# Leviticus 21 š: Holiness of the Priests
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> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#š Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#š Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#š¤ Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#š§ Chapter Summary]]
> [[#āļø Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#š Key Principles / š Life Application]]
> [[#š¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#āļø Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#š Related Passages/Cross Reference]]
> [[#š Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#š Internal Notes]]
## š Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
### Rules for the Priests
[[#Verse 01.]]Ā TheĀ LordĀ said to Moses, āSay to the priests, the sons of Aaronāsay to them: āFor a dead personĀ no priestĀ is to defile himself among his people,
[[#Verse 02.]]Ā except for his close relative who is near to himāhis mother, his father, his son, his daughter, his brother,Ā
[[#Verse 03.]]Ā and his virgin sister who is near to him,Ā who has no husbandāhe may defile himself for her.Ā
[[#Verse 04.]]Ā He must not defile himself as a husband among his people so as to profane himself.Ā
[[#Verse 05.]]Ā PriestsĀ must not have a bald spot shaved on their head, they must not shave the corner of their beard, and they must not cut slashes in their body.
[[#Verse 06.]]Ā āāThey must be holy to their God, and they must not profaneĀ the name of their God, because they are the ones who present theĀ Lordās gifts,Ā the food of their God. Therefore they must be holy.Ā
[[#Verse 07.]]Ā They must not take a wife defiled by prostitution,Ā nor are they to take a wife divorced from her husband,Ā for the priestĀ is holy to his God.
[[#Verse 08.]]Ā You must sanctify him because he presents the food of your God. He must be holy to you because I, theĀ LordĀ who sanctifies you all,Ā am holy.Ā
[[#Verse 09.]]Ā If a daughter of a priest profanes herself by engaging in prostitution, she is profaning her father. She must be burned to death.
### Rules for the High Priest
[[#Verse 10.]]Ā āāThe highĀ priestāwho is greater than his brothers, and on whose head the anointing oil is poured, and who has been ordainedĀ to wear the priestly garmentsāmust neither dishevel the hair of his head nor tear his garments.
[[#Verse 11.]]Ā He must not go where there is any dead person;Ā he must not defile himself even for his father or for his mother.Ā
[[#Verse 12.]]Ā He must not go out from the sanctuary and must not profaneĀ the sanctuary of his God, because the dedication of the anointing oil of his God is on him. I am theĀ Lord.Ā
[[#Verse 13.]]Ā He must take a wife who is a virgin.Ā
[[#Verse 14.]]Ā He must not marryĀ a widow, a divorced woman, or one profaned by prostitution; he may only take a virgin from his peopleĀ as a wife,Ā
[[#Verse 15.]]Ā so that he does not profane his children among his people,Ā for I am theĀ LordĀ who sanctifies him.āā
### Rules for the Priesthood
[[#Verse 16.]]Ā TheĀ LordĀ spoke to Moses:
[[#Verse 17.]]Ā āTell Aaron, āNo man from your descendants throughout their generationsĀ who has a physical flawĀ is to approach to present the food of his God.Ā
[[#Verse 18.]]Ā CertainlyĀ no man who has a physical flaw is to approach: a blind man, or one who is lame, or one with a slit nose,Ā or who has a limb too long,
[[#Verse 19.]]Ā or a man who has had a broken leg or arm,Ā
[[#Verse 20.]]Ā or a hunchback, or a dwarf,Ā or one with a spot in his eye,Ā or a festering eruption, or a feverish rash,Ā or a crushed testicle.Ā
[[#Verse 21.]]Ā No man from the descendants of Aaron the priest who has a physical flaw may step forwardĀ to present theĀ Lordās gifts; he has a physical flaw, so he must not step forward to present the food of his God.Ā
[[#Verse 22.]]Ā He may eat both the most holy and the holy food of his God,Ā
[[#Verse 23.]]Ā but he must not go near the special curtainĀ or step forward to the altar because he has a physical flaw. ThusĀ he must not profane my holy places, for I am theĀ LordĀ who sanctifies them.āā
[[#Verse 24.]]Ā SoĀ Moses spoke these thingsĀ to Aaron, his sons, and all the Israelites.
## š Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
###### Verse 02.
###### Verse 03.
###### Verse 04.
###### Verse 05.
###### Verse 06.
###### Verse 07.
###### Verse 08.
###### Verse 09.
###### Verse 10.
###### Verse 11.
###### Verse 12.
###### Verse 13.
###### Verse 14.
###### Verse 15.
###### Verse 16.
###### Verse 17.
###### Verse 18.
###### Verse 19.
###### Verse 20.
###### Verse 21.
###### Verse 22.
###### Verse 23.
###### Verse 24.
## š¤ Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. Ordinary priests could become unclean only for close relatives: mother, father, son, daughter, brother, or unmarried sister (21:1-3).
2. The high priest could not make himself unclean even for his father or mother (21:11).
3. Priests could not shave their heads, trim the edges of their beards, or cut their bodies (21:5), all pagan mourning customs.
4. Priests could not marry a prostitute or a divorced woman (21:7).
5. The high priest had to marry a virgin from his own people (21:13-14).
6. The high priest was not to tear his garments (21:10). Caiaphas tore his robes at Jesus' trial (Matthew 26:65).
7. The physical defects that disqualified a priest (21:18-20) parallel the defects that disqualified sacrificial animals (22:22-24).
8. A priest with a defect could still eat the most holy food (21:22).
9. The offerings are called "the food of his God" (21:6, 8, 17), though Scripture is clear that God does not need food (Psalm 50:12-13).
10. A priest's daughter who became a prostitute faced severe punishment because she profaned her father (21:9).
## š§ Chapter Summary
> [!note] š± Still growing. This section is on its way.
## āļø Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the holy, innocent, undefiled High Priest (Hebrews 7:26). Priests with physical defects could not offer sacrifices (21:17), but Jesus is without defect of any kind, and He welcomes the broken to His table (Luke 14:13).
## š Key Principles / š Life Application
> [!note] š± Still growing. This section is on its way.
## š¬ Discussion Questions
1. Priests were to be holy because they presented the food of their God (21:6). How does serving God shape how we live in private?
2. Priests with defects could not offer sacrifices but could still eat the holy food (21:21-22). What does that show about God's care for them?
3. The high priest's standards were higher than those of other priests (21:10-15). Why does greater responsibility bring greater accountability?
## āļø Key Verses to Remember
- š verse 6: Priests must be holy to their God and not profane His name.
- š verse 8: The Lord who sanctifies His people is holy.
- š verse 22: A priest with a defect may still eat the holy food of his God.
## š Related Passages/Cross Reference
- š [[Hebrews 07#Verse 26.|Hebrews 7:26-28]] - A High Priest who is holy and innocent.
- š [[1 Peter 02#Verse 05.|1 Peter 2:5]] - A holy priesthood offering spiritual sacrifices.
- š [[Matthew 26#Verse 65.|Matthew 26:65]] - The high priest tears his robes.
- š [[Luke 14#Verse 13.|Luke 14:13]] - Invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind.
- š [[2 Samuel 09#Verse 07.|2 Samuel 9:7]] - Mephibosheth eats at the king's table.
## š Devotional Reflection
> [!note] š± Still growing. This section is on its way.
## š Internal Notes