Berean Study Bible (BSB) Reader

Leviticus 21

A calm reading view. Notes and saves remain available.

Current outline context

The Grain Offering 6:14–23
The Sin Offering 6:24–30
The Peace Offering 7:11–36
Conclusion of Offerings 7:37–38
Moses Consecrates Aaron and His Sons 8:1–36
First Service of Aaron 9:1–24
Clean and Unclean Animals 11:1–47
Skin Disease 13:1–46
Mildew 13:47–59
Cleansing of Skin Disease 14:1–32
Cleansing of Mildew 14:33–57
Unclean Discharges 15:1–33
Women 15:19–33
Uncleanness 15:19–27
Cleansing 15:28–33
Purification of the Nation 16:20–28
Laws for Annual Day of Atonement 16:29–34
Unlawful Sexual Relations 18:1–30
Commandments for Holiness 19:1–37
Punishments for Disobedience 20:1–27
Punishments for Sexual Immorality 20:10–21
Distinguish Between Clean and Unclean 20:22–27
Holiness Required of Priests 21:1–22:33
Requirements for Priests 21–22:16
Physical Requirements 21:16–24

Find a verse

Search Scripture

Open a passage

Passage selector

1 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,

2 except for his immediate family—his mother, father, son, daughter, or brother,

3 or his unmarried sister who is near to him, since she has no husband.

4 He is not to defile himself for those related to him by marriage, and so profane himself.

5 Priests must not make bald spots on their heads, shave off the edges of their beards, or make cuts in their bodies.

6 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.

7 A priest must not marry a woman defiled by prostitution or divorced by her husband, for the priest is holy to his God.

8 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.

9 If a priest’s daughter defiles herself by prostituting herself, she profanes her father; she must be burned in the fire.

10 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.

11 He must not go near any dead body; he must not defile himself, even for his father or mother.

12 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.

13 The woman he marries must be a virgin.

14 He is not to marry a widow, a divorced woman, or one defiled by prostitution. He is to marry a virgin from his own people,

15 so that he does not defile his offspring among his people, for I am the LORD who sanctifies him.”

16 Then the LORD said to Moses,

17 “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.

18 No man who has any defect may approach—no man who is blind, lame, disfigured, or deformed;

19 no man who has a broken foot or hand,

20 or who is a hunchback or dwarf, or who has an eye defect, a festering rash, scabs, or a crushed testicle.

21 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.

22 He may eat the most holy food of his God as well as the holy food,

23 but because he has a defect, he must not go near the veil or approach the altar, so as not to desecrate My sanctuaries. For I am the LORD who sanctifies them.’”

24 Moses told this to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites.

Questions about this chapter

No public questions are linked to Leviticus 21 yet.

Ask about Leviticus 21

Leviticus 21

Search Scripture

Passage selector

Study connections for Leviticus 21

BALDNESS

BLEMISH

BLINDNESS

Questions about this chapter