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