Leviticus 21:16-24

16 The LORD said to Moses,
17 “Say to Aaron: ‘For the generations to come none of your descendants who has a defect may come near to offer the food of his God.
18 No man who has any defect may come near: no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed;
19 no man with a crippled foot or hand,
20 or who is a hunchback or a dwarf, or who has any eye defect, or who has festering or running sores or damaged testicles.
21 No descendant of Aaron the priest who has any defect is to come near to present the food offerings to the LORD. He has a defect; he must not come near to offer the food of his God.
22 He may eat the most holy food of his God, as well as the holy food;
23 yet because of his defect, he must not go near the curtain or approach the altar, and so desecrate my sanctuary. I am the LORD, who makes them holy.’ ”
24 So Moses told this to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites.

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.

Cross References 13

  • 1. ver 18,21,23
  • 2. S ver 6
  • 3. Leviticus 22:19-25
  • 4. S Leviticus 19:14
  • 5. 2 Samuel 4:4; 2 Samuel 9:3; 2 Samuel 19:26
  • 6. Leviticus 22:24; Deuteronomy 23:1; Isaiah 56:3
  • 7. S ver 17
  • 8. S Leviticus 3:11
  • 9. Leviticus 22:19
  • 10. 1 Corinthians 9:13
  • 11. S ver 17
  • 12. S Exodus 25:8
  • 13. Leviticus 20:8
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