Leviticus 21:13

13 Hij zal ook een vrouw in haar maagdom nemen.

Leviticus 21:13 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 21:13

And he shall take a wife in her virginity.
] One, and not two, or more, as Ben Gersom observes; and so Maimonides says ^F17, an high priest might never take two women together; for it is said, "a wife", or "woman", one, and not two; and so it is explained in the Talmud ^F18; for though polygamy was practised by the Israelites, and even by the common priests, yet these writers suppose it was by no means allowed to an high priest: among the Egyptians, though they took as many wives as they pleased, their priests, married but one ^F19; and so a minister of the New Testament is to be the husband of one wife, ( 1 Timothy 3:2 ) ; and this wife the high priest was to take was to be a "virgin", one that not only had never known a man, but that was never betrothed to any; yea, according to the Talmudists ^F20, who was not quite ripe for marriage, or the time of her puberty not fully completed, which was the age of twelve years; within, or somewhat before that time, the high priest was to marry her, that it might be out of all doubt that she was a pure virgin; since it is said, "in her virginity", within the time of her puberty, before it was quite up; this, by many, is thought to be an emblem of Christ and his church; as he was typified by the high priest, so the church by the virgin he married, which is espoused to Christ as a chaste virgin, ( 2 Corinthians 11:2 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 Hilchot Issure Biah, c. 17. sect. 13.
F18 T. Bab. Yebamot, fol. 59. 1.
F19 Diodor. Sicul. l. 1. p. 72.
F20 T. Bab. Yebamot, ibid. Maimon. ut supra. (Cele Hamikdash, c. 5. sect. 5, 6.)

Leviticus 21:13 In-Context

11 Hij zal ook bij geen dode lichamen komen; zelfs over zijn vader en over zijn moeder zal hij zich niet verontreinigen.

12 En uit het heiligdom zal hij niet uitgaan, dat hij het heiligdom zijns Gods niet ontheilige, want de kroon der zalfolie zijns Gods is op hem; Ik ben de HEERE!

13 Hij zal ook een vrouw in haar maagdom nemen.

14 Een weduwe, of verstotene, of ontheiligde hoer, dezulke zal hij niet nemen; maar een maagd uit zijn volken zal hij tot een vrouw nemen.

15 En hij zal zijn zaad onder zijn volken niet ontheiligen; want Ik ben de HEERE, Die hem heilige!