Leviticus Chapter 21 — Regulations for the Holiness of Priests
God instructs Moses on specific standards of holiness for priests, covering mourning practices, marriage choices, and physical requirements for serving at the altar.
1The LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them, ‘A priest shall not defile himself for the dead among his people,
2except for his relatives that are near to him: for his mother, for his father, for his son, for his daughter, for his brother,
3and for his virgin sister who is near to him, who has had no husband; for her he may defile himself.
4He shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.
5“ ‘They shall not shave their heads or shave off the corners of their beards or make any cuttings in their flesh.
6They shall be holy to their God, and not profane the name of their God, for they offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire, the bread of their God. Therefore they shall be holy.
7“ ‘They shall not marry a woman who is a prostitute, or profane. A priest shall not marry a woman divorced from her husband; for he is holy to his God.
8Therefore you shall sanctify him, for he offers the bread of your God. He shall be holy to you, for I the LORD, who sanctify you, am holy.
9“ ‘The daughter of any priest, if she profanes herself by playing the prostitute, she profanes her father. She shall be burned with fire.
10“ ‘He who is the high priest among his brothers, upon whose head the anointing oil is poured, and who is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not let the hair of his head hang loose, or tear his clothes.
11He must not go in to any dead body, or defile himself for his father or for his mother.
12He shall not go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him. I am the LORD.
13“ ‘He shall take a wife in her virginity.
14He shall not marry a widow, or one divorced, or a woman who has been defiled, or a prostitute. He shall take a virgin of his own people as a wife.
15He shall not profane his offspring among his people, for I am the LORD who sanctifies him.’ ”
16The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
17“Say to Aaron, ‘None of your offspring throughout their generations who has a defect may approach to offer the bread of his God.
18For whatever man he is that has a defect, he shall not draw near: a blind man, or a lame, or he who has a flat nose, or any deformity,
19or a man who has an injured foot, or an injured hand,
20or hunchbacked, or a dwarf, or one who has a defect in his eye, or an itching disease, or scabs, or who has damaged testicles.
21No man of the offspring of Aaron the priest who has a defect shall come near to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire. Since he has a defect, he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God.
22He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy.
23He shall not come near to the veil, nor come near to the altar, because he has a defect; that he may not profane my sanctuaries, for I am the LORD who sanctifies them.’ ”
24So Moses spoke to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the children of Israel.
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Leviticus 21:6
“They shall be holy to their God, and not profane the name of their God, for they offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire, the bread of their God. Therefore they shall be holy.”
This verse establishes the fundamental expectation for priests to maintain a state of holiness because of their unique role in presenting offerings.
Leviticus 21:8
“Therefore you shall sanctify him, for he offers the bread of your God. He shall be holy to you, for I the LORD, who sanctify you, am holy.”
It emphasizes that the community must respect the sanctity of the priest, rooted in the holiness of God Himself.
Leviticus 21:21
“No man of the offspring of Aaron the priest who has a defect shall come near to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire. Since he has a defect, he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God.”
This verse highlights the strict physical requirements for those performing the highest sacrificial duties at the altar.
Chapter Summary
In Leviticus 21, the Lord provides Moses with detailed regulations intended to preserve the sanctity of the priesthood among Aaron's descendants. Priests are forbidden from defiling themselves by touching the dead, except for immediate family members such as parents, children, or siblings. They are also prohibited from certain physical alterations, such as shaving their heads or making cuttings in their flesh. Stricter rules apply to the High Priest, who is forbidden from defiling himself for any dead person, including his parents, and must marry a virgin from his own people. Additionally, the chapter specifies that any descendant of Aaron with a physical defect, such as blindness or lameness, is prohibited from approaching the veil or the altar to offer food to God. While these individuals are restricted from performing certain sacrificial duties to maintain the ceremonial purity of the sanctuary, they are still permitted to eat the holy and most holy bread provided for the priests.
Frequently Asked Questions
Priests were generally forbidden from coming into contact with a dead body, which caused ceremonial uncleanness. However, an exception was made for their closest relatives, including their father, mother, son, daughter, brother, and unmarried sister.
A priest was prohibited from marrying a woman who was a prostitute, a profane woman, or someone who had been divorced. The High Priest had even stricter requirements, being permitted only to marry a virgin from his own people.
The text states that those with physical defects could not approach the veil or the altar to avoid profaning the sanctuary. While they were restricted from performing the actual offerings, they were still fully supported by the community and allowed to eat the holy food.
Study Note
The phrase 'bread of their God' is used throughout this chapter as a technical term referring to the various grain and meat offerings presented on the altar.
Related Chapters
Exodus 28
Describes the priestly garments and the consecration of Aaron mentioned in this chapter.
Leviticus 10
Provides context for the importance of priestly holiness following the incident with Nadab and Abihu.
Hebrews 7
Offers a New Testament discussion on the requirements and nature of the high priesthood.
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