You shall also take the fat of the ram is literally “And you [singular] shall take from the ram the fat.” The word for fat is the same as in verse 13. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh interprets this first mention of fat to include what follows, and translates “the fat parts,” followed with a dash introducing the list of “the broad tail” and the other parts. New Jerusalem Bible has “the fatty parts of the ram” and then uses a colon before the list of the parts (similarly also New American Bible). Probably all the fat is intended, in addition to what is then listed. So one may translate “Cut away all the fat from the ram.”

And the fat tail, with the word and, suggests the tail is not necessarily included with the broad reference to fat. The Palestinian sheep even today have broad, heavy tails that are eaten as a delicacy, so this is specified as a part to be burned. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “the broad tail,” and New Jerusalem Bible has only “the tail.” And the fat that covers the entrails is the same as verse 13. And the appendage of the liver, as well as the two kidneys …, also repeats what is in verse 13.

And the right thigh refers to the upper part of the right hind leg, between the upper joint and the hip. In other sacrifices of this type, the right thigh was normally given to the priests, but here it seems clear that it was to be burned along with the other parts of the ram. (See verse 27 and Lev 7.32.) The final clause, in parentheses, (for it is a ram of ordination), uses the word that means “a filling of the hands.” (See the comment on “ordain” at 28.41.) The parenthesis is not indicated in the Hebrew, but it helps to show this as an explanation of why, for this special consecration ceremony, the right thigh was to be burned. This sacrifice was related to the priests personally and not to the people, so the priests were not to eat the part normally saved for them. Good News Translation does not include this here but has placed it in verse 19, where it seems to fit better. (See the comment there.) It is also possible to place it at the beginning of the verse and say “Since this is the ram that you must use when you dedicate the priests to me, cut away all the fat….”

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .