Leviticus 21:10-12

10 'The priest who is the highest among his brothers, on whose head the anointing oil has been poured and who has been consecrated * to wear the garments, ¹shall not uncover his head nor tear his clothes;

11 ²nor shall he approach any dead person, nor defile himself even for his father or his mother;

12 ³nor shall he go out of the sanctuary nor profane the sanctuary of his God, for ⁴the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is on him; I am the LORD.

Leviticus 21:10-12 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.

Cross References

• 1. Leviticus 10:6
• 2. Leviticus 19:28; Numbers 19:14
• 3. Leviticus 10:7
• 4. Exodus 29:6, 7

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "whose hand has been filled"
• [b]. Lit "unbind"