Leviticus 21

Leviticus · Chapter 21

Leviticus 21:17

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
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.“Say to Aaron, ‘For the generations to come, none of your descendants who has a physical defect may approach to offer the food of his God.Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed throughout their generations that hath a blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God.

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
speakדַּבֵּ֥רda-BERH1696G
to speak: speak

דָבַר (da.var) : speak/tell/command 1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing 1a) (Qal) to speak 1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to speak 1c2) to promise 1d) (Pual) to be spoken 1e) (Hithpael) to speak 1f) (Hiphil) to lead away, put to flight

toאֶֽל־'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)

Aaronאַהֲרֹ֖ן'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

to sayingלֵאמֹ֑רle-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)

a manאִ֣ישׁ'ishH0376G
man

אִישׁ (ish) : man 1) man 1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female) 1b) husband 1c) human being, person (in contrast to God) 1d) servant 1e) mankind 1f) champion 1g) great man 2) whosoever 3) each (adjective)

from offspring yourמִֽזַּרְעֲךָ֞mi-zar-'a-KHAH2233H
seed

זֶ֫רַע (ze.ra) : seed/sowing 1) seed, sowing, offspring 1a) a sowing 1b) seed 1c) semen virile 1d) offspring, descendants, posterity, children 1e) of moral quality 1e1) a practitioner of righteousness (fig.) 1f) sowing time (by meton)

to generations theirלְדֹרֹתָ֗םle-do-ro-TAMH1755
generation

דּוֹר (dor) 1) period, generation, habitation, dwelling 1a) period, age, generation (period of time) 1b) generation (those living during a period) 1c) generation (characterised by quality, condition, class of men) 1d) dwelling-place, habitation Aramaic equivalent: dar (דָּר "generation" H1859)

whomאֲשֶׁ֨ר'a-SHERH0834A
which

אֲשֶׁר (a.sher) A: 1) (relative part.) 1a) which, who 1b) that which 2) (conj) 2a) that (in obj clause) 2b) when 2c) since 2d) as 2e) conditional if B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which 2) (adv) 2a) where 3) (conj) 3a) in that, inasmuch as 3b) on account of C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which 2) from (the place) where 3) from (the fact) that, since D: Kaph+ 1) (conj.), according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when

it will beיִהְיֶ֥הyih-YEHH1961
to be

הָיָה (ha.yah) 1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) --- 1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass 1a1b) to come about, come to pass 1a2) to come into being, become 1a2a) to arise, appear, come 1a2b) to become 1a2b1) to become 1a2b2) to become like 1a2b3) to be instituted, be established 1a3) to be 1a3a) to exist, be in existence 1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time) 1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality) 1a3d) to accompany, be with 1b) (Niphal) …

a blemishמ֔וּםMumH3971B
blemish

מאוּם (m.um) 1) blemish, spot, defect 1a) of physical defect 1b) of moral stain

notלֹ֣אlo'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 draw nearיִקְרַ֔בyik-RAVH7126G
to present: come

קָרַב (qa.rav) : come/approach 1) to come near, approach, enter into, draw near 1a) (Qal) to approach, draw near 1b) (Niphal) to be brought near 1c) (Piel) to cause to approach, bring near, cause to draw near 1d) (Hiphil) to bring near, bring, present

to presentלְהַקְרִ֖יבle-hak-RIVH7126H
to present: come

קָרַב (qa.rav) : come/approach 1) to come near, approach, enter into, draw near 1a) (Qal) to approach, draw near 1b) (Niphal) to be brought near 1c) (Piel) to cause to approach, bring near, cause to draw near 1d) (Hiphil) to bring near, bring, present

[the] food ofלֶ֥חֶםLE-chemH3899H
food

לֶ֫חֶם (le.chem) : food(eating) 1) bread, food, grain 1a) bread 1a1) bread 1a2) bread-corn 1b) food (in general)

God hisאֱלֹהָֽיו׃'e-lo-HAVH0430G
God

אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) This name means "gods" (plural intensive-singular meaning), "God" Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

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