Leviticus 21:1-15

The Holiness of the Priests

1 The Lord said to Moses: "Speak to Aaron's sons, the priests, and tell them: A priest is not to make himself ceremonially unclean for a [dead] person among his relatives,^[a]

2 except for his immediate family: his mother, father, son, daughter, or brother.

3 He may make himself unclean for his young unmarried sister in his immediate family.

4 He is not to make himself unclean for those related to him by marriage^[b] and so defile himself.

5 "Priests may not make bald spots on their heads, shave the edge of their beards, or make gashes on their bodies.^[c]

6 They are to be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God,^[d] because they present the fire offerings to the Lord, the food of their God. They must be holy.

7 They are not to marry a woman defiled by prostitution^{[e] [f]} or divorced by her husband, for the priest is holy to his God.

8 You are to consider him holy since he presents the food of your God. He will be holy to you because I, the Lord who sets you apart, am holy.

9 If a priest's daughter defiles herself by promiscuity,^[g] she defiles her father; she must be burned up.^[h]

10 "The priest who is highest among his brothers, who has had the anointing oil poured on his head and has been ordained^[i] to wear the garments, must not dishevel his hair^[j] or tear his garments.^[k]

11 He must not go near any dead person or make himself unclean [even] for his father or mother.^[l]

12 He must not leave the sanctuary or he will desecrate the sanctuary of his God, for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is on him;^[m] I am the Lord.

13 "He is to marry a woman who is a virgin.

14 He is not to marry a widow, a divorced woman, or one defiled by prostitution. He is to marry a virgin from his own people,

15 so that he does not corrupt his bloodline^[n] among his people, for I am the Lord who sets him apart."^[o]

Leviticus 21:1-15 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Nm 5:2-3; 19:11-13; Ezk 44:25
• [b]. Lit unclean a husband among his people
• [c]. Lv 19:27-28; Dt 14:1; Ezk 44:20
• [d]. Lv 18:21; 22:32
• [e]. Or a woman who has been deflowered
• [f]. Dt 24:1-4; Hs 1:2
• [g]. Or prostitution
• [h]. Lv 20:14; Gn 38:24; Jdg 15:6
• [i]. Lit and one has filled his hand
• [j]. Or not uncover his head
• [k]. Lv 10:6; Ezk 44:20
• [l]. Ezk 44:25
• [m]. Lv 10:7
• [n]. Lit not profane his seed
• [o]. Ex 39:30