Leviticus 21:19-24

19 or a man who is brokenfooted, or brokenhanded,

20 or crookbacked, or a dwarf, or who hath a blemish in his eye, or hath scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken--

21 no man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire. He hath a blemish: he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God.

22 He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy and of the holy.

23 Only he shall not go in unto the veil nor come nigh unto the altar, because he hath a blemish, that he profane not My sanctuaries; for I the LORD do sanctify them.'"

24 And Moses told it unto Aaron and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel.

Leviticus 21:19-24 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.