Leviticus 21:7

7 “ ‘They must not marry women defiled by prostitution or divorced from their husbands, because priests are holy to their God.

Leviticus 21:7 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
7 They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God.
English Standard Version (ESV)
7 They shall not marry a prostitute or a woman who has been defiled, neither shall they marry a woman divorced from her husband, for the priest is holy to his God.
New Living Translation (NLT)
7 “Priests may not marry a woman defiled by prostitution, and they may not marry a woman who is divorced from her husband, for the priests are set apart as holy to their God.
The Message Bible (MSG)
7 "Because a priest is holy to his God he must not marry a woman who has been a harlot or a cult prostitute or a divorced woman.
American Standard Version (ASV)
7 They shall not take a woman that is a harlot, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
7 You should never marry prostitutes, those who have lost their virginity, or divorced women because a priest is God's holy man.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
7 They are not to marry a woman defiled by prostitution or divorced by her husband, for the priest is holy to his God.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
7 " 'They must not get married to women who are "unclean" because they are prostitutes. They must not marry women who are divorced from their husbands. That is because priests are holy. They are set apart for me. I am their God.

Leviticus 21:7 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 21:7

They shall not take a wife [that is] a whore, or profane
By the former is meant a common whore, that prostitutes herself to any one through lust or for gain; and by the latter one whose chastity is violated, but either unwillingly, that has been forced and ravished, or else willingly, being enticed, persuaded, and prevailed upon, but did not make a practice of it; this seems to be the true sense of the words: but the Jewish writers understand them differently; by a "whore" they suppose is meant one that is not an Israelitish woman, that is not born of an Israelite, at least of an Israelitish woman, as proselytes or freed persons; for they say there are no whores but such, or one that lies with such persons, she may not marry with; as such as are guilty of cutting off, or any of the Nethinim, or spurious persons, so Jarchi; and by a "profane" person they think is meant such as are born of those that are rejected, as the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it; that is, that are either born of incestuous marriages, such as are forbidden, ( Leviticus 18:1-18 ) ; or that are born of those that are rejected in the priesthood, or whom a priest might not marry, as the daughter of a widow, by the high priest, or the daughter of one divorced, by a common priest, which is the sense of Jarchi: neither shall they take a woman put away by her husband:
which was, in these and later times, common for any offence, when the crime of adultery was not pretended; but this always supposed something bad or amiss, and made such a woman suspected of having done an unseemly thing, therefore priests were forbidden marrying such persons: the Targum of Jonathan adds,

``or by her husband's brother;''
and so takes in one that has loosed the shoe, as the Jews call her, who being left without issue, her husband's brother refused to marry her, and therefore she plucked off his shoe, and spit in his face, see ( Deuteronomy 25:7-9 ) ; such an one a priest might not marry, according to this paraphrast, and other Jewish writers, and if he did was to be beaten {a}; for he [is] holy unto his God;
separated from common persons, and devoted to the service of God, and therefore not to be defiled with such sort of women, or to lie under any scandal or reproach through such, marriages.
FOOTNOTES:

F1 Misn. Maccot, c. 3. sect. 1.

Leviticus 21:7 In-Context

5 “ ‘Priests must not shave their heads or shave off the edges of their beards or cut their bodies.
6 They must be holy to their God and must not profane the name of their God. Because they present the food offerings to the LORD, the food of their God, they are to be holy.
7 “ ‘They must not marry women defiled by prostitution or divorced from their husbands, because priests are holy to their God.
8 Regard them as holy, because they offer up the food of your God. Consider them holy, because I the LORD am holy—I who make you holy.
9 “ ‘If a priest’s daughter defiles herself by becoming a prostitute, she disgraces her father; she must be burned in the fire.

Cross References 2

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