Leviticus 21 22

Leviticus 21:22 kjv

He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy.

Leviticus 21:22 nkjv

He may eat the bread of his God, both the most holy and the holy;

Leviticus 21:22 niv

He may eat the most holy food of his God, as well as the holy food;

Leviticus 21:22 esv

He may eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy and of the holy things,

Leviticus 21:22 nlt

However, he may eat from the food offered to God, including the holy offerings and the most holy offerings.

Leviticus 21 verses

Leviticus 21 22 Meaning

Leviticus 21:22 declares that a priest, though physically blemished and thus disqualified from active service at the altar, is still permitted to eat of the sacred offerings. This provision includes both the "most holy" and the "holy" portions of the sacrifices, emphasizing God's continued sustenance for His consecrated priests, even if they cannot fully perform all their duties due to a physical imperfection. It signifies God's mercy and provision amidst His strict requirements for ritual purity in priestly service.

Leviticus 21 22 Context

Leviticus chapter 21 sets forth specific regulations concerning the holiness of the priesthood. These laws maintain the distinct separation of priests, who were to be a holy representation of God to the people, and who mediated the covenant. The chapter covers purity in marriage, avoidance of certain mourning practices, and the primary context for verse 22: the requirement for physical perfection in priests (verses 16-23). While these verses list various physical blemishes that disqualify a priest from performing sacrificial duties at the altar or veil, verse 22 makes a compassionate distinction: a blemished priest, though barred from active liturgical service, retains his consecrated status enough to partake in the sustenance derived from the holy offerings. This reflects God's insistence on flawlessness in sacred service while also displaying His grace and provision for His chosen servants.

Leviticus 21 22 Word analysis

• He: Refers to any male descendant of Aaron who has a physical blemish, as detailed in the preceding verses (Lev 21:18-20). Despite his physical imperfection, his lineage and anointing as a priest are acknowledged, hence "he."
• shall eat (יֹאכַל, yokhal): This is a direct permission or right. The priest is not commanded to eat, but rather allowed to partake. It implies an ongoing entitlement to the consecrated provisions.
• the bread (לֶחֶם, lekhem): In this context, "bread" is a broader term meaning "food" or "provision." It signifies all portions of the sacrificial offerings designated as sustenance for the priests, not merely baked bread.
• of his God (אֱלֹהָיו, Elohav): Emphasizes that these provisions are directly from God, indicating His care and the holy nature of the food. It also highlights the enduring relationship between God and His priest, despite the limitation on service.
• both of the most holy (קָדְשֵׁי קָדָשִׁים, qodshe qadashim): Literally "holy of holies" or "most holy things." These were specific, highly consecrated parts of certain offerings, like the sin offering, guilt offering, and portions of the grain offering (Lev 6:16, 25-26, 29; 7:6). These portions symbolized intense consecration and were usually to be eaten by the priests only within the holy precincts of the Tabernacle/Temple. Their consumption implied the deepest level of communion and reconciliation with God.
• and of the holy (וּמִן הַקֳּדָשִׁים, u-min ha-qadashim): Refers to less restricted but still consecrated portions of other offerings, such as parts of the peace offerings (Lev 7:31-34) and wave offerings. These could often be consumed by priests and their families outside the Tabernacle court but still within a state of ritual purity. Their allowance points to ongoing blessings and fellowship provided by God.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "He shall eat the bread of his God": This phrase underscores God's benevolent provision for His consecrated servants. Even if their physical condition precludes full ritual performance, their essential status as God's priests is not entirely revoked, and their material needs, divinely appointed through the offerings, are met. It demonstrates God’s grace balanced with His holy demands.
• "both of the most holy and of the holy": This highlights the extent of God's provision. It's not merely basic sustenance, but access to the sacred portions themselves, reinforcing the blemished priest's continued participation in the sacred system's benefits. The distinction between "most holy" and "holy" signifies varying degrees of sacredness and ritual limitations, yet the blemished priest is permitted from both, affirming his right to sustenance from the consecrated system.

Leviticus 21 22 Bonus section

The distinction in Leviticus 21 between disqualification for service due to blemish (vv. 17-21, 23) and permission for sustenance (v. 22) highlights a nuanced aspect of ancient Israelite understanding of holiness. It was not a total excommunication. The priest's physical imperfection made him unsuitable as a perfect representative before a perfectly holy God, especially in acts of propitiation. Yet, his identity as an Aaronite, sanctified by birth and anointing, allowed him access to the benefits of the priesthood. This demonstrates God's intricate system of ceremonial law, which had layers of purity and function. While physical blemishes represented defilement or imperfection that could not approach God's unblemished presence in priestly service, they did not nullify the covenantal care and sustenance God provided. The profound spiritual parallel lies in how Jesus Christ fulfills the ideal of the unblemished priest, requiring no ritual washing or temporary perfection, thus enabling all believers, through faith, to partake of Him as the ultimate spiritual "holy food" regardless of their earthly imperfections (Jn 6:35).

Leviticus 21 22 Commentary

Leviticus 21:22 articulates a critical balance within God’s covenantal laws: His unwavering demand for purity and perfection in priestly service juxtaposed with His profound mercy and unwavering provision for His people. The law clearly states that a priest with a physical blemish cannot officiate at the altar, nor approach the veil, lest he profane God's sanctuary. This strictness underscores God’s absolute holiness and His demand for unblemished representations of Himself, foreshadowing the perfect sacrifice and priesthood of Jesus Christ. Yet, the same divine law generously permits the blemished priest to partake of the holy offerings, granting him sustenance and affirming his enduring identity as a consecrated individual within the priestly tribe. This provision, encompassing both "most holy" and "holy" categories of food, signals that God sustains His own, even those limited in capacity or flawed by physical condition. It is a powerful lesson in God’s grace—He prohibits compromised service that would defile His perfect standards, but He does not abandon or deprive those whom He has consecrated simply due to a physical inability beyond their control. This illustrates divine compassion while upholding divine standards, pointing to a spiritual truth that physical imperfections do not separate one from God's loving care and sustenance in the New Covenant, though certain symbolic roles are reserved for the spiritually "unblemished" Christ.