Leviticus 21

Priests Must Stay Holy

1 The Lord told Moses, speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and tell them that they must not make themselves unclean by touching a dead body.

2 But they may make themselves unclean for close family members, mother, father, son, daughter, or brother.

3 They may also do so for an unmarried sister who depends on them and has no husband.

4 A priest must not make himself unclean for someone outside his immediate family.

5 They must not shave their heads bald, trim their beards, or cut their bodies.

6 They must be holy to their God and not dishonor His name. They must offer the Lord’s food offerings and stay set apart for Him.

7 They must not marry a woman who has been a prostitute or divorced. They must stay holy for their God.

8 Treat them as holy because they offer the Lord’s food. The Lord makes them holy.

9 If a priest’s daughter becomes a prostitute, she disgraces her father and must be burned with fire.

Rules for the High Priest

10 The high priest, who has been anointed with oil and set apart to wear the priestly garments, must not let his hair become unkempt or tear his clothes.

11 He must not go near any dead body or make himself unclean, even if it is his father or mother.

12 He must not leave the sanctuary, or he will make God’s holy place unclean. The anointing oil is on him. He must remain holy.

13 He must marry a woman who is a virgin.

14 He must not marry a widow, a divorced woman, or a woman who has been defiled. He must marry a virgin from his own people.

15 This is to keep his descendants pure. I am the Lord, and I set him apart as holy.

Priests with Defects Cannot Serve at the Altar

16 The Lord told Moses.

17 Tell Aaron that none of his descendants who have physical defects may come near to offer food to the Lord.

18 No man with a defect may serve as a priest. This includes anyone who is blind, lame, has a disfigured face, a limb too long,

19 A broken foot, a broken hand,

20 A hunched back, dwarfism, an eye problem, a skin disease, damaged testicles,

21 No descendant of Aaron with a defect may come near to present food offerings to the Lord. He has a defect and cannot approach the altar.

22 He may eat the holy food and the most holy food,

23 But he must not go behind the curtain or approach the altar because he has a defect. He must not make My sanctuary unclean. I am the Lord who makes them holy.

24 Moses told all this to Aaron, his sons, and all the Israelites.