‏ Leviticus 3:4

Lev 3:3-4

The person presenting the sacrifice was to offer as a firing for Jehovah, first, “the fat which covered the entrails” (Lev 1:9), i.e., the large net which stretches from the stomach over the bowels and completely envelopes the latter, and which is only met with in the case of men and the mammalia generally, and in the ruminant animals abounds with fat; secondly, “all the fat on the entrails,” i.e., the fat attached to the intestines, which could easily be peeled off; thirdly, “the two kidneys, and the fat upon them (and) that upon the loins (הכּסלים), i.e., upon the inner muscles of the loins, or in the region of the kidneys; and fourthly, “the net upon the liver.” The net (היּתרת) upon (על Lev 3:4, Lev 3:10, Lev 3:15; Lev 4:9; Lev 7:4; Exo 29:13), or from (מן Lev 9:10), or of the liver (Lev 8:16, Lev 8:25; Lev 9:19; Exo 29:22), cannot be the large lobe of the liver, ὁ λοβὸς τοῦ ἥπατος (lxx), because this is part of the liver itself, and does not lie על־כּבד over (upon) the liver; nor is it simply a portion of fat, but the small net (omentum minus), the liver-net, or stomach-net (recticulum jecoris; Vulg., Luth., De Wette, and Knobel), which commences at the division between the right and left lobes of the liver, and stretches on the one side across the stomach, and on the other to the region of the kidneys. Hence the clause, “on the kidneys (i.e., by them, as far as it reaches) shall he take it away.” This smaller net is delicate, but not so fat as the larger net; though it still forms part of the fat portions. The word יתרת, which only occurs in the passages quoted, is to be explained from the Arabic and Ethiopic (to stretch over, to stretch out), whence also the words יתר a cord (Jdg 16:7; Psa 11:2), and מיתר the bow-string (Psa 21:13) or extended tent-ropes (Exo 35:18), are derived. The four portions mentioned comprehended all the separable fat in the inside of the sacrificial animal. Hence they were also designated “all the fat” of the sacrifice (Lev 3:16; Lev 4:8, Lev 4:19, Lev 4:26, Lev 4:31, Lev 4:35; Lev 7:3), or briefly “the fat” (החלב Lev 3:9; Lev 7:33; Lev 16:25; Lev 17:6; Num 18:17), “the fat portions” (החלבים Lev 6:5; Lev 8:26; Lev 9:19-20, Lev 9:24; Lev 10:15).
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