Endnote 4 – Deuteronomy’s Theological Revolution

Ritual detail is apparently of no importance to Deuteronomy’s author; it is possible that he deliberately ignored it because it did not accord with his religious frame of mind. This is reflected in the only passage in Deuteronomy (12:27) that describes the manner in which sacrifices are to be offered. The verse differentiates between nonburnt offerings and burnt offerings (‘olah) and ordains that the flesh and blood of the burnt offering be offered entirely on the altar, whereas the blood of the nonburnt is to be poured upon the altar and the meat eaten. Surprisingly, the author makes no mention of the burning of the suet, the fat piece that is set aside for God, thus rendering the meat permissible for priestly and lay consumption (1 Samuel 2:12–17). The blood and fat were deemed to be the food of God (cf. Ezekiel 44:7), which is why the priestly literature forbids the eating of fat, just as it forbids the “eating” of blood (Leviticus 7:22–27) (cf. Jacob Milgrom, Leviticus, Anchor Bible 3 [Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1991], pp. 214–216). The author of Deuteronomy completely ignores that the suet was to be offered upon the altar, the very reason for offering the sacrifice at the Temple.