Leviticus 21
1 And the Lord said vnto Moses, Speake vnto the Priestes the sonnes of Aaron, and say vnto them, Let none be defiled by the dead among his people,
The Lord told Moses, “Tell Aaron's sons, the priests: A priest is not to make himself unclean by touching the dead body of any of his relatives.
2 But by his kinseman that is neere vnto him: to wit, by his mother, or by his father, or by his sonne, or by his daughter, or by his brother,
The only exceptions are for his immediate family. This includes his mother, father, son, daughter, or brother,
3 Or by his sister a maid, that is neere vnto him, which hath not had a husband: for her he may lament.
or his unmarried sister since she is a close relative because she doesn't have a husband.
4 He shall not lament for the Prince among his people, to pollute him selfe.
He must not make himself unclean for those only related to him by marriage—he is not to make himself ceremonially impure.
5 They shall not make balde partes vpon their head, nor shaue off the locks of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.
Priests are not to shave bald spots on their heads, trim the sides of their beards, or cut their bodies.
6 They shalbe holy vnto their God, and not pollute the name of their God: for the sacrifices of the Lord made by fire, and the bread of their God they doe offer: therefore they shalbe holie.
They must be holy to their God and not disgrace their God's reputation. They are the one who present the food offerings to the Lord, the food of their God. Consequently they must be holy.
7 They shall not take to wife an whore, or one polluted, neither shall they marrie a woman diuorced from her husband: for such one is holy vnto his God.
A priest is not to marry a woman made unclean through prostitution or who is divorced by her husband, for the priest must be holy to his God.
8 Thou shalt sanctifie him therefore, for he offereth the bread of thy God: he shall be holy vnto thee: for I the Lord, which sanctifie you, am holy.
You shall consider him holy because he presents the food offerings to your God. He shall be holy to you, because I am holy. I am the Lord, and I chose you as my special people.
9 If a Priestes daughter fall to play the whore, she polluteth her father: therefore shall she be burnt with fire.
A priest's daughter who makes herself unclean through prostitution makes her father unclean. She must be executed by burning.
10 Also ye hie Priest among his brethren, (vpon whose head the anointing oyle was powred, and hath consecrated his hand to put on the garments) shall not vncouer his head, nor rent his clothes,
The high priest has the highest place among the other priests. He has been anointed with olive oil poured on his head and has been ordained to wear the priestly clothing. He must not leave his hair uncombed or tear his clothes.
11 Neither shall he goe to any dead bodie, nor make him selfe vncleane by his father or by his mother,
He is not to go near any dead body. He must not make himself unclean, even it is for his own father or mother.
12 Neither shall he goe out of the Sanctuarie, nor pollute the holy place of his God: for the crowne of the anoynting oyle of his God is vpon him: I am the Lord.
He must not leave to deal with someone who has died or make the sanctuary of his God unclean because he has been dedicated by the anointing oil of his God. I am the Lord.
13 Also he shall take a maide vnto his wife:
He can only marry a virgin.
14 But a widowe, or a diuorced woman, or a polluted, or an harlot, these shall he not marrie, but shall take a maide of his owne people to wife:
He must not marry a widow, a divorced woman, or one made unclean through prostitution. He has to marry a virgin from his own people,
15 Neyther shall he defile his seede among his people: for I am the Lord which sanctifie him.
so that he doesn't make his children unclean among his people, for I am the Lord who makes him holy.”
16 And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying,
The Lord told Moses,
17 Speake vnto Aaron, and say, Whosoeuer of thy seede in their generations hath any blemishes, shall not prease to offer the bread of his God:
“Tell Aaron: These rules apply for all future generations. If any of your descendants has a physical defect, he is not allowed to come and present the food offerings of his God.
18 For whosoeuer hath any blemish, shall not come neere: as a man blinde or lame, or that hath a flat nose, or that hath any misshapen member,
No man is allowed to do this if he has any defects, including anyone who is blind, crippled, facially disfigured, or has deformities,
19 Or a man that hath a broken foote, or a broken hande,
anyone who has a broken foot or arm,
20 Or is crooke backt, or bleare eyed, or hath a blemish in his eye, or be skiruie, or skabbed, or haue his stones broken.
anyone who is a hunchback or dwarf, or who has cataracts, skin sores or scabs, or a damaged testicle.
21 None of the seede of Aaron the Priest that hath a blemish, shall come neere to offer the sacrifices of the Lord made by fire, hauing a blemish: he shall not prease to offer the bread of his God.
No descendant of Aaron the priest who has a defect is allowed to come and present the food offerings to the Lord. Because he has a defect, he must not come and offer the food of his God.
22 The bread of his God, euen of the most holie, and of the holy shall he eate:
He is still allowed to eat the food from the Most Holy Place of his God and also from the sanctuary,
23 But he shall not goe in vnto the vaile, nor come neere the altar, because hee hath a blemish, least he pollute my Sanctuaries: for I am the Lord that sanctifie them.
but because he has a defect, he is not allowed to go near the curtain or the altar, so that my sanctuary and everything in it are not made unclean, because I am the Lord who makes them holy.”
24 Thus spake Moses vnto Aaron, and to his sonnes, and to all the children of Israel.
Moses repeated this to Aaron and his sons, and to all the Israelites.
