Leviticus 21

1 And the Lorde sayde vnto Moses: speake vnto the preastes the sonnes of Aaron and saye vnto them. A preast shall defile him selfe at the deth of none of his people,

2 but apon his kyn that is nye vnto him: as his mother, father, sonne, doughter and brother:

3 and on his syster as loge as she is a mayde ad dwelleth nye him and was neuer geuen to man: on her he maye defile him selfe.

4 But he shall not make him selfe vncleane vpon a ruelar of his people to polute him selfe with all.

5 They shall make the no baldnesse apon their heedes or shaue off the lockes of their beerdes, nor make any markes in their flesh.

6 Thei shalbe holy vnto their God, ad not polute the name of their god, for the sacrifices of the Lorde ad the bred of their God thei do offer: therfore they must be holy.

7 Thei shall take no wife that is an whoore, or poluted, or put fro hir husbonde: for a preast is holy vnto his God.

8 Sanctifie him therfore, for he offereth vp the bred of God: he shal therfore be holy vnto the, for I the Lorde whiche sanctifie you, am holy.

9 Yf a preastes doughter fall to playe the whore, she poluteth hir father: therfore she shall be burnt with fire.

10 He that is the hye preast among his brethern vppon whose heed the anoyntynge oyle was poured and whose hande was fylled to put on the vestimetes shall not vncouer his heed nor rent his clothes,

11 nether shall goo to any deed body nor make him selfe vncleane: no not on his father or mother

12 nether shall goo out of the sanctuarye, that he polute not the holy place of his God. for the croune of the anoyntynge oyle of God, is apon him. I am the Lorde.

13 He shall take a mayden vnto his wife:

14 but no wedowe nor deuorsed nor poluted whoore. But he shall take a mayden of his awne people to wife,

15 that he defyle not his seed apo his people. for I am the Lorde which sanctifye him.

16 And the Lorde spake vnto Moses saynge

17 speake vnto Aaron and saye: No man of thi seed in their generacions that hath any deformyte apon him, shall prese for to offer the bred of his God.

18 ffor none that hath any blemysh shall come nere: whether he be blynde lame snot nosed or that hath any monstrous mebre,

19 or broken foted or broken handed

20 or croke backed, or perleyed, or gogeleyed, or maunge or skaulde or hath his stones broken.

21 No man that is deformed of the seed of Aaron the preast shall come nye to offer the sacrifyces of the Lorde. Yf he haue a deformyte he shall not prese to offer the bred of his God.

22 Notwithstondynge he shall eate of the bred of his God: euen as well of the most holy as of the holy:

23 but shall not goo in vnto the vayle nor come nye the alter, because he is deformed that he polute not my sanctuary for I am the Lorde that sanctifye them.

24 And Moses tolde it vnto Aaron and to his sonnes and vnto all the childern of Israel.

Leviticus 21 Commentary

Chapter 21

Laws concerning the priests.

- As these priests were types of Christ, so all ministers must be followers of him, that their example may teach others to imitate the Saviour. Without blemish, and separate from sinners, He executed his priestly office on earth. What manner of persons then should his ministers be! But all are, if Christians, spiritual priests; the minister especially is called to set a good example, that the people may follow it. Our bodily infirmities, blessed be God, cannot now shut us out from his service, from these privileges, or from his heavenly glory. Many a healthful, beautiful soul is lodged in a feeble, deformed body. And those who may not be suited for the work of the ministry, may serve God with comfort in other duties in his church.

Chapter Summary

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.