New International Version
Leviticus 21:8
8Regard 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)You must treat them as holy because they offer up food to your God. You must consider them holy because I, the Lord, am holy, and I make you holy.
Context of Leviticus 21:8
6They must be holy to their God and must not profane the name of their God. Because they present the food offerings to the Lord, the food of their God, they are to be holy. 7“ ‘They must not marry women defiled by prostitution or divorced from their husbands, because priests are holy to their God. 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. 9“ ‘If a priest’s daughter defiles herself by becoming a prostitute, she disgraces her father; she must be burned in the fire. 10“ ‘The high priest, the one among his brothers who has had the anointing oil poured on his head and who has been ordained to wear the priestly garments, must not let his hair become unkempt or tear his clothes.
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 21:6They must be holy to their God and must not profane the name of their God. Because they present the food offerings to the Lord, the food of their God, they are to be holy.
- Exodus 19:10And the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes
- Exodus 28:41After you put these clothes on your brother Aaron and his sons, anoint and ordain them. Consecrate them so they may serve me as priests.
- Exodus 29:1“This is what you are to do to consecrate them, so they may serve me as priests: Take a young bull and two rams without defect.
- Leviticus 11:44I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves along the ground.
- Leviticus 19:2“Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.
- Leviticus 20:7“ ‘Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the Lord your God.
- John 10:36what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?
- John 17:19For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
- Hebrews 7:26Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.
- Hebrews 10:29How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted 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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