Focused Passage

Leviticus 22:1-9

Holy Food, Acceptable Offerings, and Reverence for the LORD's Holy Name

The LORD commands Aaron and his sons to treat Israel's holy offerings with reverence. Priests who are unclean must not eat sacred food until cleansed. The chapter defines which members of priestly households may eat holy food and requires restitution when holy food is eaten wrongly. It then addresses Israel's offerings: animals presented for burnt offerings, vows, freewill offerings, and fellowship offerings must be without defect, properly aged, and handled according to the LORD's commands. The chapter concludes with a call not to profane the LORD's holy name, because He brought Israel out of Egypt to be their God.

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

1 Then the LORD said to Moses,

2 “Tell Aaron and his sons to treat with respect the sacred offerings that the Israelites have consecrated to Me, so that they do not profane My holy name. I am the LORD.

3 Tell them that for the generations to come, if any of their descendants in a state of uncleanness approaches the sacred offerings that the Israelites consecrate to the LORD, that person must be cut off from My presence. I am the LORD.

4 If a descendant of Aaron has a skin disease or a discharge, he may not eat the sacred offerings until he is clean. Whoever touches anything defiled by a corpse or by a man who has an emission of semen,

5 or whoever touches a crawling creature or a person that makes him unclean, whatever the uncleanness may be—

6 the man who touches any of these will remain unclean until evening. He must not eat from the sacred offerings unless he has bathed himself with water.

7 When the sun has set, he will become clean, and then he may eat from the sacred offerings, for they are his food.

8 He must not eat anything found dead or torn by wild animals, which would make him unclean. I am the LORD.

9 The priests must keep My charge, lest they bear the guilt and die because they profane it. I am the LORD who sanctifies them.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

Then the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular said וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר H1696 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition Moses מֹשֶׁ֥ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . לֵּאמֹֽר׃ H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Verse 2

Original words

Tell דַּבֵּ֨ר H1696 Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular . . . אֶֽל־ H413 Preposition Aaron אַהֲרֹ֜ן H175 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . וְאֶל־ H413 Conjunctive waw | Preposition and his sons בָּנָ֗יו H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular to treat with respect וְיִנָּֽזְרוּ֙ H5144 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural the sacred offerings מִקָּדְשֵׁ֣י H6944 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct that the Israelites בְנֵֽי־ H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct . . . יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Pronoun - relative - הֵ֧ם H1992 Pronoun - third person masculine plural have consecrated to Me מַקְדִּשִׁ֛ים H6942 Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural so that they do not וְלֹ֥א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle profane יְחַלְּל֖וּ H2490 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker My holy קָדְשִׁ֑י H6944 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular name שֵׁ֣ם H8034 Noun - masculine singular construct I אֲנִ֥י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular am the LORD יְהוָֽה׃ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 3

Original words

Tell אֱמֹ֣ר H559 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular them [that] אֲלֵהֶ֗ם H413 Preposition | third person masculine plural for the generations to come לְדֹרֹ֨תֵיכֶ֜ם H1755 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural if any כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct - אִ֣ישׁ׀ H376 Noun - masculine singular אֲשֶׁר־ אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative - מִכָּל־ H3605 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct of [their] descendants זַרְעֲכֶ֗ם H2233 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine plural . . . אֶל־ H413 Preposition in a state of uncleanness וְטֻמְאָת֖וֹ H2932 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular . . . עָלָ֑יו H5921 Preposition | third person masculine singular approaches יִקְרַ֣ב H7126 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular the sacred offerings הַקֳּדָשִׁים֙ H6944 Article | Noun - masculine plural that אֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Pronoun - relative the Israelites בְנֵֽי־ H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct . . . יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular consecrate יַקְדִּ֤ישׁוּ H6942 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural to the LORD לַֽיהוָ֔ה H3068 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular that הַהִ֛וא H1931 Article | Pronoun - third person feminine singular person הַנֶּ֧פֶשׁ H5315 Article | Noun - feminine singular must be cut off וְנִכְרְתָ֞ה H3772 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular from My presence מִלְּפָנַ֖י H6440 Preposition-m, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular I אֲנִ֥י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular am the LORD יְהוָֽה׃ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 4

