¹⁶ And if the man said to him, “Let them burn the fat first and then take whatever you wish,” he would say, “No, you must give it now; if not, I will take it by force.”

²³ “Speak to the Israelites: You shall eat no fat of ox or sheep or goat.^{(A) 24} The fat of an animal that died or was torn by wild animals may be put to any other use, but you must not eat it. ²⁵ If any one of you eats the fat from an animal of which an offering by fire^[a] may be made to the Lord, you who eat it shall be cut off from your people.

¹⁶ Then the priest shall turn these into smoke on the altar as a food offering by fire^[a] for a pleasing odor.

“All fat is the Lord’s.^(A)

² to tend the flock of God that is in your charge, exercising the oversight,^[a] not under compulsion but willingly, as God would have you do it,^[b] not for sordid gain but eagerly.^{(A) 3} Do not lord it over those in your charge, but be examples to the flock.^(B)

Social Evils Denounced

¹⁵ The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took food and wine from them, besides forty shekels of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so because of the fear of God.^(A)

²⁵ And the Danites said to him, “You had better not let your voice be heard among us, or else hot-tempered fellows will attack you, and you will lose your life and the lives of your household.”