Leviticus 21:1-6

1 And the Lord said to Moses, Speak thou to [the] priests, the sons of Aaron, and thou shalt say to them, A priest be not defouled in the dead men of his citizens (A priest shall not be defiled with the dead among his fellow citizens),

2 no but only in his kinsmen, and nigh of blood, that is, on father, and mother, and son, and daughter, and brother, (only with his own relatives, and next of kin, that is, with his father, and mother, and son, and daughter, and brother,)

3 and sister, (who is) a virgin, that is not wedded to man;

4 but neither he shall be defouled in the prince of his people. (but he shall not be defiled even with the ruler of his people.)

5 Priests shall not shave their head, neither beard, neither they shall make (any) carvings in their fleshes;

6 they shall be holy to their God, and they shall not defoul his name; for they offer incense of the Lord, and the loaves of their God, and therefore they shall be holy. (they shall be holy to their God, and they shall not defile his name; for they offer incense to the Lord, and the loaves to their God, and so they shall be holy.)

Leviticus 21:1-6 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.