Original words

If a descendant מִזֶּ֣רַע H2233 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct . . . אִ֣ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular . . . אִ֞ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular of Aaron אַהֲרֹ֗ן H175 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . וְה֤וּא H1931 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine singular has a skin disease צָר֙וּעַ֙ H6879 Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular or א֣וֹ H176 Conjunction a discharge זָ֔ב H2100 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular he may not eat יֹאכַ֔ל H398 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle the sacred offerings בַּקֳּדָשִׁים֙ H6944 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural until עַ֖ד H5704 Preposition - אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative he is clean יִטְהָ֑ר H2891 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Whoever touches וְהַנֹּגֵ֙עַ֙ H5060 Conjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular anything בְּכָל־ H3605 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct defiled טְמֵא־ H2931 Adjective - masculine singular construct by a corpse נֶ֔פֶשׁ H5315 Noun - feminine singular or א֣וֹ H176 Conjunction by a man אִ֔ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular who אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative has תֵּצֵ֥א H3318 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular מִמֶּ֖נּוּ מִמֶּ֖נּוּ H4480 Preposition | third person masculine singular an emission שִׁכְבַת־ H7902 Noun - feminine singular construct of semen זָֽרַע׃ H2233 Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Forms of the Hebrew tzaraath, traditionally translated as leprosy, were used for various skin diseases; see Leviticus 13.
Verse 5

Original words

or אוֹ־ H176 Conjunction whoever אִישׁ֙ H376 Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative touches יִגַּ֔ע H5060 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular a בְּכָל־ H3605 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct crawling creature שֶׁ֖רֶץ H8318 Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative - יִטְמָא־ H2930 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular or א֤וֹ H176 Conjunction a person בְאָדָם֙ H120 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular that אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative makes him unclean יִטְמָא־ H2930 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular whatever לְכֹ֖ל H3605 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct the uncleanness may be טֻמְאָתֽוֹ׃ H2932 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 6

Original words

the man נֶ֚פֶשׁ H5315 Noun - feminine singular who אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative touches תִּגַּע־ H5060 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular any of these בּ֔וֹ Preposition | third person masculine singular will remain unclean וְטָמְאָ֖ה H2930 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular until עַד־ H5704 Preposition evening הָעָ֑רֶב H6153 Article | Noun - masculine singular He must not וְלֹ֤א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle eat יֹאכַל֙ H398 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular from מִן־ H4480 Preposition the sacred offerings הַקֳּדָשִׁ֔ים H6944 Article | Noun - masculine plural unless כִּ֛י H3588 Conjunction . . . אִם־ H518 Conjunction he has bathed רָחַ֥ץ H7364 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular himself בְּשָׂר֖וֹ H1320 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular with water בַּמָּֽיִם׃ H4325 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Verse 7

Original words

When the sun הַשֶּׁ֖מֶשׁ H8121 Article | Noun - common singular has set וּבָ֥א H935 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular he will become clean וְטָהֵ֑ר H2891 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular and then וְאַחַר֙ H310 Conjunctive waw | Adverb he may eat יֹאכַ֣ל H398 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular from מִן־ H4480 Preposition the sacred offerings הַקֳּדָשִׁ֔ים H6944 Article | Noun - masculine plural for כִּ֥י H3588 Conjunction they הֽוּא׃ H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular are his food לַחְמ֖וֹ H3899 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 8

Original words

He must not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle eat יֹאכַ֖ל H398 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular anything found dead נְבֵלָ֧ה H5038 Noun - feminine singular or torn by wild animals וּטְרֵפָ֛ה H2966 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular which would make him unclean לְטָמְאָה־ H2930 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular I אֲנִ֖י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular am the LORD יְהוָֽה׃ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 9

Original words

[The priests] must keep וְשָׁמְר֣וּ H8104 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker My charge מִשְׁמַרְתִּ֗י H4931 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular lest וְלֹֽא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle they bear יִשְׂא֤וּ H5375 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural - עָלָיו֙ H5921 Preposition | third person masculine singular the guilt חֵ֔טְא H2399 Noun - masculine singular and die וּמֵ֥תוּ H4191 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural because כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction they profane it יְחַלְּלֻ֑הוּ H2490 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person masculine singular I אֲנִ֥י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular am the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular who sanctifies them מְקַדְּשָֽׁם׃ H6942 Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural

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.