Lexical Definition

‎חֶלֶב‎ cheleb (kheh'-leb) fat ^H:N-M
or חֵלֶב chêleb (khay'-leb); from an unused root meaning to be fat

[idiom] best, fat(-ness), [idiom] finest, grease, marrow.

• fat, whether literally or figuratively
• hence, the richest or choice part

1) fat
1a) fat (of humans)
1b) fat (of beasts)
1c) choicest, best part, abundance (of products of the land)

See Greek: ἀπαρχή · θυσία · μυελός

Brown-Driver-Briggs

I. ‎חֵ֫לֶב‎ noun masculine^{Exod 29:13} fat (Late Hebrew id., fat, so Phoenician ‎חלב‎ (probably); Aramaic (also diaphragm in Lexicons, see PS¹²⁷⁴) originally diaphragm, midriff; Arabic , including midriff-fat, RS^{Semitic i. 360}); — ‎׳‎‎ח‎ absolute Lev 3:16 + 40 t.; construct Gen 45:18 + 21 t.; suffix ‎חֶלְבּוֺ‎ Lev 3:9 + 6 t.; ‎חֶלְבָּהּ‎ Lev 4:31; Lev 4:35, ‎חֶלְבָּם‎ Num 18:17, ‎חֶלְבָּ֫מוֺ‎ Ps 17:10, ‎חֶלְבְּהֶ֫ן‎ Lev 8:16; Lev 8:25 (read plural noun ‎חלביהן‎ Samaritan Di); plural ‎הַחֲלָבִים‎ Lev 8:26 + 7 t.; construct ‎חֶלְבֵי‎ Lev 6:5* + 4 t.; suffix ‎חֶלְבֵהֶן‎ Gen 4:4 (‎חלביהן‎ Samaritan Di, compare Lev 8:16; Lev 8:25 above); —

1. fat of human body Judg 3:22 (covering intestines); ‎גִּבּוֺרִים‎‎׳‎‎ח‎ 2Sam 1:22 as smearing warrior's shield; of grossness of wicked ‎כִּסָּה פָּנָיו בְּחֶלְבּוֺ‎ Job 15:27 fat (of midriff) figurative of unreceptive heart ‎סָֽגְרוּ‎ ‎׳‎‎ח‎ Ps 17:10, see also Ps 73:7 (read ‎מֵחֵלֶב עֲוֺנָמוֺ‎ for ‎מחלב‎ ‎עֵינֵמוֺ‎ ᵐ5 ᵑ6 Hi Ew Ol De Che Bae and others); ‎׳‎‎טָפַשׁ כַּח‎ ‎לִבָּם‎ Ps 119:70 i.e. their heart is as unresponsive as the midriff-fat near it.

2. fat of beasts:
a. as rich food (poetry) Deut 32:14 and in simile Ps 63:6* (|| ‎דֶּשֶׁן‎); so ᵑ0 Ezek 34:3 (but read ‎הֶחָלָב‎, see ‎חָלָב‎), Ezek 39:19 (ᵑ6 Co ‎בשׂר‎).
b. especially as offered in sacrifice, singular, to ‎׳‎‎י‎ Exod 23:18 (JE), 1Sam 2:15; 1Sam 2:16; Exod 29:13 (twice in verse); Exod 29:22 (3 t. in verse); Lev 3:3 (twice in verse); Lev 3:4; Lev 3:9 (3 t. in verse); Lev 3:10; Lev 3:14 (twice in verse); Lev 3:15 + 23 t. Leviticus; Num 18:17 (all P), Lev 17:6 (H), 1Sam 15:22; Isa 1:11; Isa 43:24; Ezek 44:7; Ezek 44:15 see Isa 34:6 (twice in verse); Isa 34:7 of fat of Edomites slaughtered by ‎׳‎‎י‎'s sword (under figure of lambs, rams, and bulls); as eaten by (strange) gods Deut 32:38 (poetry), not to be eaten by men Lev 3:17; Lev 7:23; Lev 7:24 (twice in verse); Lev 7:25 (all P); also plural, fat parts or pieces Gen 4:4 (J) Lev 6:5* + 8 t. Leviticus; 1Kgs 8:64 (twice in verse); 2Chr 7:7 (twice in verse); 2Chr 29:35; 2Chr 35:14.

3. choicest, best part of products of land Gen 45:18 (E), specifically of oil Num 18:12 and wine vNum 18:12 of corn and oil vNum 18:29 vNum 18:30 vNum 18:32 also (poetry) ‎כִּלְיוֺת חִטָּה‎ ‎׳‎‎ח‎ Deut 32:14 kidney-fat of wheat (i.e. the very choicest, compare Isa 34:6), ‎חִטָּה‎ ‎׳‎‎ח‎ Ps 81:17*, ‎חִטִּים‎ ‎׳‎‎ח‎ Ps 147:14.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References