Leviticus 21:17 kjv
Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God.
Leviticus 21:17 nkjv
"Speak to Aaron, saying: 'No man of your descendants in succeeding generations, who has any defect, may approach to offer the bread of his God.
Leviticus 21:17 niv
"Say to Aaron: 'For the generations to come none of your descendants who has a defect may come near to offer the food of his God.
Leviticus 21:17 esv
"Speak to Aaron, saying, None of your offspring throughout their generations who has a blemish may approach to offer the bread of his God.
Leviticus 21:17 nlt
"Give the following instructions to Aaron: In all future generations, none of your descendants who has any defect will qualify to offer food to his God.
Leviticus 21 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 21:18-20 | For whatever man has a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he who has a disfigured face, or a limb too long, or a man who has a broken foot or hand, or a hunchback or a dwarf, or one who has a defect in his eye or an itchy disease or scabs or crushed testicles. | Enumerates specific disqualifying blemishes for priests. |
| Lev 21:21 | No man of the descendants of Aaron the priest who has a blemish shall come near to offer the fire offerings of the Lord. | Reiteration of the core prohibition for priestly service. |
| Lev 22:20-25 | You shall not offer anything that has a blemish, for it will not be acceptable... blind or lame, maimed, or having a discharge or scurvy or scabs. | Parallel requirement for perfection in sacrificial animals. |
| Mal 1:8, 14 | "When you offer the blind for sacrifice... lame and sick... is it not evil?" "Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished." | Condemnation of offering blemished sacrifices to God. |
| Exod 28:42-43 | And you shall make for them linen breeches... to cover their nakedness; from the hips to the thighs they shall reach. They shall be on Aaron and on his sons when they come into the tent of meeting, or when they come near to the altar to minister in the Holy Place, lest they bear iniquity and die. | Priestly holiness regulations for attire to maintain purity and reverence. |
| Heb 7:26-28 | For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. | Jesus as the perfect, blemish-free High Priest who fully satisfies divine requirements. |
| 1 Pet 1:18-19 | knowing that you were ransomed... not with perishable things... but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. | Christ as the unblemished sacrifice, perfectly meeting God's standard. |
| Eph 5:27 | that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and blameless. | The church presented to Christ, cleansed to be spiritually blemish-free. |
| Col 1:22 | He has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him. | Believers made spiritually blameless through Christ's sacrifice. |
| 1 Pet 2:5, 9 | you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ... a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. | New Testament believers called to be a "spiritual priesthood," offering "spiritual sacrifices." |
| Rom 12:1 | I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. | New Covenant worship involves presenting ourselves as holy sacrifices. |
| Titus 1:7 | For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not a drunkard, not violent, not greedy for gain. | Moral and character requirements for New Testament church leaders, similar to "blemish-free" but spiritual. |
| 1 Tim 3:2 | Therefore an overseer must be above reproach... | Further moral and character qualifications for church leaders. |
| Hab 1:13 | You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look on wrong... | God's absolute holiness and inability to countenance sin or imperfection. |
| Lev 10:3 | And Moses said to Aaron, "This is what the Lord has said: 'Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.'" | Emphasizes the supreme holiness required of those ministering near God. |
| Num 3:10 | And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall guard their priesthood. And a foreigner who comes near shall be put to death. | Reinforces the exclusive and guarded nature of the priesthood and the holiness required. |
| Deut 23:1 | "No one who is emasculated or whose male organ is cut off may enter the assembly of the LORD." | Broader prohibitions based on physical condition from full community participation. |
| Isa 6:3 | And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!" | Divine declaration of God's absolute and threefold holiness. |
| Zech 3:3-5 | Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments... "Remove the filthy garments from him." And to him he said, "Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments." | Priestly restoration involves removal of defilement and spiritual cleansing for service. |
| 2 Cor 7:1 | Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God. | Call to spiritual and moral purity for New Covenant believers. |
Leviticus 21 verses
Leviticus 21 17 Meaning
Leviticus 21:17 establishes a divine mandate for the Aaronic priesthood: any descendant of Aaron possessing a physical blemish is forbidden from performing specific sacred duties, namely offering sacrifices to God. This prohibition highlights the absolute purity and perfection required for those who serve and represent God in the holy sanctuary, reflecting His own unblemished holiness. It's a foundational standard for access to the sacred spaces and rituals in the Old Covenant.
Leviticus 21 17 Context
Leviticus Chapter 21 provides specific laws regulating the holiness and conduct of priests (Aaron and his sons). This chapter immediately follows detailed laws on Israel's holy days and offerings (Leviticus 23-24) and general holiness requirements (Leviticus 19-20). The primary theme of Leviticus 21 is the meticulous standard of sanctity demanded from those consecrated to serve the Lord, setting them apart from the common people.
Historically and culturally, the priesthood in ancient Israel held a unique, intermediary role between God and the nation. Their lives and bodies were expected to embody the divine holiness they represented. Physical perfection was a highly valued attribute in ancient societies, often associated with divine favor and health, while blemishes or deformities could be seen as symbols of imperfection, curse, or impurity, making one unfit for sacred duties. This was not a judgment on the inherent worth of individuals with disabilities but a theological requirement concerning the symbolism of divine service. The detailed rules for priestly physical perfection served as a visual testament to the absolute perfection and unblemished holiness of God, emphasizing that only what is whole, pure, and complete can approach Him. This contrasts with many pagan religions where various physical conditions might not impede temple service, or where even self-mutilation might be practiced, underscoring Israel's distinctive standard of a holy God requiring holy service.
