Leviticus 21:23

Leviticus 21:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Only he shall not go in unto the vail, nor come nigh unto the altar, because he hath a blemish; that he profane not my sanctuaries: for I the Lord do sanctify them.
• New International Version (NIV)yet because of his defect, he must not go near the curtain or approach the altar, and so desecrate my sanctuary. I am the Lord, who makes them holy.’ ”
• English Standard Version (ESV)but he shall not go through the veil or approach the altar, because he has a blemish, that he may not profane my sanctuaries, for I am the Lord who sanctifies them."
• New King James Version (NKJV)only he shall not go near the veil or approach the altar, because he has a defect, lest he profane My sanctuaries; for I the Lord sanctify them.’ ”

Context of Leviticus 21:23

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. 22He can eat God's holy food and God's most holy food. But none of Aaron's family who is not perfect can go near the holy curtain or the altar. He would make the holy places unclean. I am the Lord. I make them holy.’ 24Moses told all these rules to Aaron, to his sons and to all Israel's people.

Leviticus 21:23 word by word

אַ֣ךְ אֶל־הַפָּרֹ֜כֶת לֹ֣א יָבֹ֗א וְאֶל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֛חַ לֹ֥א יִגַּ֖שׁ כִּֽי־מ֣וּם בּ֑וֹ וְלֹ֤א יְחַלֵּל֙ אֶת־מִקְדָּשַׁ֔י כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה מְקַדְּשָֽׁם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Only he shall not go inבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• unto the vailפָּרֹ֫כֶתpôreketh · curtainH6532
• nor come nighנָגַשׁnâgash · to approach: approachH5066
• unto the altarמִזְבֵּחַmizbêach · altarH4196
• because he hath a blemishמוּםm'ûm mûm · blemishH3971
• that he profaneחָלַלchâlal · to profane/begin: profaneH2490
• not my sanctuariesמִקְדָּשׁmiqdâsh miqqedâsh · sanctuaryH4720
• for I the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• do sanctifyקָדַשׁqâdash · to consecrate: consecateH6942

Cross-references for Leviticus 21:23

• Exodus 30:6Put the altar for incense in the Holy Place in the tabernacle. Put it in front of the curtain that hides the Covenant Box. It will be near the special lid that covers the Covenant Box. That is the place where I will meet with you.
• Exodus 40:26Moses put the gold altar in the Tent of Meeting, outside the curtain that hid the Covenant Box.
• Ezekiel 44:9This is what the Almighty Lord God says: No foreigner may go into my holy place if he is not circumcised and he does not want to obey me. Even if that foreigner lives among my people, the Israelites, he must not go in there.
• Leviticus 21:12He must not leave the house of God. He has the holy oil on his head. He must be separate. I am the Lord.
• Leviticus 15:31The tabernacle is God's house. It is among Israel's people. The priests must keep the people away from anything that makes them unclean. If they are not clean, they will make the Tent of Meeting unclean. So they will die.’
• Leviticus 21:8A priest is holy because he sacrifices the people's offerings to God. A priest is holy because I, the Lord, am holy.

Commentaries on Leviticus 21:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23He shall not go in unto the veil - The priest with a blemish was not permitted to enter into the holy of holies, nor to burn incense, nor to offer the shew-bread, nor to light the golden candlestick, etc. In short, he was not permitted to perform any essential function of the priesthood. The great perfection required in the Jewish high priest was intended principally to point out the perfection of that priesthood of which the Jewish was only the type. And…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 21:23

• Blemish
• Priest
• Sanctification

In the dictionaries

• Blemish
• Corner
• Hair
• Priest
• Profane
• Shave
• Criticism
• Ezekiel
• Holiness
• Law in the Old Testament

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