Revised Literal Translation

Leviticus 21

1And Yhwhיְהוָה֙Yah.wehH3068saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559unto Mosesמֹשֶׁ֔הmo.ShehH4872,Speakאֱמֹ֥ר'e.MorH559unto the priestsהַכֹּהֲנִ֖יםha.ko.ha.NimH3548the sonsבְּנֵ֣יbe.NeiH1121of Aaronאַהֲרֹ֑ן'a.ha.RonH175,and sayוְאָמַרְתָּ֣ve.'a.mar.TaH559unto them, There shall none be defiledיִטַּמָּ֖אyi.ta.Ma'H2930for the deadלְנֶ֥פֶשׁle.Ne.feshH5315among his peopleבְּעַמָּֽיו׃be.'a.MavH5971:

2But for his kinלִשְׁאֵר֔וֹlish.'e.RoH7607,that is nearהַקָּרֹ֖בha.ka.RoH7138unto him, that is,for his motherלְאִמּ֣וֹle.'i.MoH517,and for his fatherוּלְאָבִ֔יוu.le.'a.VivH1,and for his sonוְלִבְנ֥וֹve.liv.NoH1121,and for his daughterוּלְבִתּ֖וֹu.le.vi.ToH1323,and for his brotherוּלְאָחִֽיו׃u.le.'a.ChivH251,

3And for his sisterוְלַאֲחֹת֤וֹve.la.'a.cho.ToH269a virginהַבְּתוּלָה֙ha.be.tu.LahH1330,that is nighהַקְּרוֹבָ֣הha.ke.ro.VahH7138unto him, which hath had no husbandלְאִ֑ישׁle.'IshH376;for her may he be defiledיִטַּמָּֽא׃yi.ta.Ma'H2930.

4Buthe shall not defileיִטַּמָּ֖אyi.ta.Ma'H2930himself, beinga chief manבַּ֣עַלBa.'alH1167among his peopleבְּעַמָּ֑יוbe.'a.MavH5971,to profaneלְהֵ֖חַלּֽוֹ׃le.He.cha.LoH2490himself.

5They shall not makeיִקְרְח֤וּyik.re.chahH7139baldnessקָרְחָה֙ka.re.ChahH7144upon their headבְּרֹאשָׁ֔םbe.ro.ShamH7218,neither shall they shave offיְגַלֵּ֑חוּye.ga.Le.chuH1548the cornerוּפְאַ֥תu.fe.'AtH6285of their beardזְקָנָ֖םze.ka.NamH2206,nor makeיִשְׂרְט֖וּyis.re.TuH8295any cuttingsשָׂרָֽטֶת׃sa.Ra.tetH8296in their fleshוּבִ֨בְשָׂרָ֔םu.Viv.sa.RamH1320.

6They shall be holyקֹֽדֶשׁ׃Ko.deshH6944unto their Godלֵאלֹ֣הֵיהֶ֔םle.Lo.hei.HemH430,and not profaneיְחַלְּל֔וּye.cha.le.LuH2490the nameשֵׁ֖םshemH8034of their Godאֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם'e.lo.hei.HemH430:for the offeringsH801of Yhwhיְהוָ֜הYah.wehH3068made by fireאִשֵּׁ֨י'i.SheiH801, andthe breadלֶ֧חֶםLe.chemH3899of their Godאֱלֹהֵיהֶ֛ם'e.lo.hei.HemH430,they do offerמַקְרִיבִ֖םmak.ri.VimH7126:therefore they shall be holyקְדֹשִׁ֤יםke.do.ShimH6918.

7They shall not takeיִקָּ֔חוּyi.Ka.chuH3947a wifeאִשָּׁ֨ה'i.ShahH802that isa whoreזֹנָ֤הzo.NahH2181,or profaneוַחֲלָלָה֙va.cha.la.LahH2491;neither shall they takeיִקָּ֑חוּyi.Ka.chuH3947a womanוְאִשָּׁ֛הve.'i.ShahH802put awayגְּרוּשָׁ֥הge.ru.ShahH1644from her husbandמֵאִישָׁ֖הּme.'i.ShahH376: for he isholyקָדֹ֥שׁka.DoshH6918unto his Godלֵאלֹהָֽיו׃le.lo.HavH430.

