The Torah · Old Testament
Leviticus 21
Priestly obligations and limits on sanctuary service
General context
The Lord gives Moses instructions for Aaron's priestly family. Priests may incur uncleanness for certain close relatives who die, but receive restrictions on mourning practices and marriage. The chapter prescribes burning for a priest's daughter who engages in prostitution. The high priest faces stricter rules: he must not become unclean even for his parents' deaths, leave the sanctuary or take a wife outside the specified conditions. A further address concerns Aaron's descendants with listed bodily conditions. They may eat both holy and most holy food, but may not go in to the veil or approach the altar to serve. Moses communicates these instructions to Aaron, his sons and Israel.
Cited passages: Leviticus 21:1, Leviticus 21:2, Leviticus 21:3, Leviticus 21:4, Leviticus 21:5, Leviticus 21:6, Leviticus 21:7, Leviticus 21:8, Leviticus 21:9, Leviticus 21:10, Leviticus 21:11, Leviticus 21:12, Leviticus 21:13, Leviticus 21:14, Leviticus 21:15, Leviticus 21:16, Leviticus 21:17, Leviticus 21:18, Leviticus 21:19, Leviticus 21:20, Leviticus 21:21, Leviticus 21:22, Leviticus 21:23, Leviticus 21:24
Leviticus 21 (KJV)
1And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto them, There shall none be defiled for the dead among his people:
2But for his kin, that is near unto him, that is, for his mother, and for his father, and for his son, and for his daughter, and for his brother,
3And for his sister a virgin, that is nigh unto him, which hath had no husband; for her may he be defiled.
4But he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.
5They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.
6They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of their God: for the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and the bread of their God, they do offer: therefore they shall be holy.
7They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God.
8Thou shalt sanctify him therefore; for he offereth the bread of thy God: he shall be holy unto thee: for I the Lord, which sanctify you, am holy.
9And the daughter of any priest, if she profane herself by playing the whore, she profaneth her father: she shall be burnt with fire.
10And he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes;
11Neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother;
12Neither shall he 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.
13And he shall take a wife in her virginity.
14A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, or an harlot, these shall he not take: but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife.
15Neither shall he profane his seed among his people: for I the Lord do sanctify him.
16And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
17Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God.
18For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous,
19Or a man that is brokenfooted, or brokenhanded,
20Or crookbackt, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken;
21No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the Lord made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God.
22He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy.
23Only he shall not go in unto the vail, nor come nigh unto the altar, because he hath a blemish; that he profane not my sanctuaries: for I the Lord do sanctify them.
24And Moses told it unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel.
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Historical context
The ordinary priests' exceptions for close family are distinguished from the high priest's rule about the dead. The high priest is identified by anointing and consecration to wear the garments. The KJV calls the bodily conditions 'blemishes' and lists examples. The service restriction does not remove these men from Aaron's family or deny them the priestly food explicitly permitted in verse 22. The chapter states the restriction without identifying a moral offense that caused a person's bodily condition.
Cited passages: Leviticus 21:1, Leviticus 21:2, Leviticus 21:3, Leviticus 21:10, Leviticus 21:11, Leviticus 21:12, Leviticus 21:13, Leviticus 21:14, Leviticus 21:15, Leviticus 21:16, Leviticus 21:17, Leviticus 21:18, Leviticus 21:19, Leviticus 21:20, Leviticus 21:21, Leviticus 21:22, Leviticus 21:23
Literary context
The instructions move from priests generally to the high priest and then to descendants whose conditions restrict their service. Repeated references to holiness and profaning the sanctuary connect the sections. The final distinction between eating sacred food and approaching the altar prevents the service prohibition from being read as a ban on every priestly entitlement.
Cited passages: Leviticus 21:6, Leviticus 21:7, Leviticus 21:8, Leviticus 21:10, Leviticus 21:11, Leviticus 21:12, Leviticus 21:13, Leviticus 21:14, Leviticus 21:15, Leviticus 21:16, Leviticus 21:17, Leviticus 21:18, Leviticus 21:19, Leviticus 21:20, Leviticus 21:21, Leviticus 21:22, Leviticus 21:23
Key moments
- Exceptions for close relatives (Leviticus 21:2). The ordinary priest's rule about the dead makes exceptions for named close family members.
- The high priest's stricter rule (Leviticus 21:11). The high priest must not incur uncleanness even for the death of a father or mother.
- Sacred food remains permitted (Leviticus 21:22). The descendant whose condition bars him from altar service may still eat holy and most holy food.
For reflection
Which differences does the chapter maintain between priestly membership, eating holy food and performing sanctuary service?