חֵ֫לֶב (che.lev)
che.lev
fat
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 62 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun chelev refers to the rich, internal fat of animals or humans, but in Scripture it carries a stronger sense than mere biology. It specifically denotes the choicest, most abundant part of an offering or harvest. This is why the word appears so frequently in Leviticus and Numbers, where the ritual instructions demand that the best portions be burned on the altar as a pleasing aroma to God.
The term extends beyond meat to describe the richness of the land itself. When Psalm 81:16 speaks of satisfying the people with "the fat of wheat," it uses chelev to signify the finest, most nourishing produce available. Conversely, the same word can describe a spiritual condition. In Psalm 17:10, the wicked are said to have a "fat heart," using the physical heaviness of fat as a metaphor for being unfeeling or torpid.
This duality highlights how ancient Israelites viewed abundance. The fat was not waste; it was the essence of strength and fertility. By requiring the sacrifice of this premium portion, the law emphasized that God deserved the very best, not the scraps. Translators often render chelev as "fat" or "richness," preserving the image of something valuable set apart for the divine.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word chelev refers to the rich, internal fat of an animal, but in Scripture it carries a deeper significance than mere biology. It specifically denotes the choicest, most abundant part of an offering or harvest. This is why the term appears frequently in Leviticus and Numbers, where ritual instructions demand that the best portions be burned on the altar as a pleasing aroma to God. The fat was not waste; it was the essence of strength and fertility.
By requiring the sacrifice of this premium portion, the law emphasized that God deserved the very best, not the scraps. When Psalm 81:16 speaks of satisfying the people with "the fat of wheat," chelev signifies the finest, most nourishing produce available. This duality highlights how ancient Israelites viewed abundance as a gift to be shared and honored.
Conversely, the same word can describe a spiritual condition. In Psalm 17:10, the wicked are said to have a "fat heart," using the physical heaviness of fat as a metaphor for being unfeeling or torpid. This contrast reminds us that true abundance is not just material wealth, but a heart open to God's provision and grace.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 62 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ fat30×
- [the] fat of7×
- the/ fat<s>6×
- fat/ its6×
- fat/ their4×
- from/ fat3×
- fat3×
- and/ [the] fat of3×
- [the] fat<s> of3×
- [the] best of3×
- from/ [the] fat of2×
- fat of2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַ/חֵ֙לֶב֙11×
- הַ/חֵ֔לֶב6×
- חֵ֥לֶב4×
- הַ/חֵ֖לֶב4×
- חֶלְבּ֖/וֹ3×
- חֶלְבּ/וֹ֙3×
- חֵ֖לֶב3×
- הַ/חֵלֶב֮3×
- הַ/חֲלָבִ֖ים3×
- מֵ/חֵ֥לֶב2×
- חֶלְבְּ/הֶ֑ן2×
- חֶלְבֵ֣י2×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 4:4
Abel also brought some of the firstborn of his flock and of its fat. Yahweh respected Abel and his offering,
Abel brings the fat of his flock, showing that offering the best portion was an early act of worship recognized by Yahweh.
-
Leviticus 3:16
The priest shall burn them on the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire, for a pleasant aroma; all the fat is Yahweh’s.
The priest burns the fat on the altar as a food for Yahweh, establishing it as the essential element of a pleasing aroma.
-
Leviticus 7:25
For whoever eats the fat of the animal which men offer as an offering made by fire to Yahweh, even the soul who eats it shall be cut off from his people.
The strict prohibition against eating sacrificial fat underscores its exclusive dedication to God and the seriousness of honoring His commands.
-
Genesis 45:18
Take your father and your households, and come to me, and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land.’
Joseph invites his family to eat the fat of the land, using chelev to represent the richest blessings and provision available in Egypt.