Christian Standard Bible
Leviticus 21:10
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 clothes, must not dishevel his hair or tear his clothes.
Leviticus 21:10 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And 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;
- New International Version (NIV)“ ‘The high priest, the one among his brothers who has had the anointing oil poured on his head and who has been ordained to wear the priestly garments, must not let his hair become unkempt or tear his clothes.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"The priest who is chief among his brothers, on whose head the anointing oil is poured and who has been consecrated to wear the garments, shall not let the hair of his head hang loose nor tear his clothes.
- New King James Version (NKJV)‘He who is the high priest among his brethren, on whose head the anointing oil was poured and who is consecrated to wear the garments, shall not uncover his head nor tear his clothes;
Context of Leviticus 21:10
8You are to consider him holy since he presents the food of your God. He will be holy to you because I, the Lord who sets you apart, am holy. 9If a priest’s daughter defiles herself by promiscuity, she defiles her father; she must be burned to death. “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 clothes, must not dishevel his hair or tear his clothes. 11He must not go near any dead person or make himself unclean even for his father or mother. 12He must not leave the sanctuary or he will desecrate the sanctuary of his God, for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is on him; I am the Lord.
Read all of Leviticus 21Leviticus 21:10 word by word
וְהַכֹּהֵן֩ הַגָּד֨וֹל מֵאֶחָ֜יו אֲֽשֶׁר־יוּצַ֥ק עַל־רֹאשׁ֣וֹ׀ שֶׁ֤מֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה֙ וּמִלֵּ֣א אֶת־יָד֔וֹ לִלְבֹּ֖שׁ אֶת־הַבְּגָדִ֑ים אֶת־רֹאשׁוֹ֙ לֹ֣א יִפְרָ֔ע וּבְגָדָ֖יו לֹ֥א יִפְרֹֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- the highגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- priestכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
- among his brethrenאָח'âch · brother: male-relativeH251
- upon whose headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
- the anointingמִשְׁחָהmishchâh moshchâh · anointingH4888
- oilשֶׁ֫מֶןshemen · oilH8081
- was pouredיָצַקyâtsaq · to pour: pourH3332
- and that is consecratedיָדyâd · hand: donateH3027
- and that is consecratedמָלֵאmâlê' mâlâ' · to fillH4390
- to putלָבֵשׁlâbash lâbêsh · to clotheH3847
- on the garmentsבֶּ֫גֶדbeged · garmentH899
- shall not uncoverפָּרַעpâra‛ · to neglectH6544
- nor rendפָּרַםpâram · to tearH6533
Cross-references for Leviticus 21:10
- Leviticus 8:12He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed and consecrated him.
- Leviticus 10:7You must not go outside the entrance to the tent of meeting or you will die, for the Lord’s anointing oil is on you.” So they did as Moses said.
- Leviticus 16:32The priest who is anointed and ordained to serve as high priest in place of his father will make atonement. He will put on the linen garments, the holy garments,
- Exodus 29:29“The holy garments that belong to Aaron are to belong to his sons after him, so that they can be anointed and ordained in them.
- Numbers 35:25The assembly is to protect the one who kills someone from the avenger of blood. Then the assembly will return him to the city of refuge he fled to, and he must live there until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil.
- Psalms 133:2It is like fine oil on the head, running down on the beard, running down Aaron’s beard onto his robes.
- Leviticus 8:7He put the tunic on Aaron, wrapped the sash around him, clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod on him. He put the woven band of the ephod around him and fastened it to him.
- Exodus 28:2Make holy garments for your brother Aaron, for glory and beauty.
- Leviticus 10:6Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not let your hair hang loose and do not tear your clothes, or else you will die, and the Lord will become angry with the whole community. However, your brothers, the whole house of Israel, may weep over the fire that the Lord caused.
- Leviticus 13:45“The person who has a case of serious skin disease is to have his clothes torn and his hair hanging loose, and he must cover his mouth and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean!’
- 2 Samuel 15:30David was climbing the slope of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he ascended. His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. All of the people with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they ascended.
- Esther 6:12Then Mordecai returned to the King’s Gate, but Haman hurried off for home, mournful and with his head covered.
- Genesis 37:34Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days.
- Job 1:20Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped,
- Matthew 26:65Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? See, now you’ve heard the blasphemy.
Commentaries on Leviticus 21:10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10He that is the high priest - This is the first place where this title is introduced; the title is very emphatic, הגדול הכהן haccohen haggadol, that priest, the great one. For the meaning of כהן cohen, see the note on Genesis 14:18. As the chief or high priest was a representative of our blessed Lord, therefore he was required to be especially holy; and he is represented as God's king among the people.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10It was the distinguishing mark of the anointing of the high priest, that the holy oil was poured upon his head like a crown (compare Leviticus 8:12). Uncover his head - Rather, let his hair be disheveled. See the note at Leviticus 10:6.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10-15The rules for common priests were more strict than for the high priest, who represented all of Israel, including other priests (Leviticus 21:1–4). The priest must always keep his hair neat and not tear his clothing in mourning. This ensured he was always ready to serve. While a common priest could marry a widow, the high priest could only marry a virgin. This ensured that future high priests and common priests from that union would have a clear lineage…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 10-1510-15. he that is the high priest among his brethren ... shall not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes--The indulgence in the excepted cases of family bereavement, mentioned above [Le 21:2, 3], which was granted to the common priests, was denied to him; for his absence from the sanctuary for the removal of any contracted defilement could not have been dispensed with, neither could he have acted as intercessor for the people, unless ceremonially clean…Read the comment
Topics related to Leviticus 21:10
In the dictionaries
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
Christian Standard Bible — © 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Commentaries