Leviticus 21:6-16

6 "Be God's holy men, and don't dishonor the name of your God. Be holy because you bring sacrifices by fire to the LORD. It is the food of your God.

7 You should never marry prostitutes, those who have lost their virginity, or divorced women because a priest is God's holy man.

8 Be holy because you offer the food of your God. Be holy because I, the LORD, am holy. I set you apart as holy.

9 When a priest's daughter dishonors herself by becoming a prostitute, she dishonors her father. She must be burned.

10 "The priest who is anointed with oil and wears the chief priest's clothes is chief over his brothers. He must never mourn by leaving his hair uncombed or by tearing his clothes.

11 He must never go near any dead bodies or become unclean, even for his father or mother.

12 He must not leave the holy tent of his God. If he does, he will be dishonoring it, because he is dedicated with the anointing oil of his God. I am the LORD.

13 "The anointed priest must marry a virgin.

14 He must never marry a widow, a divorced woman, a woman who has lost her virginity, or a prostitute. He may only marry a virgin from his own people.

15 He must not dishonor his children among his people because I, the LORD, set him apart as holy."

16 The LORD spoke to Moses,

Leviticus 21:6-16 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.