New English Translation
Leviticus 21:8
8You must sanctify him because he presents the food of your God. He must be holy to you because I, the Lord who sanctifies you all, am holy.
Leviticus 21:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Thou shalt sanctify him therefore; for he offereth the bread of thy God: he shall be holy unto thee: for I the Lord, which sanctify you, am holy.
- New International Version (NIV)Regard them as holy, because they offer up the food of your God. Consider them holy, because I the Lord am holy—I who make you holy.
- English Standard Version (ESV)You shall sanctify him, for he offers the bread of your God. He shall be holy to you, for I, the Lord, who sanctify you, am holy.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore you shall consecrate him, for he offers the bread of your God. He shall be holy to you, for I the Lord, who sanctify you, am holy.
Context of Leviticus 21:8
6“‘They must be holy to their God, and they must not profane the name of their God, because they are the ones who present the Lord’s gifts, the food of their God. Therefore they must be holy. 7They must not take a wife defiled by prostitution, nor are they to take a wife divorced from her husband, for the priest is holy to his God. You must sanctify him because he presents the food of your God. He must be holy to you because I, the Lord who sanctifies you all, am holy. 9If a daughter of a priest profanes herself by engaging in prostitution, she is profaning her father. She must be burned to death. 10“‘The high priest – who is greater than his brothers, on whose head the anointing oil is poured, who has been ordained to wear the priestly garments – must neither dishevel the hair of his head nor tear his garments.
Read all of Leviticus 21Leviticus 21:8 word by word
וְקִדַּשְׁתּ֔וֹ כִּֽי־אֶת־לֶ֥חֶם אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ ה֣וּא מַקְרִ֑יב קָדֹשׁ֙ יִֽהְיֶה־לָּ֔ךְ כִּ֣י קָד֔וֹשׁ אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה מְקַדִּשְׁכֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thou shalt sanctifyקָדַשׁqâdash · to consecrate: consecateH6942
- him therefore; for he offerethקָרַבqârab · to present: bringH7126
- the breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
- of thy Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- he shall be holyקָדוֹשׁqâdôsh qâdôsh · holyH6918
- unto thee: for I the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
Cross-references for Leviticus 21:8
- Leviticus 21:6“‘They must be holy to their God, and they must not profane the name of their God, because they are the ones who present the Lord’s gifts, the food of their God. Therefore they must be holy.
- Exodus 19:10The Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and make them wash their clothes
- Exodus 28:41“You are to clothe them – your brother Aaron and his sons with him – and anoint them and ordain them and set them apart as holy, so that they may minister as my priests.
- Exodus 29:1“Now this is what you are to do for them to consecrate them so that they may minister as my priests. Take a young bull and two rams without blemish;
- Leviticus 11:44for I am the Lord your God and you are to sanctify yourselves and be holy because I am holy. You must not defile yourselves by any of the swarming things that creep on the ground,
- Leviticus 19:2“Speak to the whole congregation of the Israelites and tell them, ‘You must be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.
- Leviticus 20:7“‘You must sanctify yourselves and be holy, because I am the Lord your God.
- John 10:36do you say about the one whom the Father set apart and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?
- John 17:19And I set myself apart on their behalf, so that they too may be truly set apart.
- Hebrews 7:26For it is indeed fitting for us to have such a high priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, separate from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
- Hebrews 10:29How much greater punishment do you think that person deserves who has contempt for the Son of God, and profanes the blood of the covenant that made him holy, and insults the Spirit of grace?
Commentaries on Leviticus 21:8
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8The people of Israel are now addressed. They are commanded to regard the priests, who perform for them the service of the altar, as holy in respect of their office.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. 7-97-9. They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane--Private individuals might form several connections, which were forbidden as inexpedient or improper in priests. The respectability of their office, and the honor of religion, required unblemished sanctity in their families as well as themselves, and departures from it in their case were visited with severer punishment than in that of others.Read the comment
Topics related to Leviticus 21:8
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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