Leviticus 7:22-27 Meaning: What the Ban on Fat and Blood Means
22Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
23“Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘You shall eat no fat, of bull, or sheep, or goat.
24The 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.
25For 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.
26You shall not eat any blood, whether it is of bird or of animal, in any of your dwellings.
27Whoever it is who eats any blood, that soul shall be cut off from his people.’”
22And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
23Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat.
24And 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.
25For 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.
26Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings.
27Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.
22And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
23Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Ye shall eat no fat, of ox, or sheep, or goat.
24And 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.
25For whosoever eateth the fat of the beast, of which men offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah, even the soul that eateth it shall be cut off from his people.
26And ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of bird or of beast, in any of your dwellings.
27Whosoever it be that eateth any blood, that soul shall be cut off from his people.
22And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,
23`Speak unto the sons of Israel, saying, Any fat of ox and sheep and goat ye do not eat;
24and the fat of a carcase, and the fat of a torn thing is prepared for any work, but ye do certainly not eat it;
25for whoever eateth the fat of the beast, of which one bringeth near a fire-offering to Jehovah, even the person who eateth hath been cut off from his people.
26`And any blood ye do not eat in all your dwellings, of fowl, or of beast;
27any person who eateth any blood, even that person hath been cut off from his people.'
22And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,
23Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, No fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat shall ye eat.
24But 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.
25For whoever eateth the fat of the beast of which men present an offering by fire to Jehovah, the soul that hath eaten shall be cut off from his peoples.
26And no blood shall ye eat in any of your dwellings, whether it be of fowl or of cattle.
27Whatever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, that soul shall be cut off from his peoples.
Meaning in one sentence
This passage repeats the prohibition of eating fat and blood in the context of peace offerings.
Context
This passage sits inside the instructions for peace offerings, the only sacrifice where the offerer shared a meal with God. In the surrounding verses (7:11-21), God gives rules about when that meat could be eaten and who could eat it. Then He returns to two prohibitions already stated in chapter 3: no fat and no blood. The peace offering was a meal of fellowship, so these limits drew a clear line between what belonged to God and what was shared among people. The repetition suggests God wanted Israel to remember this boundary even in their most joyful celebrations.
Key Words
The word chelev (fat) refers to the richest, choicest part of the animal. In the ancient world, fat was prized as the best portion. God reserved it for Himself, the priests burned it on the altar as a gift. To eat it was to take for yourself what was meant only for God. The verb karat ('cut off') describes being severed from the community, a serious consequence that marked these commands as more than dietary advice. And dam (blood) carried the life of the creature. God said in Leviticus 17:11 that He gave the blood on the altar to make atonement. So blood was not just a substance to avoid; it pointed to the life that covers sin. These were not arbitrary rules. They trained Israel to treat God's portion with reverence and to see every sacrifice as pointing to the One who would give His own blood.
How Christians Read This Verse
Most Christian traditions understand these prohibitions as part of the ceremonial law fulfilled in Christ. The fat and blood that belonged to the altar foreshadowed Jesus, who offered Himself completely to the Father. Some Reformed and Anglican readings emphasize that the moral principle behind the blood prohibition continues, since it was given to Noah before the law (Genesis 9:4) and restated for Gentile believers in Acts 15:20. Catholic and Orthodox teaching also sees the blood prohibition as having ongoing weight in the life of the Church. Across traditions, Christians agree that the deeper lesson, that life belongs to God and atonement comes through blood, remains central.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading is that God forbade eating any fat from any animal. In fact, the passage specifies the fat of oxen, sheep, and goats, the animals used in sacrifice. The fat from other clean animals, or from animals that died naturally, could be used for other purposes (v. 24). The restriction was about the fat that belonged to the altar, not a blanket ban on all animal fat.
Living This Out
This week, you might face a choice about what belongs to God and what you hold back for yourself. It could be a portion of your time, your money, or your energy. The call of this passage is not to check a dietary rule but to recognize that some things are set apart for the Lord. When you honor that boundary, not because you have to, but because you want to please Him, you are practicing the same reverence Israel learned around the altar. And when you give back to God the best part, not the leftovers, you are living the heart of this command.
Main takeaway: The best of what we have belongs to God, and the life that atones for sin comes through the blood He provides.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
God told His people not to eat the fat or the blood of their sacrifices. That was because the fat was the best part, and it belonged to Him. The blood was for making things right with God. So they left those for the Lord.
For ages 9, 12
In the peace offering, the person who brought the sacrifice got to eat most of the meat. But God said, 'The fat and the blood are Mine.' The fat was the richest part, and it was burned on the altar for God. The blood was poured out because it carried the life of the animal and made atonement. This taught Israel that God gets the first and best, and that life is sacred. It also pointed ahead to Jesus, who gave His own blood to make us right with God.
Questions People Ask
Does this mean Christians can't eat blood today?
Some Christians understand the blood prohibition as still binding because it was given before the law (Genesis 9:4) and affirmed for Gentile believers in Acts 15:20. Other Christians see it as part of the ceremonial law that was fulfilled in Christ. Both positions seek to be faithful to Scripture.
What does 'cut off from his people' mean?
Being 'cut off' meant being excluded from the community of Israel, excommunication. It could also refer to being cut off by premature death. It shows how seriously God took these commands: they weren't optional rules but markers of covenant belonging.
Why are fat and blood mentioned together?
Both belonged to God in the sacrificial system. The fat was the best part, burned on the altar as a gift. The blood was the life of the animal, used to make atonement. Together they represent what was most precious and sacred, reserved for the Lord alone.
Does this apply to all animals or only to sacrificial ones?
The prohibition on fat is limited to oxen, sheep, and goats, the animals used in sacrifice (Leviticus 7:23). The prohibition on blood is broader: it includes birds and animals of any kind (v. 26). The fat from animals that died naturally could be used for other purposes (v. 24).
How does this relate to the peace offering?
The peace offering was a shared meal between the offerer, the priest, and God. Because the offerer ate part of the sacrifice, God repeated the bans on fat and blood here, drawing a clear line between what belonged to the altar and what could be eaten. It reminded Israel that even in celebration, God's portion was not to be touched.
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