Liver

Liver (Hebrew kabhed, meaning heavy—as the heaviest of the viscera) plays a significant role in Israelite sacrificial law and in the broader ancient Near Eastern context. In the ritual instructions for burnt offerings and peace offerings, the caul or fatty lobe above the liver, along with the two kidneys, was designated as the portion to be burned on the altar for God (Ex. 29:13, 22; Lev. 3:4, 10, 15; 4:9; 7:4). This practice separated Israel's sacrifice from pagan use of the liver: among Babylonians and other ancient peoples, the liver was the seat of divination (hepatoscopy), with the organ examined for omens before battles and major decisions.

Ezekiel 21:21 records Nebuchadnezzar at a crossroads consulting three oracles—casting lots, reading livers, and consulting household idols—to determine whether to march against Jerusalem or Rabbah. The biblical prohibition of divination (Deut. 18:10–12) explicitly banned such practices in Israel. The liver's dedication to God in sacrifice thus represented both an act of worship and a deliberate rejection of its pagan divinatory function.