The Book of
Leviticus 21
24 verses≈ 4 min2 peopleBSB
Images are artistic interpretations.
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In this chapter
Where we are
- 1–7The offeringsHow sinners draw near
- 8–10The priestsOrdained, and a warning
- 11–15Clean and uncleanLife before a holy God
- 16The Day of AtonementSins carried away
- 17–27A holy peopleBe holy, for I am holyChapter 21
Holiness Required of Priests
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, except for his immediate family—his mother, father, son, daughter, or brother, or his unmarried sister who is near to him, since she has no husband. He is not to defile himself for those related to him by marriage, and so profane himself.
0:22
Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain
Mourning
No shaved patches, no cuts
Priests must not make bald spots on their heads, shave off the edges of their beards, or make cuts in their bodies.
They present the food of God
They must be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God. Because they present to the LORD the food offerings, the food of their God, they must be holy.
Marriage
Whom a priest may not marry
A priest must not marry a woman defiled by prostitution or divorced by her husband, for the priest is holy to his God.
He shall be holy to you
You are to regard him as holy, since he presents the food of your God. He shall be holy to you, because I the LORD am holy—I who set you apart.
Household
A priest’s daughter who sins
If a priest’s daughter defiles herself by prostituting herself, she profanes her father; she must be burned in the fire.
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He shall be holy to you, because I the LORD am holy—I who set you apart.
Leviticus 21:8
Reflect
Set apart
God says of His priests, “I the LORD am holy—I who set you apart.” Their holiness began with Him, not with them. If you belong to Christ, He has set you apart too. What does it change in your week to know that you belong to Him? Write it down. Then pray: Lord, You have set me apart for Yourself; let my life show whose I am.
The priest who is highest among his brothers, who has had the anointing oil poured on his head and has been ordained to wear the priestly garments, must not let his hair hang loose or tear his garments. He must not go near any dead body; he must not defile himself, even for his father or mother. He must not leave or desecrate the sanctuary of his God, for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is on him. I am the LORD.
The law
The high priest’s bride
A virgin bride
The woman he marries must be a virgin.
Not a widow or a divorced woman
He is not to marry a widow, a divorced woman, or one defiled by prostitution.
From his own people, his line holy
He is to marry a virgin from his own people, so that he does not defile his offspring among his people, for I am the LORD who sanctifies him.”
Circles of holiness
Whiteboard
Holiness spread out from God like rings around a fire. The priests were to be holy, the high priest most of all, “for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is on him,” and the people and the land were to be holy as well. Hebrews says Christ is the great high priest who opened the way, so every believer may now draw near to God through Him.
Question
Quick question
Ordinary priests could mourn their closest family. The high priest could not.
Why was the high priest not to go near any dead body, even his father’s or mother’s?
Restrictions against Those with Blemishes
Then the LORD said to Moses, “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.
The law
Who may not serve
Blind, lame, disfigured or deformed
No man who has any defect may approach—no man who is blind, lame, disfigured, or deformed;
A broken foot or hand
no man who has a broken foot or hand,
Other defects of the body
or who is a hunchback or dwarf, or who has an eye defect, a festering rash, scabs, or a crushed testicle.
None may offer the food
No descendant of Aaron the priest who has a defect shall approach to present the food offerings to the LORD. Since he has a defect, he is not to come near to offer the food of his God.
Pray
Still at the table
A son of Aaron with a defect could not serve at the altar, yet God said, “He may eat the most holy food of his God as well as the holy food.” Jesus goes further: He welcomes the weak and the broken to His table, and gives them a place. Thank Him for welcoming you. Then pray for someone you know who feels shut out, that they would find a place at His table too.
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Leviticus 21
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A verse to carry with you
He shall be holy to you, because I the LORD am holy—I who set you apart.
Leviticus 21:8
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