Leviticus 21 15

Leviticus 21:15 kjv

Neither shall he profane his seed among his people: for I the LORD do sanctify him.

Leviticus 21:15 nkjv

Nor shall he profane his posterity among his people, for I the LORD sanctify him.' "

Leviticus 21:15 niv

so that he will not defile his offspring among his people. I am the LORD, who makes him holy.'?"

Leviticus 21:15 esv

that he may not profane his offspring among his people, for I am the LORD who sanctifies him."

Leviticus 21:15 nlt

so that he will not dishonor his descendants among his clan, for I am the LORD who makes him holy."

Leviticus 21 verses

Leviticus 21 15 Meaning

Leviticus 21:15 decrees that the High Priest must not marry a woman who would render his offspring common or defiled, thereby profaning his priestly lineage among his people. The rationale for this stringent requirement is that the LORD Himself has consecrated (set apart as holy) the High Priest, and therefore, his life, including his marital choices and descendants, must reflect that divine holiness.

Leviticus 21 15 Context

Leviticus 21 outlines specific holiness requirements for priests, both common priests and the High Priest, setting them apart from the rest of the Israelite community due to their unique proximity to God and sacred service. The chapter emphasizes purity in their bodies, conduct, and relationships, defining what makes a priest fit or unfit for temple service. Verses 1-9 cover restrictions for all priests, including avoidance of certain corpse contact and marriage to specific women (prostitute, profaned woman, divorced woman). Verses 10-15 focus specifically on the High Priest, who bears the anointing oil and the priestly garments, demanding an even higher standard of purity and separation. He is forbidden from participating in standard mourning rituals (e.g., tearing clothes, uncovering head, touching any dead body, even father or mother) and has more stringent marriage requirements (only a virgin from his own people). Verse 15 serves as the concluding justification for these strict marital regulations concerning the High Priest, highlighting the crucial importance of maintaining the holiness of his lineage for the continuity and sanctity of the priestly office before the holy LORD. The underlying principle is that those who approach the sacred must be profoundly sacred themselves, reflecting the absolute holiness of the God they serve. This law also stood as a direct contrast to common pagan priestly practices, where priests often lacked such rigorous personal purity standards or where temple prostitution was common.

Word Analysis

• that he may not profane:
  • Hebrew: le'challēl (לְחַלֵּל). This is the Piel infinitive construct of the verb chalal (חָלַל), meaning "to profane, desecrate, defile, pollute, make common, make unholy."
  • Significance: This word directly contrasts with qadash (קדש), meaning "to sanctify, make holy, set apart." The priest's action has the direct effect of un-hallowing or de-sanctifying what is meant to be holy. It suggests reducing something sacred to a common, ordinary, or unacceptable state, especially in the eyes of God. It's a grave spiritual transgression.
• his offspring:
  • Hebrew: zarʿô (זַרְעוֹ). The noun zeraʿ (זֶרַע), meaning "seed, offspring, progeny, descendants."
  • Significance: The impact of the High Priest's choices extends beyond his own person. It affects his future lineage and the succession of the priesthood. An improperly contracted marriage could lead to "profaned offspring," who would then be disqualified from serving in the sacred office. This underscores the generational accountability inherent in the covenant.
• among his people:
  • Hebrew: bəʿammāw (בְעַמָּיו). This phrase refers to "his kin, his family group, his nation."
  • Significance: The defilement is not private but public and communal. It affects the collective purity of Israel, particularly the sacred community from which the priests are drawn. The High Priest is the spiritual leader and representative of the nation, and his integrity is paramount for their spiritual well-being before God.
• for I am the LORD:
  • Hebrew: kî ʾănî YHWH (כִּי־אֲנִי יְהוָה). YHWH is the sacred personal name of God, indicating His self-existence, covenant faithfulness, and authority.
  • Significance: This declaration emphasizes that the law's source is God Himself, the ultimate authority and the one who establishes holiness. It's not a human custom or preference but a divine imperative rooted in His nature. The LORD's personal involvement validates the severity of the command.
• who consecrates him:
  • Hebrew: məqaddĕšô (מְקַדְּשׁוֹ). This is the Piel participle of qadash (קדש), meaning "to make holy, set apart, dedicate."
  • Significance: God is the active agent in the High Priest's holiness. The priest's status is not earned but bestowed by divine grace. Because God qadash (consecrates) him, the priest is under divine obligation to reflect that consecration in every aspect of his life, ensuring nothing chalal (profanes) it. This underscores the theological foundation for all priestly requirements – they derive directly from God's holiness.

Leviticus 21 15 Commentary

Leviticus 21:15 is the culmination of the highly demanding regulations for the High Priest, specifically regarding his marriage. It succinctly explains the why behind the strictness: a High Priest's marital choices directly impact the sacred purity and continuity of his lineage. Marrying a woman previously defiled, a harlot, or one outside the specific strictures of Leviticus 21:14 (widow, divorced woman, or profaned woman) would result in "profaning" his offspring. This "profanation" signifies that his descendants would be rendered ritually impure or ineligible for the holy office of priesthood, unable to serve God in the Tabernacle. This was a severe consequence, as the priesthood was intended to be hereditary through legitimate, ritually pure descent. The ultimate justification for this rigidity lies in God's declaration: "for I am the LORD who consecrates him." It is God who set the High Priest apart, invested him with holiness, and therefore, it is God's perfect standard of holiness that must be maintained. The High Priest was not simply a leader; he was a living symbol of God's purity, a mediating figure whose entire life had to embody the sanctity of the One he served. Any deviation, especially one affecting his successors, was a direct affront to God's consecration and the holy nature of His service.

Bonus Section

• High Priest as an Ensign of Holiness: The High Priest, clothed in specific garments and bearing particular responsibilities, served as the human apex of holiness within Israel's ceremonial system. His purity rules were not merely personal but held corporate significance, impacting the entire nation's spiritual well-being before God.
• Hereditary Holiness and Consequence: The concern for "offspring" highlights the critical concept of generational purity in the Levitical priesthood. A defiled marriage broke the chain of consecrated lineage, effectively terminating a line of priests eligible to serve, which was seen in later historical accounts like Ezra 2:62-63 where priests who could not prove their ancestry were disbarred.
• Theological Foundation of "Kedusha": The entire chapter, and indeed much of Leviticus, emphasizes "kedusha" (holiness). This verse reaffirms that holiness originates from YHWH, is imparted by Him, and requires strict adherence from those upon whom it is bestowed. The call to holiness is not elective but foundational to identity and service for those dedicated to God.
• Shadow and Fulfillment in Christ: The severe demands on the High Priest prefigure the perfect High Priesthood of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7). Unlike human high priests, Jesus did not need to marry or have offspring to ensure the continuation of a holy lineage. He Himself is the eternally pure and effective Priest, requiring no further human intervention to sanctify or defile His perfect, once-for-all sacrifice and ministry. He embodies all the holiness these Old Testament laws pointed towards, without any potential for blemish or defilement.