Answers about
fat and fatness in the Bible

Hebrew: חֶלֶב —transliteration: cheleb or chelev —meaning: fatness, best, finest —occurrences: 92 times in Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, 1 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Chronicles, Job, Psalms, Isaiah, and Ezekiel

The Biblical importance of fat in sacrificial animals:

The fat of sacrificial animals was considered the best and richest part of the animal—the choicest offering. Fatty meat was considered a delicacy.

In the account of Abel’s sacrifice, the fat parts were considered the finest.

Abel, on his part, also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And Yahweh had regard for Abel and for his offering; —Genesis 4:4 LSB

This fatness (chelev) was devoted to God as being the best. After all, what true sacrifice would it be to give Him the worst?

These sacrifices all symbolized giving God the best part as an blood atonement of their sins and served as a symbol of their devotion to God.

“All the fat is the Lord’s” was a permanent statute of Israel (Lev. 3:16-17; 7:25). This apparently applies to all Israelites (the entire people, not just priests).

It is a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your places of habitation: you shall not eat any fat or any blood —Leviticus 3:17

Eating sacrificial fat was considered a serious sin, punishable by being cut off from Israel.

For whoever eats the fat of the animal from which an offering by fire is brought near to Yahweh, even the person who eats shall be cut off from his people. —Lev. 7:25 LSB

The aroma of burning fat

The fat of sacrifices was to be burned (Leviticus 3:9-11; Lev. 4:8; 7:3; 8:25; Numbers 18:17; Exodus 29:13-22; Leviticus 3:3-5).

And the priest shall offer them up in smoke on the altar as food, an offering by fire for a soothing aroma; all fat is Yahweh’s. —Leviticus 3:16, compare Lev. 17:6; Numbers 18:17

Fat people

“Very fat man”

Eglon king of Moab… was a very fat man. —Judges 3:17 excerpt

Eli became old and obese.

And it happened that when he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell off the seat backward beside the gate, and his neck was broken, and he died, for the man was old and heavy. Thus he judged Israel forty years. —1 Samuel 4:18

Rich and fat

For he has covered his face with his fat
And made his thighs heavy with flesh. —Job 15:27

Metaphorical fat

“Fat” sometimes denotes the best of any production (Genesis 45:18; Numbers 18:12; Psalm 81:16).

“Fat” is used figuratively for a dull, stupid state of mind, uncaring hearts—lacking pity (Psalm 17:10).

They are inclosed in their own fat:
with their mouth they speak proudly. —Psalm 17:10 KJV

They have closed up their fat hearts;
With their mouths they speak proudly. —Psalm 17:10 NKJV

In Joel 2:24 KJV it says “the fats shall overflow with wine and oil.” The word the KJV translates as “fat” here is the Hebrew yeqeb (meaning wine vat, wine-fat, or winepress (press-fat)). This is not the word chelev, the normal word for fat or fatness.

The New King James Version correctly translates this verses as…

…the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil. —Joel 2:24 NKJV excerpt

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Article Version: January 14, 2026