God’s Word Translation
Leviticus 21:4
4As the head of your people, you should never become unclean. That would make you unholy.
Leviticus 21:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.
- New International Version (NIV)He must not make himself unclean for people related to him by marriage, and so defile himself.
- English Standard Version (ESV)He shall not make himself unclean as a husband among his people and so profane himself.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Otherwise he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.
Context of Leviticus 21:4
2However, you are allowed to become unclean when one of your nearest relatives dies. These relatives include your mother, father, son, daughter, or brother, 3and especially an unmarried virgin sister who is still close to you. As the head of your people, you should never become unclean. That would make you unholy. 5“You should never mourn by shaving bald spots on your heads, shaving the edges of your beards, or slashing your bodies. 6“Be God’s holy men, and don’t dishonor the name of your God. Be holy because you bring sacrifices by fire to the Lord. It is the food of your God.
Read all of Leviticus 21Leviticus 21:4 word by word
לֹ֥א יִטַּמָּ֖א בַּ֣עַל בְּעַמָּ֑יו לְהֵ֖חַלּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Leviticus 21:4
Commentaries on Leviticus 21:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4A chief man among his people - The word בעל baal signifies a master, chief, husband, etc., and is as variously translated here. He being a chief among the people, it would be improper to see him in such a state of humiliation as mourning for the dead necessarily implies. 2. Though a husband he shall not defile himself even for the death of a wife, because the anointing of his God is upon him. But the first sense appears to be the best.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4The sense seems to be that, owing to his position in the nation, the priest is not to defile himself in any cases except those named in Leviticus 21:2-3. The Septuagint appear to have followed a different reading of the text which would mean, “he shall not defile himself for a moment.” The explanation in the margin of our version is hardly in keeping with the prohibition to Ezekiel on a special occasion. See Ezekiel 24:16.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-4Touching a dead body made a person ceremonially unclean for seven days. A priest needed to be ready to handle holy things at all times. So, he could not touch a dead body, even if it was a relative's. Otherwise, he might be unable to serve when needed. The only exceptions were his closest relatives, as there might be no one else to bury them.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. But he shall not defile himself--"for any other," as the sense may be fully expressed. "The priest, in discharging his sacred functions, might well be regarded as a chief man among his people, and by these defilements might be said to profane himself" [Bishop Patrick]. The word rendered "chief man" signifies also "a husband"; and the sense according to others is, "But he being a husband, shall not defile himself by the obsequies of a wife" (Eze 44:25).Read the comment
Topics related to Leviticus 21:4
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
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