8Thou shalt sanctifyוְקִדַּשְׁתּ֔וֹve.ki.dash.ToH6942him therefore; for he offerethמַקְרִ֑יבmak.RivH7126the breadלֶ֥חֶםLe.chemH3899of thy Godאֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ'e.lo.Hei.khaH430:he shall be holyקָדֹשׁ֙ka.DoshH6918unto thee: for I Yhwhיְהוָ֖הYah.wehH3068,which sanctifyמְקַדִּשְׁכֶֽם׃me.ka.dish.KhemH6942you, amholyקָד֔וֹשׁka.Do.oshH6918.

9And the daughterוּבַת֙u.VatH1323of anyאִ֣ישׁ'ishH376priestכֹּהֵ֔ןko.HenH3548,if she profaneתֵחֵ֖לte.ChelH2490herself by playing the whoreלִזְנ֑וֹתliz.NotH2181,she profanethמְחַלֶּ֔לֶתme.cha.Le.letH2490her fatherאָבִ֙יהָ֙'a.Vi.haH1:she shall be burntתִּשָּׂרֵֽף׃ סti.sa.RefH8313with fireבָּאֵ֖שׁba.'EshH784.

10And he that isthe highהַגָּד֨וֹלha.ga.DolH1419priestוְהַכֹּהֵן֩ve.ha.ko.HenH3548among his brethrenמֵאֶחָ֜יוme.'e.ChavH251,upon whose headרֹאשׁ֣וֹ׀ro.ShoH7218the anointingהַמִּשְׁחָה֙ha.mish.ChahH4888oilשֶׁ֤מֶןShe.menH8081was pouredיוּצַ֥קyu.TzakH3332,and that is consecratedוּמִלֵּ֣א יָד֔וֹu.mi.Le' ya.DoH3027 H4390to putלִלְבֹּ֖שׁlil.BoshH3847on the garmentsהַבְּגָדִ֑יםha.be.ga.DimH899,shall not uncoverיִפְרָ֔עyif.Ra'H6544his headרֹאשׁוֹ֙ro.ShoH7218,nor rendיִפְרֹֽם׃yif.RomH6533his clothesוּבְגָדָ֖יוu.ve.ga.DavH899;

11Neither shall he go inיָבֹ֑אya.Vo'H935to any deadמֵ֖תmetH4191bodyנַפְשֹׁ֥תnaf.ShotH5315,nor defileיִטַּמָּֽא׃yi.ta.Ma'H2930himself for his fatherלְאָבִ֥יוle.'a.VivH1,or for his motherוּלְאִמּ֖וֹu.le.'i.MoH517;

12Neither shall he go outיֵצֵ֔אye.Tze'H3318of the sanctuaryהַמִּקְדָּשׁ֙ha.mik.DashH4720,nor profaneיְחַלֵּ֔לye.cha.LelH2490the sanctuaryמִקְדַּ֣שׁmik.DashH4720of his Godאֱלֹהָ֑יו'e.lo.HavH430;for the crownנֵ֠זֶרNe.zerH5145of the anointingמִשְׁחַ֧תmish.ChatH4888oilשֶׁ֣מֶןShe.menH8081of his Godאֱלֹהָ֛יו'e.lo.HavH430is upon him: I amYhwhיְהוָֽה׃Yah.wehH3068.

13And he shall takeיִקָּֽח׃yi.KachH3947a wifeאִשָּׁ֥ה'i.ShahH802in her virginityבִבְתוּלֶ֖יהָviv.tu.Lei.haH1331.

14A widowאַלְמָנָ֤ה'al.ma.NahH490,or a divorced womanוּגְרוּשָׁה֙u.ge.ru.ShahH1644,or profaneוַחֲלָלָ֣הva.cha.la.LahH2491, oran harlotזֹנָ֔הzo.NahH2181,these shall he not takeיִקָּ֑חyi.KachH3947:but he shall takeיִקַּ֥חyi.KachH3947a virginבְּתוּלָ֥הbe.tu.LahH1330of his own peopleמֵעַמָּ֖יוme.'a.MavH5971to wifeאִשָּֽׁה׃'i.ShahH802.

15Neither shall he profaneיְחַלֵּ֥לye.cha.LelH2490his seedזַרְע֖וֹzar.'OH2233among his peopleבְּעַמָּ֑יוbe.'a.MavH5971:for I Yhwhיְהוָ֖הYah.wehH3068do sanctifyמְקַדְּשֽׁוֹ׃ פme.ka.de.ShoH6942him.

