←Leviticus 21→BSB

In This Chapter 5 people 51 terms 1 resource

People

Aaron 5 Moses 3 Israel 2 Jacob (Patriarch) Jeshurun (Israel)

Key Terms

Be Holy 14 To Profane 12 Be Unclean 8 Holy 8 Holy Thing 7 Offering Made by Fire 6 Play the Prostitute (Idiom) 3 Consecration (State) 2 Defilement (Act) Unclean (Ritually Contaminated) Uncleanness State of Impurity Impure Defile (Become Unclean) Impurity Unclean (Ritually Unacceptable) Defile (Ceremonial) To Soil Defilement (Stained) Desecrate Defilement (State) To Dishonor Holy (Pure) Most Holy Place Holiness Holy (Devout) Hallow Sanctuary Offering Burnt Offering Gift (Tribute) Sin Offering Peace Offering Offering (Contribution) Drink-Offering Guilt-Offering Sacrifice (Offering) Wave-Offering Voluntary Offering Gift (Offering) Dedication (Ceremony) Offer Sacrifice Sacrifice (Act) Sacrifice (Ritual) Whole Burnt Offering Offering (Special) Offering (Voluntary) Sin Offering (Guilt Removal) Consecration (Dedication) Make Holy Dedicate

Resources

Deformity Articles

Holiness Required of Priests

ⓘ This section, which discusses priestly rules, six times...

This section, which discusses priestly rules, six times repeats the phrase I am the Lord who sanctifies (Leviticus 21:15, 23; 22:9, 16, 32; see also 21:8). These words emphasize the link between God's holiness and the holiness expected of priests. This extended to all of Israel (see 8:10; 11:44–45; 19:2). The text specifically addresses priests in 21:1–22:16, while including both clergy and common people in 22:17–33.
ⓘ Touching a dead body made a person ceremonially...

Touching a dead body made a person ceremonially unclean for seven days. A priest needed to be ready to handle holy things at all times. So, he could not touch a dead body, even if it was a relative's. Otherwise, he might be unable to serve when needed. The only exceptions were his closest relatives, as there might be no one else to bury them.

1Then the LORD said to Moses, “Speak to Aaron’s sons, the priests, and tell them that a priest is not to defile himself for a dead person among his people, 2except for his immediate family—his mother, father, son, daughter, or brother, 3or his unmarried sister who is near to him, since she has no husband. 4He is not to defile himself for those related to him by marriage, and so profane himself.

5Priests must not make bald spots on their heads, shave off the edges of their beards, or make cuts in their bodies. 6They must be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God. Because they present to the LORD the food offerings, the food of their God, they must be holy.

7A priest must not marry a woman defiled by prostitution or divorced by her husband, for the priest is holy to his God. 8You are to regard him as holy, since he presents the food of your God. He shall be holy to you, because I the LORD am holy—I who set you apart. 9If a priest’s daughter defiles herself by prostituting herself, she profanes her father; she must be burned in the fire.

ⓘ The rules for common priests were more strict...

  • The rules for common priests were more strict than for the high priest, who represented all of Israel, including other priests (Leviticus 21:1–4).

  • The priest must always keep his hair neat and not tear his clothing in mourning. This ensured he was always ready to serve. While a common priest could marry a widow, the high priest could only marry a virgin. This ensured that future high priests and common priests from that union would have a clear lineage (Leviticus 21:15).

10The priest who is highest among his brothers, who has had the anointing oil poured on his head and has been ordained to wear the priestly garments, must not let his hair hang loose† or tear his garments. 11He must not go near any dead body; he must not defile himself, even for his father or mother. 12He must not leave or desecrate the sanctuary of his God, for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is on him. I am the LORD.

13The woman he marries must be a virgin. 14He is not to marry a widow, a divorced woman, or one defiled by prostitution. He is to marry a virgin from his own people, 15so that he does not defile his offspring among his people, for I am the LORD who sanctifies him.”

Restrictions against Those with Blemishes

16Then the LORD said to Moses, 17“Say to Aaron, ‘For the generations to come, none of your descendants who has a physical defect may approach to offer the food of his God.

18No man who has any defect may approach—no man who is blind, lame, disfigured, or deformed; 19no man who has a broken foot or hand, 20or who is a hunchback or dwarf, or who has an eye defect, a festering rash, scabs, or a crushed testicle.

21No descendant of Aaron the priest who has a defect shall approach to present the food offerings to the LORD. Since he has a defect, he is not to come near to offer the food of his God. 22He may eat the most holy food of his God as well as the holy food, 23but because he has a defect, he must not go near the veil or approach the altar, so as not to desecrate My sanctuaries. For I am the LORD who sanctifies them.’”

24Moses told this to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites.