Leviticus21
New King James Version
1And the Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them: ‘None shall defile himself for the dead among his people,
2except for his relatives who are nearest to him: his mother, his father, his son, his daughter, and his brother;
3also his virgin sister who is near to him, who has had no husband, for her he may defile himself.
4Otherwise he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.
5‘They shall not make any bald place on their heads, nor shall they shave the edges of their beards nor make any cuttings in their flesh.
6They shall be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God, for they offer the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and the bread of their God; therefore they shall be holy.
7They shall not take a wife who is a harlot or a defiled woman, nor shall they take a woman divorced from her husband; for the priest is holy to his God.
8Therefore you shall consecrate him, for he offers the bread of your God. He shall be holy to you, for I the Lord, who sanctify you, am holy.
9The daughter of any priest, if she profanes herself by playing the harlot, she profanes her father. She shall be burned with fire.
10‘He who is the high priest among his brethren, on whose head the anointing oil was poured and who is consecrated to wear the garments, shall not uncover his head nor tear his clothes;
11nor shall he go near any dead body, nor defile himself for his father or his mother;
12nor shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the Lord.
13And he shall take a wife in her virginity.
14A widow or a divorced woman or a defiled woman or a harlot—these he shall not marry; but he shall take a virgin of his own people as wife.
15Nor shall he profane his posterity among his people, for I the Lord sanctify him.’ ”
16And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
17“Speak to Aaron, saying: ‘No man of your descendants in succeeding generations, who has any defect, may approach to offer the bread of his God.
18For any man who has a defect shall not approach: a man blind or lame, who has a marred face or any limb too long,
19a man who has a broken foot or broken hand,
20or is a hunchback or a dwarf, or a man who has a defect in his eye, or eczema or scab, or is a eunuch.
21No man of the descendants of Aaron the priest, who has a defect, shall come near to offer the offerings made by fire to the Lord. He has a defect; he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God.
22He may eat the bread of his God, both the most holy and the holy;
23only he shall not go near the veil or approach the altar, because he has a defect, lest he profane My sanctuaries; for I the Lord sanctify them.’ ”
24And Moses told it to Aaron and his sons, and to all the children 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