Dictionary of Bible Themes » 4000 Creation » 4400 Vegetation and food » 4478 meat
The flesh of animals, consumed as food. In biblical times it was a luxury, eaten on special occasions, usually in the context of sacrificial worship.
Meat a luxury food
Exodus 16:3 See also Numbers 11:4-5; 1 Samuel 25:11; Isaiah 22:12-13; Daniel 10:3
Meat served to honoured guests
1 Samuel 28:21-25 See also Genesis 18:1-8; Judges 6:11-21; Judges 13:9-16; 1 Samuel 9:22-24; 2 Samuel 12:1-4; 1 Kings 19:19-21; Proverbs 9:1-6; Isaiah 25:6; Luke 15:20-24
Meat provided by God
1 Kings 17:2-6 See also Exodus 16:1-14; Numbers 11:4-34; Psalm 78:17-31
Restrictions on eating certain types of meat
Unclean meat
Leviticus 11:1-47 pp Deuteronomy 14:3-20 See also Isaiah 65:2-5
Other prohibited meat
Genesis 9:4 See also Exodus 21:28; Exodus 22:31; Leviticus 19:26; Deuteronomy 12:23; Deuteronomy 14:21; 1 Samuel 14:33-34; Ezekiel 4:14; Ezekiel 33:25; Acts 15:20,29; Acts 21:25
Eating meat in worship
The Passover lamb
Exodus 12:1-11 See also Exodus 12:43-49; Deuteronomy 16:1-8
Other sacrifices
Exodus 29:31-34 See also Leviticus 7:11-18; Numbers 18:14-19; Deuteronomy 12:27; 1 Samuel 1:3-8; Samuel 2:12-16; Jeremiah 7:21; Hosea 8:13
Non-consecrated meat
Deuteronomy 12:4-25
Allegorical and metaphorical references to meat
Micah 3:1-3 See also Ezekiel 11:1-12; Ezekiel 24:1-13
Varying convictions about eating meat
Romans 14:1-23
See also
4404 food 4476 meals 4530 unleavened bread 4618 calf 4663 lamb 5773 abstinence, discipline 7340 clean and unclean 7406 Passover 7435 sacrifice, in OT