Leviticus21
New American Standard
1Then the Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them: ‘No one shall defile himself for a dead person among his people,
2except for his relatives who are nearest to him, his mother, his father, his son, his daughter, and his brother,
3also for his virgin sister who is near to him because she has not had a husband; for her, he may defile himself.
4He shall not defile himself as a relative by marriage among his people, so as to profane himself.
5They shall not shave any area on their heads bald, nor shave off the edges of their beards, nor make any cuts in their flesh.
6They shall be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God, because they present the offerings by fire to the Lord, the food of their God; so they shall be holy.
7They shall not take a woman who is a prostitute and profaned, nor shall they take a woman divorced from her husband; for he is holy to his God.
8You shall consecrate him, therefore, because he offers the food of your God. He shall be holy to you; for I the Lord, who sanctifies you, am holy.
9Also the daughter of any priest, if she profanes herself by prostitution, she profanes her father; she shall be burned with fire.
10‘The priest who is highest among his brothers, on whose head the anointing oil has been poured and who has been consecrated to wear the garments, shall not uncover his head nor tear his clothes;
11nor shall he approach any dead person, nor defile himself even for his father or his mother;
12nor shall he leave the sanctuary nor profane the sanctuary of his God, for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is on him; I am the Lord.
13He shall take a wife in her virginity.
14A widow, or a divorced woman, or one who is profaned by prostitution, these he shall not take; but rather he is to marry a virgin of his own people,
15so that he will not profane his children among his people; for I am the Lord who sanctifies him.’”
16Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
17“Speak to Aaron, saying, ‘None of your descendants throughout their generations who has an impairment shall approach to offer the food of his God.
18For no one who has an impairment shall approach: a man who is blind, or one who limps, or one who has a slit nose, or one with any conspicuous feature,
19or someone who has a broken foot or broken hand,
20or a contorted back, or one who is a dwarf, or has a spot in his eye, or a festering rash or scabs, or crushed testicles.
21No man among the descendants of Aaron the priest who has an impairment is to come forward to offer the Lord’s offerings by fire; since he has an impairment, he shall not come forward to offer the food of his God.
22He may eat the food of his God, both of the most holy and of the holy,
23only he shall not come up to the veil or approach the altar, since he has an impairment, so that he does not profane My sanctuaries. For I am the Lord who sanctifies them.’”
24So Moses spoke to Aaron and to his sons and to all the sons of Israel.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Leviticus 21.
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