Leviticus 21 17 Word analysis
- Speak unto Aaron: This is a direct, divine command given by God to Moses to convey to Aaron. It establishes the unyielding authority and divine origin of the law concerning the priesthood. Aaron is the head of the priestly line, and thus these laws apply to all his priestly descendants.
- Whosoever he be: This phrase emphasizes the universality and inclusivity of the prohibition within the specified group (Aaron's descendants). No priestly individual is exempt from this requirement.
- of thy seed: (Hebrew:
זרעך, zera’kh) – This refers specifically to Aaron's biological descendants. It highlights the hereditary nature of the Aaronic priesthood. - throughout their generations: (Hebrew:
לדורותם, l'dorotam) – This signifies that the law is not temporary but perpetual, applying to all future generations of priests. It underscores the lasting commitment to the standards of holiness. - that hath any blemish: (Hebrew:
מום, mum) – This is the core term.Mumrefers to a physical defect, impairment, deformity, or imperfection. Leviticus 21:18-20 provides an exhaustive list of such blemishes: blindness, lameness, flat nose (or disfigured face), a limb too long or short, a broken foot or hand, hunchback, dwarfism, diseased eyes, scab, scurvy, or crushed testicles. These are not moral or spiritual faults but physical imperfections that were seen as marring the integrity or completeness required for those ministering in the holy place. The purpose was to visually and symbolically represent the complete and flawless perfection of God and the sacrifices offered to Him. - let him not approach: (Hebrew:
לא יגש, lo yigash, "he shall not draw near") – This is a strong prohibition concerning physical proximity and ceremonial function. It specifically forbids access to the immediate sacred areas like the altar and participation in the core rituals of offering sacrifices. It’s not about their worth as a person but their qualification for a sacred, representational role. - to offer: This indicates the specific priestly duty being prohibited. It refers to the bringing and performing of sacrificial rituals on the altar.
- the bread of his God: (Hebrew:
לחם אלהיו, lechem Elohav) – This is a metaphorical or metonymic phrase. It refers to the portions of the sacrifices presented on the altar, especially those consumed by fire as God’s portion (the "food" or "bread" of the fire offering). It signifies any offering presented to God that sustains the covenant relationship, and the communion shared at the altar. It underscores the holiness of what is offered to God.
Leviticus 21 17 Bonus section
- Discrimination vs. Designation: The rules regarding priestly blemishes are not discriminatory in the modern sense but represent a symbolic designation for service in the physical sanctuary. They emphasize ritual purity and symbolic representation rather than personal worth. The individual with a blemish was still part of the covenant community and could even eat the priests' portion of the holy offerings (Lev 21:22).
- Symbolic Language: The physical world, in the Old Covenant, often provided symbolic representation of spiritual realities. Physical wholeness signified spiritual integrity and God's perfect, unmarred holiness.
- Practical Implications for Temple Service: Beyond the symbolic, some of the listed blemishes might also have presented practical difficulties for a priest performing the intricate and demanding tasks within the tabernacle/temple, though the primary emphasis is theological.
- Continuity in the New Testament (Spiritually): While physical blemishes no longer disqualify from "priesthood" (as all believers are priests in Christ), the New Testament maintains the requirement for "blamelessness" or "being above reproach" for those in spiritual leadership (e.g., overseers/elders, 1 Tim 3:2; Titus 1:6-7), though now the emphasis is on moral character and spiritual integrity rather than physical appearance. The spiritual parallel suggests God continues to call His servants to high standards of holiness and integrity.
Leviticus 21 17 Commentary
Leviticus 21:17 lays down a foundational principle for priestly service in ancient Israel: physical wholeness was an indispensable requirement. This command was not meant to stigmatize or devalue individuals with disabilities, nor imply a moral failing on their part. Instead, it was a symbolic reflection of God's absolute holiness and perfection. The priests, as mediators and representatives of a holy God before His people, and of the people before a holy God, needed to embody perfection, even in their physical presentation, to perform duties concerning wholly acceptable offerings. Just as the sacrificial animals had to be "without blemish" (Lev 22:20-25) to symbolize a perfect offering, so too the priests who presented these offerings had to be whole.
This meticulous standard underscored the serious nature of approaching God and the purity demanded in His service under the Old Covenant. It provided a stark contrast to pagan worship, where the physical state might not be a disqualifier, thereby elevating the sanctity of Israel’s worship. While it barred priestly service at the altar, it did not exclude individuals with blemishes from the community or from partaking in certain holy things, emphasizing that their personal value was not diminished, only their role in specific, symbolic temple service (Lev 21:22). Ultimately, these strict physical requirements foreshadowed the coming of the perfect High Priest, Jesus Christ (Heb 7:26-28), who truly was "without blemish or spot," offering a once-for-all, flawless sacrifice—Himself. For New Covenant believers, who are a "royal priesthood" (1 Pet 2:9), the emphasis shifts from physical perfection to spiritual holiness and inner purity (Rom 12:1; 2 Cor 7:1), yet the underlying principle of presenting one's best and blameless self to God for service remains paramount.