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 their children will be holy. I am the Lord. I make priests holy.’ 16The Lord said to Moses, ‘Talk to Aaron. Say, “A priest who does not have a perfect body must not sacrifice the burnt offerings to God.” This rule is for now and for all time. 18A priest who cannot see must not sacrifice the food to God. A priest who cannot walk must not sacrifice food to God. A priest with a body that is the wrong shape must not offer food to God. 19A priest with a hand that is the wrong shape must not offer food to God. A priest with a foot that is the wrong shape must not offer food to God.

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 22:20They must not give any animal that is not perfect. The Lord will not accept that animal.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:10You know that we lived in a good way when we were with you. God also knows that. We were completely honest with you believers. Nobody could say that we did anything wrong.
• 1 Timothy 3:2For that reason, a leader of the church must live a life that everyone knows is good. He must be the husband of one wife. He must think seriously about how he lives and he must control himself well. He must be someone that people respect. He must be happy to have visitors in his home. He must be a good teacher.
• Hebrews 7:26Jesus is the kind of special priest that we need. He completely belongs to God. He has never done anything wrong. He is completely good and clean. He is separate from everyone who does wrong things. God has raised him up to the most important place in heaven.
• Leviticus 21:21If a priest's son has something wrong with his body, he must not come near to the altar. He must not give the food offering to the Lord.
• Leviticus 10:3Then Moses said to Aaron, ‘This is what the Lord said, “People may come near to me. But those people must see that I am holy. All the people must give honour to me.” ’ Aaron did not reply.
• Numbers 16:5Moses said to Korah and to all the other men, ‘Tomorrow the Lord will show us who is truly special to him. He will show us who really belongs to him. He will make the person that he chooses come near to him.
• Psalms 65:4You have blessed each person that you have chosen. You let them live near to you in your home. The good things that are in your holy temple will make us very happy!
• Leviticus 3:11The priest will burn them as food on the altar. They are a burnt offering 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