consume (of fire)

1a4) to devour, slay (of sword)

1a5) to devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subjects - ie, pestilence, drought)

1a6) to devour (of oppression)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be eaten (by men)

1b2) to be devoured, consumed (of fire)

1b3) to be wasted, destroyed (of flesh)

1c) (Pual)

1c1) to cause to eat, feed with

1c2) to cause to devour

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to feed

1d2) to cause to eat

1e) (Piel)

1e1) consume

Aramaic equivalent: a.khal (אֲכַל "to devour" H0399)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-2mp | Suff — Verb qal imperfect second person masculine plural · suffix
HVqi2mp/Sp3ms
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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