Focused Passage

Leviticus 21:10-15

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

10 The 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.

11 He must not go near any dead body; he must not defile himself, even for his father or mother.

12 He 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.

13 The woman he marries must be a virgin.

14 He is not to marry a widow, a divorced woman, or one defiled by prostitution. He is to marry a virgin from his own people,

15 so that he does not defile his offspring among his people, for I am the LORD who sanctifies him.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 10

Original words

The priest וְהַכֹּהֵן֩ H3548 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular who is highest הַגָּד֨וֹל H1419 Article | Adjective - masculine singular among his brothers מֵאֶחָ֜יו H251 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular who אֲ‍ֽשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative has had the anointing הַמִּשְׁחָה֙ H4888 Article | Noun - feminine singular oil שֶׁ֤מֶן H8081 Noun - masculine singular construct poured יוּצַ֥ק H3332 Verb - Hofal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular on עַל־ H5921 Preposition his head רֹאשׁ֣וֹ׀ H7218 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular and has been ordained וּמִלֵּ֣א H4390 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker - יָד֔וֹ H3027 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular to wear לִלְבֹּ֖שׁ H3847 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the priestly garments הַבְּגָדִ֑ים H899 Article | Noun - masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker must not {let} לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle his hair רֹאשׁוֹ֙ H7218 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular hang loose יִפְרָ֔ע H6544 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular or tear יִפְרֹֽם׃ H6533 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular his garments וּבְגָדָ֖יו H899 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular . . . לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle

BSB notes

  • Or must not uncover his head
Verse 11

Original words

- וְעַ֛ל H5921 Conjunctive waw | Preposition He must not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle go יָבֹ֑א H935 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular near any כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct dead מֵ֖ת H4191 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular body נַפְשֹׁ֥ת H5315 Noun - feminine plural construct he must not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle defile himself יִטַּמָּֽא׃ H2930 Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine singular even for his father לְאָבִ֥יו H1 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular or mother וּלְאִמּ֖וֹ H517 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 12

Original words

- וּמִן־ H4480 Conjunctive waw | Preposition He must not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle leave יֵצֵ֔א H3318 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . וְלֹ֣א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle - הַמִּקְדָּשׁ֙ H4720 Article | Noun - masculine singular or desecrate יְחַלֵּ֔ל H2490 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular - אֵ֖ת H853 Direct object marker the sanctuary מִקְדַּ֣שׁ H4720 Noun - masculine singular construct of his God אֱלֹהָ֑יו H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular for כִּ֡י H3588 Conjunction the consecration נֵ֠זֶר H5145 Noun - masculine singular construct of the anointing מִשְׁחַ֧ת H4888 Noun - feminine singular construct oil שֶׁ֣מֶן H8081 Noun - masculine singular construct of his God אֱלֹהָ֛יו H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular is on him עָלָ֖יו H5921 Preposition | third person masculine singular I אֲנִ֥י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular am the LORD יְהוָֽה׃ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 13

Original words

The woman אִשָּׁ֥ה H802 Noun - feminine singular he וְה֕וּא H1931 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine singular marries יִקָּֽח׃ H3947 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular must be a virgin בִבְתוּלֶ֖יהָ H1331 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Verse 14

Original words

He is not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle to marry יִקָּ֑ח H3947 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . כִּ֛י H3588 Conjunction . . . אִם־ H518 Conjunction a widow אַלְמָנָ֤ה H490 Noun - feminine singular a divorced woman וּגְרוּשָׁה֙ H1644 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular or one defiled וַחֲלָלָ֣ה H2491 Conjunctive waw | Adjective - feminine singular by prostitution זֹנָ֔ה H2181 Noun - feminine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker - אֵ֖לֶּה H428 Pronoun - common plural He is to marry יִקַּ֥ח H3947 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . אִשָּֽׁה׃ H802 Noun - feminine singular a virgin בְּתוּלָ֥ה H1330 Noun - feminine singular from his own people מֵעַמָּ֖יו H5971 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 15

Original words

so that he does not וְלֹֽא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle defile יְחַלֵּ֥ל H2490 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular his offspring זַרְע֖וֹ H2233 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular among his people בְּעַמָּ֑יו H5971 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular for כִּ֛י H3588 Conjunction I אֲנִ֥י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular am the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular who sanctifies him מְקַדְּשֽׁוֹ׃פ H6942 Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.