New American Standard Bible 1995
Leviticus 21:17
17“Speak to Aaron, saying, ‘No man of your 1offspring throughout their generations who has a defect shall approach to offer the 2food of his God.
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 his offspring among his people; for I am the Lord who sanctifies him.’” 16Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron, saying, ‘No man of your offspring throughout their generations who has a defect shall approach to offer the food of his God. 18For no one who has a defect shall approach: a blind man, or a lame man, or he who has a disfigured face, or any deformed limb, 19or a man who has a broken foot or broken hand,
Read all of Leviticus 21Leviticus 21:17 word by word
דַּבֵּ֥ר אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹ֑ר אִ֣ישׁ מִֽזַּרְעֲךָ֞ לְדֹרֹתָ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִהְיֶ֥ה בוֹ֙ מ֔וּם לֹ֣א יִקְרַ֔ב לְהַקְרִ֖יב לֶ֥חֶם אֱלֹהָֽיו׃Read the interlinear
- Speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- to Aaronאַהֲרֹן'ahărôn · AaronH175
- sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Noלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
- manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- offspringזֶ֫רַעzera‛ · seed: childrenH2233
- throughout their generationsדּוֹרdôr dôr · generationH1755
- whoאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
- hasהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
- shall approachקָרַבqârab · to present: comeH7126
- to offerקָרַבqârab · to present: bringH7126
- foodלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
- of his Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
Cross-references for Leviticus 21:17
- Leviticus 22:20Whatever has a defect, you shall not offer, for it will not be accepted for you.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:10You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers;
- 1 Timothy 3:2An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
- Hebrews 7:26For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens;
- Leviticus 21:21No man among the descendants of Aaron the priest who has a defect is to come near to offer the Lord’s offerings by fire; since he has a defect, he shall not come near to offer the food of his God.
- Leviticus 10:3Then Moses said to Aaron, “It is what the Lord spoke, saying, ‘By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, And before all the people I will be honored.’” So Aaron, therefore, kept silent.
- Numbers 16:5and he spoke to Korah and all his company, saying, “Tomorrow morning the Lord will show who is His, and who is holy, and will bring him near to Himself; even the one whom He will choose, He will bring near to Himself.
- Psalms 65:4How blessed is the one whom You choose and bring near to You To dwell in Your courts. We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Your holy temple.
- Leviticus 3:11Then the 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
In the dictionaries
Notes
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
New American Standard Bible 1995 — © 1960–1995 The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Commentaries