16And Yhwhיְהוָ֖הYah.wehH3068spakeוַיְדַבֵּ֥רvay.da.BerH1696unto Mosesמֹשֶׁ֥הmo.ShehH4872,sayingלֵּאמֹֽר׃le.MorH559,

17Speakדַּבֵּ֥רda.BerH1696unto Aaronאַהֲרֹ֖ן'a.ha.RonH175,sayingלֵאמֹ֑רle.MorH559,Whosoeverאִ֣ישׁ'ishH376he beof thy seedמִֽזַּרְעֲךָ֞mi.zar.'a.KhaH2233in their generationsלְדֹרֹתָ֗םle.do.ro.TamH1755that hath anyblemishמ֔וּםMumH3971,let him not approachיִקְרַ֔בyik.RavH7126to offerלְהַקְרִ֖יבle.hak.RivH7126the breadלֶ֥חֶםLe.chemH3899of his Godאֱלֹהָֽיו׃'e.lo.HavH430.

18For whatsoever manאִ֛ישׁ'ishH376he bethat hath a blemishמ֖וּםmumH3971,he shall not approachיִקְרָ֑בyik.RavH7126:a blindעִוֵּר֙'i.VerH5787manאִ֤ישׁ'ishH376,or a lameפִסֵּ֔חַfi.Se.achH6455,or he that hath a flat noseחָרֻ֖םcha.RumH2763,or any thing superfluousשָׂרֽוּעַ׃sa.Ru.a'H8311,

19Or a manאִ֔ישׁ'IshH376that is brokenfootedשֶׁ֣בֶר רָ֑גֶלShe.ver Ra.gelH7272 H7667,or brokenhandedשֶׁ֥בֶר יָֽד׃She.ver YadH3027 H7667,

20Or crookbacktגִבֵּ֣ןgi.BenH1384,or a dwarfדַ֔קDakH1851,or that hath a blemishתְּבַלֻּ֣לte.va.LulH8400in his eyeבְּעֵינ֑וֹbe.'ei.NoH5869,or be scurvyגָרָב֙ga.RavH1618,or scabbedיַלֶּ֔פֶתya.Le.fetH3217,or hath his stonesאָֽשֶׁךְ׃'A.shekhH810brokenמְר֥וֹחַme.Ro.achH4790;

21No manאִ֞ישׁ'ishH376that hath a blemishמ֗וּםMumH3971of the seedמִזֶּ֙רַע֙mi.Ze.ra'H2233of Aaronאַהֲרֹ֣ן'a.ha.RonH175the priestהַכֹּהֵ֔ןha.ko.HenH3548shall come nighיִגַּ֔שׁyi.GashH5066to offerלְהַקְרִ֖יבle.hak.RivH7126the offeringsH801of Yhwhיְהוָ֑הYah.wehH3068made by fireאִשֵּׁ֣י'i.SheiH801:he hath a blemishמ֣וּםmumH3971;he shall not come nighיִגַּ֖שׁyi.GashH5066to offerלְהַקְרִֽיב׃le.hak.RivH7126the breadלֶ֣חֶםLe.chemH3899of his Godאֱלֹהָ֔יו'e.lo.HavH430.

22He shall eatיֹאכֵֽל׃yo.KhelH398the breadלֶ֣חֶםLe.chemH3899of his Godאֱלֹהָ֔יו'e.lo.HavH430, bothof the mostמִקָּדְשֵׁ֖יmi.ka.de.SheiH6944holyהַקֳּדָשִׁ֑יםha.ko.da.ShimH6944,and of the holyהַקֳּדָשִׁ֖יםha.ko.da.ShimH6944.

23Only he shall not go inיָבֹ֗אya.Vo'H935unto the vailהַפָּרֹ֜כֶתha.pa.Ro.khetH6532,nor come nighיִגַּ֖שׁyi.GashH5066unto the altarהַמִּזְבֵּ֛חַha.miz.Be.achH4196,because he hath a blemishמ֣וּםmumH3971;that he profaneיְחַלֵּל֙ye.cha.LelH2490not my sanctuariesמִקְדָּשַׁ֔יmik.da.ShaiH4720:for I Yhwhיְהוָ֖הYah.wehH3068do sanctifyמְקַדְּשָֽׁם׃me.ka.de.ShamH6942them.

24And Mosesמֹשֶׁ֔הmo.ShehH4872toldוַיְדַבֵּ֣רvay.da.BerH1696itunto Aaronאַהֲרֹ֖ן'a.ha.RonH175,and to his sonsבָּנָ֑יוba.NavH1121,and unto all the childrenבְּנֵ֖יbe.NeiH1121of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פYis.ra.'ElH3478.

Commentaries on Leviticus 21