Tree of Life Version
Leviticus 21:7
7They are not to marry women who are defiled as prostitutes, or profane. Neither shall they marry women divorced from their husbands, for a kohen is holy to his God.
Leviticus 21:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God.
- New International Version (NIV)“ ‘They must not marry women defiled by prostitution or divorced from their husbands, because priests are holy to their God.
- English Standard Version (ESV)They shall not marry a prostitute or a woman who has been defiled, neither shall they marry a woman divorced from her husband, for the priest is holy to his God.
- New King James Version (NKJV)They shall not take a wife who is a harlot or a defiled woman, nor shall they take a woman divorced from her husband; for the priest is holy to his God.
Context of Leviticus 21:7
5“Kohanim are not to shave their heads, nor shave off the corners of their beards, nor make any cuttings in their flesh. 6They are to be holy to their God, and not profane the Name of their God, for they present the offerings of Adonai made by fire, the bread of their God. Therefore they are to be holy. They are not to marry women who are defiled as prostitutes, or profane. Neither shall they marry women divorced from their husbands, for a kohen is holy to his God. 8Therefore you are to sanctify him, because he offers the bread of your God. He should be holy to you, for I, Adonai, who sanctifies you, am holy. 9“The daughter of any kohen, if she profanes herself by playing the prostitute, profanes her father. She is to be burned with fire.
Read all of Leviticus 21Leviticus 21:7 word by word
אִשָּׁ֨ה זֹנָ֤ה וַחֲלָלָה֙ לֹ֣א יִקָּ֔חוּ וְאִשָּׁ֛ה גְּרוּשָׁ֥ה מֵאִישָׁ֖הּ לֹ֣א יִקָּ֑חוּ כִּֽי־קָדֹ֥שׁ ה֖וּא לֵאלֹהָֽיו׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- They shall not takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: marryH3947
- a wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
- a whoreזָנָהzânâh · to fornicateH2181
- or profaneחָלָלchâlâl · profanedH2491
- put awayגָּרַשׁgârash · to drive out: divorceH1644
- from her husbandאִישׁ'îysh · man: husbandH376
- holyקָדוֹשׁqâdôsh qâdôsh · holyH6918
- unto his Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
Cross-references for Leviticus 21:7
- Leviticus 21:8Therefore you are to sanctify him, because he offers the bread of your God. He should be holy to you, for I, Adonai, who sanctifies you, am holy.
- Ezekiel 44:22None may take a widow or a divorced woman as his wife, for they must take virgins of the offspring of the house of Israel or a widow who is the widow of a kohen.
- 1 Timothy 3:11Women likewise must be dignified, not backbiting; clear-minded, trustworthy in every respect.
- Deuteronomy 24:1“Suppose a man takes a wife and marries her. Now if she doesn’t find favor in his eyes because he has found something indecent in her, he is to write her a certificate of divorce, hand it to her and send her out from his house.
- Isaiah 50:1Thus says Adonai: “Where is the divorce certificate, by which I sent your mother away? Or to whom of My creditors did I sell you? See, you were sold for your iniquities, and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.
Commentaries on Leviticus 21:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7That is a whore - A prostitute, though even reclaimed. Profane - A heathen, or one who is not a cordial believer in the true God. Put away from her husband - Because this very circumstance might lead to suspicion that the priest and the divorced woman might have been improperly connected before.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7Profane - A woman who has been seduced, or one of illegitimate birth. A somewhat stricter rule for the priests‘ marriages was revealed to the prophet in later times, Ezekiel 44:22.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7The priest had to set a high standard of conduct for Israel in worship. This applied to his personal life and family leadership. He could not have any connections to pagan practices (for example, prostitution, Leviticus 21:9). His family also had to be above question, so divorce was not allowed. Early church leaders followed similar standards (1 Timothy 3:1–13).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 21:7
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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