Focused Passage

Leviticus 21:1-4

Priestly Holiness, Nearness to God, and the Sanctity of Those Who Offer the LORD's Food

The LORD commands Moses to speak to Aaron's sons, giving restrictions on priestly contact with the dead, mourning customs, marriage, family dishonor, and the stricter holiness of the high priest. The chapter then addresses priests with physical defects: they may eat from the holy food but may not approach to offer the LORD's food or enter the sanctuary veil area, lest they profane the LORD's holy places.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

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.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Cross-references

Leviticus 19:28Classic cross-references Ezekiel 44:25Classic cross-references Numbers 19:11Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 26:14Classic cross-references Numbers 5:2Classic cross-references

Original words

Then the LORDיְהוָה֙H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularsaidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413PrepositionMosesמֹשֶׁ֔הH4872Noun - proper - masculine singularSpeakאֱמֹ֥רH559Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singulartoאֶל־H413PrepositionAaron’sאַהֲרֹ֑ןH175Noun - proper - masculine singularsonsבְּנֵ֣יH1121Noun - masculine plural constructthe priestsהַכֹּהֲנִ֖יםH3548Article | Noun - masculine pluraland tellוְאָמַרְתָּ֣H559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularthem [that]אֲלֵהֶ֔םH413Preposition | third person masculine plural[a priest] is notלֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particleto defile himselfיִטַּמָּ֖אH2930Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine singularfor a dead personלְנֶ֥פֶשׁH5315Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singularamong his peopleבְּעַמָּֽיו׃H5971Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular

Verse 2

Original words

exceptכִּ֚יH3588Conjunction. . .אִם־H518Conjunctionfor his immediateהַקָּרֹ֖בH7138Article | Adjective - masculine singular. . .אֵלָ֑יוH413Preposition | third person masculine singularfamilyלִשְׁאֵר֔וֹH7607Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularhis motherלְאִמּ֣וֹH517Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularfatherוּלְאָבִ֔יוH1Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularsonוְלִבְנ֥וֹH1121Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singulardaughterוּלְבִתּ֖וֹH1323Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularor brotherוּלְאָחִֽיו׃H251Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular

Verse 3

Original words

or his unmarriedהַבְּתוּלָה֙H1330Article | Noun - feminine singularsisterוְלַאֲחֹת֤וֹH269Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularwho is nearהַקְּרוֹבָ֣הH7138Article | Adjective - feminine singularto himאֵלָ֔יוH413Preposition | third person masculine singularsinceאֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativeshe hasהָיְתָ֖הH1961Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularnoלֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particlehusbandלְאִ֑ישׁH376Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular-לָ֖הּPreposition | third person feminine singular-יִטַּמָּֽא׃H2930Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine singular

Verse 4

Cross-references

Ezekiel 24:16Classic cross-references

Original words

He is notלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particleto defile himselfיִטַּמָּ֖אH2930Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine singularfor those related to him by marriageבַּ֣עַלH1167Noun - masculine singular. . .בְּעַמָּ֑יוH5971Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularand so profane himselfלְהֵ֖חַלּֽוֹ׃H2490Preposition-l | Verb - Nifal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular

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