Lev 7:20-27 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Lev 7:20-21: 7:20-21 cut off: Three interpretations are possible for this expression, all of them very grave: (1) The person was subject to God’s judgment and faced an early death by natural causes (17:10-14 ). (2) The person was to be executed by the community (cp. Exod 31:14 ). (3) The person lost communal membership in Israel, either by banishment (such as by excommunication) or by shunning the person and treating him or her as unclean (Lev 18:24-30 ; cp. 23:29-30 , where “cut off” seems distinct from “destroy”).

a7:20-21►

b17:10-14►

cExod 31:14►

dLev 18:24-30►

e23:29-30►

f7:22-27►

g17:10-16►

h7:24►

i7:26-27►

jActs 15:29►

‏ Leviticus 7:20-27

Summary for Lev 7:20-21: 7:20-21 ^a cut off: Three interpretations are possible for this expression, all of them very grave: (1) The person was subject to God’s judgment and faced an early death by natural causes (17:10-14 ^b). (2) The person was to be executed by the community (cp. Exod 31:14 ^c). (3) The person lost communal membership in Israel, either by banishment (such as by excommunication) or by shunning the person and treating him or her as unclean (Lev 18:24-30 ^d; cp. 23:29-30 ^e, where “cut off” seems distinct from “destroy”).
Summary for Lev 7:22-27: 7:22-27 ^f In the sacrificial system, the fat and blood of all altar offerings belonged to God. They were offered before any of the sacrifice could be eaten. Consuming blood was specifically forbidden because it represented the very life of the animal (17:10-16 ^g). The injunction against eating fat might have been because fat, considered to be the best part of the offering, belonged to God.
7:24 ^h Animals found dead had not been drained of their blood and were therefore unclean. Their fat was unfit to offer to the Lord and could not be eaten. However, it could be used for any other purpose, such as greasing cart axles, waterproofing animal hides, and other household uses.
Summary for Lev 7:26-27: 7:26-27 ⁱ The prohibition against consuming blood was so important that the Council at Jerusalem included it in the instructions for Gentile believers (Acts 15:29 ^j).