Leviticus 21:17

Leviticus 21:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Speak 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.
• New International Version (NIV)“Say to Aaron: ‘For the generations to come none of your descendants who has a defect may come near to offer the food of his God.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"Speak to Aaron, saying, None of your offspring throughout their generations who has a blemish may approach to offer the bread of his God.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Speak to Aaron, saying: ‘No man of your descendants in succeeding generations, who has any defect, may approach to offer the bread of his God.

Context of Leviticus 21:17

15so that he will not profane or dishonor his children among his people; for I am the Lord who sanctifies the high priest.’ ” 16Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Say to Aaron, ‘Throughout their generations none of your descendants who has any [physical] defect shall approach [the altar] to present the food of his God. 18For no man who has a defect shall approach [God’s altar as a priest]: no man who is blind or lame, or who has a disfigured face, or any deformed limb, 19or a man who has a broken foot or a broken hand,

Leviticus 21:17 word by word

דַּבֵּ֥ר אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹ֑ר אִ֣ישׁ מִֽזַּרְעֲךָ֞ לְדֹרֹתָ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִהְיֶ֥ה בוֹ֙ מ֔וּם לֹ֣א יִקְרַ֔ב לְהַקְרִ֖יב לֶ֥חֶם אֱלֹהָֽיו׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• unto Aaronאַהֲרֹן'ahărôn · AaronH175
• sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Whosoeverאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• of thy seedזֶ֫רַעzera‛ · seed: childrenH2233
• in their generationsדּוֹרdôr dôr · generationH1755
• blemishמוּםm'ûm mûm · blemishH3971
• let him not approachקָרַבqârab · to present: comeH7126
• to offerקָרַבqârab · to present: bringH7126
• the breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
• of his Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430

Cross-references for Leviticus 21:17

• Leviticus 22:20You shall not offer anything which has a blemish, because it will not be accepted for you.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:10You are witnesses, and so is God, how unworldly and just and blameless was our behavior toward you who believe [in our Lord Jesus Christ].
• 1 Timothy 3:2Now an overseer must be blameless and beyond reproach, the husband of one wife, self-controlled, sensible, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
• Hebrews 7:26It was fitting for us to have such a High Priest [perfectly adapted to our needs], holy, blameless, unstained [by sin], separated from sinners and exalted higher than the heavens;
• Leviticus 21:21No man among the descendants of Aaron the priest who has a [physical] defect and is disfigured or deformed is to approach [the altar] to present the offerings of the Lord by fire. He has a defect; he shall not approach [the altar] to present the food of his God.
• Leviticus 10:3Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord said: ‘I will be treated as holy by those who approach Me, And before all the people I will be honored.’ ” So Aaron, therefore, said nothing.
• Numbers 16:5and he spoke to Korah and all his company, saying, “In the morning the Lord will show who belongs to Him, and who is holy, and will bring him near to Himself; the one whom He will choose He will bring near to Himself.
• Psalms 65:4Blessed is the one whom You choose and bring near To dwell in Your courts. We will be filled with the goodness of Your house, Your holy temple.
• Leviticus 3:11The priest shall offer it up in smoke on the altar as food, an offering by fire to the Lord.

Commentaries on Leviticus 21:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Whosoever - hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God - Never was a wiser, a more rational, and a more expedient law enacted relative to sacred matters. The man who ministers in holy things, who professes to be the interpreter of the will of God, should have nothing in his person nor in his manner which cannot contribute to render him respectable in the eyes of those to whom he ministers. If, on the contrary, he has any personal…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16-24Verses 16-24 He was not treated as an outcast, but enjoyed his privileges as a son of Aaron, except in regard to active duties. Leviticus 21:20 A dwarf - One who is small and wasted, either short, as in the text, or slender, as in the margin. It is hardly likely that dwarfishness would be overlooked in this enumeration. So most critical authorities. Scurry or scabbed - These words most probably include all affected with any skin disease. Leviticus 21:22…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-24This section, which discusses priestly rules, six times repeats the phrase I am the Lord who sanctifies (Leviticus 21:15, 23; 22:9, 16, 32; see also 21:8). These words emphasize the link between God's holiness and the holiness expected of priests. This extended to all of Israel (see 8:10; 11:44–45; 19:2). The text specifically addresses priests in 21:1–22:16, while including both clergy and common people in 22:17–33.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 16-2416-24. Whosoever he be ... hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God--As visible things exert a strong influence on the minds of men, any physical infirmity or malformation of body in the ministers of religion, which disturbs the associations or excites ridicule, tends to detract from the weight and authority of the sacred office. Priests laboring under any personal defect were not allowed to officiate in the public service…Read the comment

Topics related to Leviticus 21:17

• Blemish
• Bread
• Priest
• Sanctification

In the dictionaries

• Aaron
• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Blemish
• Corner
• Hair
• Priest
• Profane
• Shave
• Criticism

Commentaries on Leviticus 21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings