Leviticus 21:21

Leviticus 21:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the Lord made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God.
• New International Version (NIV)No descendant of Aaron the priest who has any defect is to come near to present the food offerings to the Lord. He has a defect; he must not come near to offer the food of his God.
• English Standard Version (ESV)No man of the offspring of Aaron the priest who has a blemish shall come near to offer the Lord's food offerings; since he has a blemish, he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God.
• New King James Version (NKJV)No man of the descendants of Aaron the priest, who has a defect, shall come near to offer the offerings made by fire to the Lord. He has a defect; he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God.

Context of Leviticus 21:21

19or someone who has a broken foot or broken hand, 20or a contorted back, or one who is a dwarf, or has a spot in his eye, or a festering rash or scabs, or crushed testicles. No man among the descendants of Aaron the priest who has an impairment is to come forward to offer the Lord’s offerings by fire; since he has an impairment, he shall not come forward to offer the food of his God. 22He may eat the food of his God, both of the most holy and of the holy, 23only he shall not come up to the veil or approach the altar, since he has an impairment, so that he does not profane My sanctuaries. For I am the Lord who sanctifies them.’”

Leviticus 21:21 word by word

כָּל־אִ֞ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־בּ֣וֹ מ֗וּם מִזֶּ֙רַע֙ אַהֲרֹ֣ן הַכֹּהֵ֔ן לֹ֣א יִגַּ֔שׁ לְהַקְרִ֖יב אֶת־אִשֵּׁ֣י יְהוָ֑ה מ֣וּם בּ֔וֹ אֵ֚ת לֶ֣חֶם אֱלֹהָ֔יו לֹ֥א יִגַּ֖שׁ לְהַקְרִֽיב׃Read the interlinear

• Noלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• Noכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• amongמִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480
• descendantsזֶ֫רַעzera‛ · seed: childrenH2233
• of Aaronאַהֲרֹן'ahărôn · AaronH175
• the priestכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• whoאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• is to comeנָגַשׁnâgash · to approach: approachH5066
• to offerקָרַבqârab · to present: bringH7126
• the Lord’sיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• offeringsאִשֶּׁה'ishshâh · food offeringH801
• the foodלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
• of his Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430

Cross-references for Leviticus 21:21

• Leviticus 21:6They shall be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God, because they present the offerings by fire to the Lord, the food of their God; so they shall be holy.

Commentaries on Leviticus 21:21

• 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 21:21

• 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