Exodus 29:22

22 "Then take the fat from the male sheep, the fat tail, and the fat that covers the inner organs. In addition, take the best part of the liver, both kidneys, and the fat around them, and the right thigh. (This is the male sheep to be used in appointing priests.)

Exodus 29:22 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 29:22

Also thou shalt take of the ram the fat and the rump
The fat which was upon it: the sheep in Arabia and about Judea were remarkable for their large tails; according to Rauwolff ^F26, they were half a span thick, and one and a half broad, and very fat; and so in Africa and Egypt were rams of large tails often and twenty pounds weight ^F1; and Aristotle ^F2 speaks of sheep in Syria that had tails a cubit broad; and Herodotus ^F3 makes mention of two sorts in Arabia, one sort have tails three cubits long, which if drawn upon the ground would ulcerate, wherefore the shepherds make little carts to bear them upon ^F4, and the other sort have tails a cubit broad; and Vartomanus

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FOOTNOTES:

F5 relates, how in Arabia are fat sheep whose tails weigh eleven, twelve, seventeen, nay, forty four pounds, and of a cubit long:

and the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul of the liver, and
the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them:
(See Gill on Exodus 29:13)

and the right shoulder;
what was to be done with it is afterwards observed as well as with the rest:

for it is a ram of consecration;
or "of fillings" ^F6; Jarchi says, the Scripture declares these fillings to be peace offerings, for they minister peace to the altar, and to him that does the service, and to the owners; wherefore the breast was necessarily his that did the service for his portion, and this was Moses, for he ministered in the fillings, and the rest Aaron and his sons ate, for they were the owners.

F26 Travels, p. 221.
F1 Leo. African. Descript. Africae, l. 9. p. 753.
F2 Hist. Animal. l. 8, c. 28.
F3 Thalia sive, l. 3. c. 113.
F4 The same is observed in T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 54. 2. & Gloss. in. ib.
F5 Navigat. l. 2. c. 5, 9, 15.
F6 (Myalm) "impletionum", Montanus, Vatablus, Piscator.

Exodus 29:22 In-Context

20 Kill it and take some of its blood. Put the blood on the bottom of the right ears of Aaron and his sons and on the thumbs of their right hands and on the big toes of their right feet. Then sprinkle the rest of the blood against all four sides of the altar.

21 Take some of the blood from the altar, and mix it with the special oil used in appointing priests. Sprinkle this on Aaron and his clothes and on his sons and their clothes. This will show that Aaron and his sons and their clothes are given to my service.

22 "Then take the fat from the male sheep, the fat tail, and the fat that covers the inner organs. In addition, take the best part of the liver, both kidneys, and the fat around them, and the right thigh. (This is the male sheep to be used in appointing priests.)

23 "Then take the basket of bread that you made without yeast, which you put before the Lord. From it take a loaf of bread, a cake made with olive oil, and a wafer.

24 Put all of these in the hands of Aaron and his sons, and tell them to present them as an offering to the Lord.