Leviticus 21:13

Leviticus 21:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he shall take a wife in her virginity.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he shall take a wife in her virginity.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And he shall take a wife in her virginity.
• New Living Translation (NLT)“The high priest may marry only a virgin.

Context of Leviticus 21:13

11He must not enter a place where there is a dead body. He must not make himself unclean, even for his father or mother, 12nor leave the sanctuary of his God or desecrate it, because he has been dedicated by the anointing oil of his God. I am the Lord. “ ‘The woman he marries must be a virgin. 14He must not marry a widow, a divorced woman, or a woman defiled by prostitution, but only a virgin from his own people, 15so that he will not defile his offspring among his people. I am the Lord, who makes him holy.’ ”

Leviticus 21:13 word by word

וְה֕וּא אִשָּׁ֥ה בִבְתוּלֶ֖יהָ יִקָּֽח׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And he shall takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: marryH3947
• a wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
• in her virginityבְּתוּלִיםbethûlîym · virginityH1331

Cross-references for Leviticus 21:13

• Leviticus 21:7“ ‘They must not marry women defiled by prostitution or divorced from their husbands, because priests are holy to their God.
• Ezekiel 44:22They must not marry widows or divorced women; they may marry only virgins of Israelite descent or widows of priests.
• 2 Corinthians 11:2I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.
• Revelation 14:4These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb.

Commentaries on Leviticus 21:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13He shall take a wife in her virginity - בתוליה bethuleyha . This is a full proof that בתולה bethulah is the proper Hebrew term for a virgin; from the emphatic root בתל bathal, to separate; because such a person was in her separate state, and had never been in any way united to man.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10-15The rules for common priests were more strict than for the high priest, who represented all of Israel, including other priests (Leviticus 21:1–4). The priest must always keep his hair neat and not tear his clothing in mourning. This ensured he was always ready to serve. While a common priest could marry a widow, the high priest could only marry a virgin. This ensured that future high priests and common priests from that union would have a clear lineage…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 10-1510-15. he that is the high priest among his brethren ... shall not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes--The indulgence in the excepted cases of family bereavement, mentioned above [Le 21:2, 3], which was granted to the common priests, was denied to him; for his absence from the sanctuary for the removal of any contracted defilement could not have been dispensed with, neither could he have acted as intercessor for the people, unless ceremonially clean…Read the comment

Topics related to Leviticus 21:13

• Marriage
• Minister, Christian
• Priest
• Sanctification
• Uncleanness

In the dictionaries

• Corner
• Hair
• Profane
• Shave
• Criticism
• Ezekiel
• Holiness
• Law in the Old Testament
• Leviticus
• Pentateuch

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