The Meaning of Exodus 23:18 Explained

Exodus 23:18

KJV: Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the fat of my sacrifice remain until the morning.

YLT: 'Thou dost not sacrifice on a fermented thing the blood of My sacrifice, and the fat of My festival doth not remain till morning;

Darby: Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the fat of my feast remain all night until the morning.

ASV: Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the fat of my feast remain all night until the morning.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Thou shalt not offer  the blood  of my sacrifice  with leavened bread;  neither shall the fat  of my sacrifice  remain  until the morning. 

What does Exodus 23:18 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The "fat" means "the best part," here the whole sacrifice.

Context Summary

Exodus 23:18-33 - Promise Of Entrance Into Canaan
This Angel must have been the Lord himself, for Stephen said expressly that the Angel was with Moses at the burning bush, where Jehovah revealed Himself, and the very ground was holy. Besides, we are told here that God's Name-i.e., His nature-was in Him. The Son of God, therefore, must have been the leader of that pilgrim-host, preceding the march, and preparing for their needs.
Notice that God would also send the hornet before His people, Exodus 23:28. The Presence, which is an Angel for God's children, becomes a hornet to the rebellious and ungodly. To one it is a savor of life, and to the other of death. The sun that bleaches linen white, tans the hands that expose it; the cloud which is light to Israel is thick darkness to Egypt. Grieve not the Holy One, who will overcome your enemies and satisfy your soul with goodness, if you will obey His voice. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 23

1  Of slander, false witness, and partiality
4  Of charitableness
6  Of justice in judgment
8  Of taking bribes
9  Of oppressing a stranger
10  Of the year of rest
12  Of the Sabbath
13  Of idolatry
14  Of the three feasts
18  Of the blood and the fat of the sacrifice
20  An angel is promised, with a blessing, if they obey him

What do the individual words in Exodus 23:18 mean?

Not You shall offer with leavened bread the blood of My sacrifice nor shall remain the fat of My sacrifice until morning
לֹֽא־ תִזְבַּ֥ח עַל־ חָמֵ֖ץ דַּם־ זִבְחִ֑י וְלֹֽא־ יָלִ֥ין חֵֽלֶב־ חַגִּ֖י עַד־ בֹּֽקֶר

תִזְבַּ֥ח  You  shall  offer 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: זָבַח  
Sense: to slaughter, kill, sacrifice, slaughter for sacrifice.
חָמֵ֖ץ  leavened  bread 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חָמֵץ 
Sense: the thing leavened, leaven.
דַּם־  the  blood 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: דָּם  
Sense: blood.
זִבְחִ֑י  of  My  sacrifice 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: זֶבַח  
Sense: sacrifice.
וְלֹֽא־  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יָלִ֥ין  shall  remain 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: לוּן 
Sense: to lodge, stop over, pass the night, abide.
חֵֽלֶב־  the  fat 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חֵלֶב  
Sense: fat.
חַגִּ֖י  of  My  sacrifice 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: חַג  
Sense: festival, feast, festival-gathering, pilgrim-feast.
עַד־  until 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
בֹּֽקֶר  morning 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֹּקֶר 
Sense: morning, break of day.