Leviticus 21:1-9

1 And the Lord said to Moses, Say to the priests, the sons of Aaron, Let no man make himself unclean for the dead among his people;

2 But only for his near relations, for his mother or his father, his son or his daughter, and his brother;

3 And for his sister, a virgin, for she is his near relation and has had no husband, he may make himself unclean.

4 But let him, being a chief among his people, not make himself unclean in such a way as to put shame on himself.

5 They are not to have their hair cut off for the dead, or the hair on their chins cut short, or make cuts in their flesh.

6 Let them be holy to their God and not make the name of their God common; for the fire offerings of the Lord and the bread of their God are offered by them, and they are to be holy.

7 They may not take as wife a loose or common woman, or one who has been put away by her husband: for the priest is holy to his God.

8 And he is to be holy in your eyes, for by him the bread of your God is offered; he is to be holy in your eyes, for I the Lord, who make you holy, am holy.

9 And if the daughter of a priest makes herself common and by her loose behaviour puts shame on her father, let her be burned with fire.

Leviticus 21:1-9 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.