Leviticus 21:1-7

1 God spoke to Moses: "Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron. Tell them, A priest must not ritually contaminate himself by touching the dead,

2 except for close relatives: mother, father, son, daughter, brother,

3 or an unmarried sister who is dependent on him since she has no husband; for these he may make himself ritually unclean,

4 but he must not contaminate himself with the dead who are only related to him by marriage and thus profane himself.

5 "Priests must not shave their heads or trim their beards or gash their bodies.

6 They must be holy to their God and must not profane the name of their God. Because their job is to present the gifts of God, the food of their God, they are to be holy.

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.

Leviticus 21:1-7 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.