Leviticus 21:6-16

6 They must be holy to their God and must not profane the name of their God. Because they present the food offerings to the LORD, the food of their God, they are to be holy.

7 “ ‘They must not marry women defiled by prostitution or divorced from their husbands, because priests are holy to their God.

8 Regard them as holy, because they offer up the food of your God. Consider them holy, because I the LORD am holy—I who make you holy.

9 “ ‘If a priest’s daughter defiles herself by becoming a prostitute, she disgraces her father; she must be burned in the fire.

10 “ ‘The high priest, the one among his brothers who has had the anointing oil poured on his head and who has been ordained to wear the priestly garments, must not let his hair become unkempt^[a] or tear his clothes.

11 He must not enter a place where there is a dead body. He must not make himself unclean, even for his father or mother,

12 nor leave the sanctuary of his God or desecrate it, because he has been dedicated by the anointing oil of his God. I am the LORD.

13 “ ‘The woman he marries must be a virgin.

14 He must not marry a widow, a divorced woman, or a woman defiled by prostitution, but only a virgin from his own people,

15 so that he will not defile his offspring among his people. I am the LORD, who makes him holy.’ ”

16 The LORD said to Moses,

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Leviticus 21:6-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 21

This chapter respects the priests, the sons of Aaron, and forbids their mourning for the dead, unless in some cases, Le 21:1-6; or their marriage with an whore or a divorced woman, Le 21:7,8; and the daughters of any of them to commit fornication, which is made punishable with death, Le 21:9; and it contains particular laws for the high priest to observe, who was not to mourn for any, even for his parents, Le 21:10,11; nor to go out of the sanctuary, Le 21:12; nor to marry any woman but a virgin, Le 21:13-15; and it also directs, that none of the priests having any blemish in them should be employed in divine service, though they might eat of the holy things, Le 21:16-24.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 20

1. ver 8; Ezra 8:28
2. Leviticus 18:21
3. S Leviticus 3:11
4. ver 17,22; Leviticus 22:25
5. S Exodus 19:22; S Leviticus 10:3
6. ver 13,14
7. Ezekiel 44:22
8. ver 6
9. Leviticus 3:11
10. S Exodus 31:13
11. S Genesis 38:24; S Leviticus 19:29
12. S Exodus 29:7
13. S Lev 8:7-9,13; S Leviticus 16:4; Leviticus 16:32
14. S Leviticus 10:6
15. Numbers 5:2; Numbers 6:6; Numbers 9:6; Numbers 19:11,13,14; Numbers 31:19
16. Leviticus 19:28
17. ver 2
18. S Exodus 25:8
19. S Exodus 28:41; Exodus 29:6-7; Leviticus 10:7
20. Ezekiel 44:22

Footnotes 1

[a]. Or "not uncover his head"

Leviticus 21:6-16

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Leviticus 21:6-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 21

Cross References 20

Footnotes 1