Leviticus 21

Leviticus · Chapter 21

Leviticus 21:1

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.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
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:Then 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,And Jehovah said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say unto them, There shall none defile himself for the dead among his people;

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and he saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai-YO-merH0559
to say

אָמַר (a.mar) 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Yahwehיְהוָה֙YAH-wehH3068G
Lord

אֲדֹנָי (a.do.nai) Lord - a title, spoken in place of Yahweh in Jewish display of reverence Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

toאֶל־'el-H0413
to(wards)

אֶל (el) 1) to, toward, unto (of motion) 2) into (limit is actually entered) 2a) in among 3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion) 4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character) 5) in addition to, to 6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of 7) according to (rule or standard) 8) at, by, against (of one's presence) 9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Mosesמֹשֶׁ֔הmo-SHEHH4872
Moses

מְנַשֶּׁה (me.nash.sheh) A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.2.10; son of: Amram (H6019) and Jochebed (H3115); brother of: Aaron (H0175) and Miriam (H4813); married to Zipporah (H6855); father of: Gershom (H1647) and Eliezer (H0461H); also called Manasseh at Jdg.18.30(?) Another name of mo.sheh (מֹשֶׁה "Moses" H4872) § Manasseh = "causing to forget" 1) the eldest son of Joseph and progenitor of the tribe of Manasseh 1a) the tribe descended from Manasseh 1b) the territory occupied by the tribe of Manasseh …

sayאֱמֹ֥ר'e-MORH0559
to say

אָמַר (a.mar) 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

toאֶל־'el-H0413
to(wards)

אֶל (el) 1) to, toward, unto (of motion) 2) into (limit is actually entered) 2a) in among 3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion) 4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character) 5) in addition to, to 6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of 7) according to (rule or standard) 8) at, by, against (of one's presence) 9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

the priestsהַכֹּהֲנִ֖יםha-ko-ha-NIMH3548
priest

כֹּהֵן (ko.hen) 1) priest, principal officer or chief ruler 1a) priest-king (Melchizedek, Messiah) 1b) pagan priests 1c) priests of Jehovah 1d) Levitical priests 1e) Zadokite priests 1f) Aaronic priests 1g) the high priest Aramaic equivalent: ka.hen (כָּהֵן "priest" H3549)

[the] sons ofבְּנֵ֣יbe-NEIH1121A
son: child

בֵּן (ben) : child/son

Aaronאַהֲרֹ֑ן'a-ha-RONH0175
Aaron

אַהֲרֹן (a.ha.ron) A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.4.14; son of: Amram (H6019) and Jochebed (H3115); brother of: Moses (H4872) and Miriam (H4813); married to Elisheba (H0472); father of: Nadab (H5070), Abihu (H0030), Eleazar (H0499) and Ithamar (H0385) Also named: Aarōn (Ἀαρών "Aaron" G0002) § Aaron = "light bringer" brother of Moses, a Levite and the first high priest

and you will sayוְאָמַרְתָּ֣ve-'a-mar-TAH0559
to say

אָמַר (a.mar) 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

to themאֲלֵהֶ֔ם'a-le-HEMH0413
to(wards)

אֶל (el) 1) to, toward, unto (of motion) 2) into (limit is actually entered) 2a) in among 3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion) 4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character) 5) in addition to, to 6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of 7) according to (rule or standard) 8) at, by, against (of one's presence) 9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

for a corpseלְנֶ֥פֶשׁle-NE-feshH5315M
soul

נֶ֫פֶשׁ (ne.phesh) 1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion 1a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man 1b) living being 1c) living being (with life in the blood) 1d) the man himself, self, person or individual 1e) seat of the appetites 1f) seat of emotions and passions 1g) activity of mind 1g1) uncertain 1h) activity of the will 1h1) uncertain 1i) activity of the character 1i1) uncertain

notלֹֽא־lo'-H3808
not

לֹא (lo) 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

he will make himself uncleanיִטַּמָּ֖אyi-ta-MA'H2930A
to defile

טָמֵא (ta.me) 1) to be unclean, become unclean, become impure 1a) (Qal) to be or become unclean 1a1) sexually 1a2) religiously 1a3) ceremonially 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to defile oneself, be defiled 1b1a) sexually 1b1b) by idolatry 1b1c) ceremonially 1b2) to be regarded as unclean 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to defile 1c1a) sexually 1c1b) religiously 1c1c) ceremonially 1c2) to pronounce unclean, declare unclean (ceremonially) 1c3) to profane (God's name) 1d) (Pual) to be defiled 1e) (Hithpael) to be unclean 1f) (Hothpael) to be defiled

among kinspeoples hisבְּעַמָּֽיו׃be-'a-MAVH5971B
kinsman

עַם (am) kinsman, kindred

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.