Leviticus 21:16-24

16 ADONAI said to Moshe,

17 "Tell Aharon, 'None of your descendants who has a defect may approach to offer the bread of his God.

18 No one with a defect may approach - no one blind, lame, with a mutilated face or a limb too long,

19 a broken foot or a broken arm,

20 a hunched back, stunted growth, a cataract in his eye, festering or running sores, or damaged testicles -

21 no one descended from Aharon the cohen who has such a defect may approach to present the offerings for ADONAI made by fire; he has a defect and is not to approach to offer the bread of his God.

22 He may eat the bread of his God, both the especially holy and the holy;

23 only he is not to go in to the curtain or approach the altar, because he has a defect - so that he will not profane my holy places, because I am ADONAI, who makes them holy.'"

24 Moshe said these things to Aharon, his sons and all the people of Isra'el.

Leviticus 21:16-24 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.