Leviticus21
King James Version · Public Domain
1 And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto them, There shall none be defiled for the dead among his people:
2 But for his kin, that is near unto him, that is, for his mother, and for his father, and for his son, and for his daughter, and for his brother,
3 And for his sister a virgin, that is nigh unto him, which hath had no husband; for her may he be defiled.
4 But he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.
5 They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.
6 They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of their God: for the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and the bread of their God, they do offer: therefore they shall be holy.
7 They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God.
8 Thou shalt sanctify him therefore; for he offereth the bread of thy God: he shall be holy unto thee: for I the Lord, which sanctify you, am holy.
9 And the daughter of any priest, if she profane herself by playing the whore, she profaneth her father: she shall be burnt with fire.
10 And he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes;
11 Neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother;
12 Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the Lord.
13 And he shall take a wife in her virginity.
14 A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, or an harlot, these shall he not take: but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife.
15 Neither shall he profane his seed among his people: for I the Lord do sanctify him.
16 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
17 Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God.
18 For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous,
19 Or a man that is brokenfooted, or brokenhanded,
20 Or crookbackt, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken;
21 No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the Lord made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God.
22 He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy.
23 Only he shall not go in unto the veil, nor come nigh unto the altar, because he hath a blemish; that he profane not my sanctuaries: for I the Lord do sanctify them.
24 And Moses told it unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel.
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Leviticus 21Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Leviticus 21. The full AI study guide (summary, themes, context) has its own page.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Laws concerning the priests. (1-24).
vv1-24
As these priests were types of Christ, so all ministers must be followers of him, that their example may teach others to imitate the Saviour. Without blemish, and separate from sinners, He executed his priestly office on earth. What manner of persons then should his ministers be! But all are, if Christians, spiritual priests; the minister especially is called to set a good example, that the people may follow it. Our bodily infirmities, blessed be God, cannot now shut us out from his service, from these privileges, or from his heavenly glory. Many a healthful, beautiful soul is lodged in a feeble, deformed body. And those who may not be suited for the work of the ministry, may serve God with comfort in other duties in his church.
Key Words
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
מֹשֶׁה: Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
כֹּהֵן: literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman)
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
אַהֲרוֹן: Aharon, the brother of Moses
טָמֵא: to be foul, especially in a ceremial or moral sense (contaminated)
נֶפֶשׁ: properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)
עַם: a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
קָרוֹב: near (in place, kindred or time)
שְׁאֵר: flesh (as swelling out), as living or forfood; generally food of any kind; figuratively, kindred by blood
Cross References
Leviticus 21Ezekiel's temple ordinances repeat these strict marriage laws limiting who a priest may marry.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Priests must prioritize their holy office over natural family affections or bereavement.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Repeats the restriction on priests touching dead bodies except for immediate family.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Shaving and cutting restrictions given to all Israel, here enforced strictly upon priests.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Physical unblemished holiness in Aaronic priests typified Christ's perfect, spotless spiritual purity.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin, JFB
Christ's command to let the dead bury their dead echoes the absolute priestly restriction.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Ezekiel was uniquely forbidden to mourn for his wife, contrasting with standard priestly concessions.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Prohibits pagan, excessive mourning customs like self-cuttings and shaving heads for the dead.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Aaron's remaining sons were forbidden from uncovering heads or rending clothes after Nadab/Abihu's deaths.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Like the Nazirite, the high priest cannot defile himself even for his parents.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallel rules requiring offered sacrifices, like the priests offering them, to be completely without blemish.
Supported by John Calvin
Identifies the uncleanness that disqualifies a priest from eating of holy things.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Bread associated with mourning is defiled and cannot be offered to God.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Under the New Covenant, ministers must still maintain blameless families and conduct.
Supported by JFB