Leviticus 21:7-17

7 "'A cohen is not to marry a woman who is a prostitute, who has been profaned or who has been divorced; because he is holy for his God.

8 Rather, you are to set him apart as holy, because he offers the bread of your God; he is to be holy for you, because I, ADONAI, who makes you holy, am holy.

9 The daughter of a cohen who profanes herself by prostitution profanes her father; she is to be put to death by fire.

10 "'The cohen who is ranked highest among his brothers, the one on whose head the anointing oil is poured and who is consecrated to put on the garments, is not to stop grooming his hair, tear his clothes,

11 go in to where any dead body is or make himself unclean, even when his father or mother dies.

12 He may not leave the sanctuary then or profane the sanctuary of his God, because the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is on him; I am ADONAI.

13 "'He is to marry a virgin;

14 he may not marry a widow, divorcee, profaned woman or prostitute; but he must marry a virgin from among his own people

15 and not disqualify his descendants among his people; because I am ADONAI, who makes him holy.'"

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.

Leviticus 21:7-17 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.