Leviticus 21:4 kjv
But he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.
Leviticus 21:4 nkjv
Otherwise he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.
Leviticus 21:4 niv
He must not make himself unclean for people related to him by marriage, and so defile himself.
Leviticus 21:4 esv
He shall not make himself unclean as a husband among his people and so profane himself.
Leviticus 21:4 nlt
But a priest must not defile himself and make himself unclean for someone who is related to him only by marriage.
Leviticus 21 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 10:10 | ...make a distinction between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean... | Priests must discern and maintain purity. |
| Lev 11:44 | For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves... | God's holiness demands Israel's, especially priests'. |
| Lev 19:2 | "Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, 'You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.'" | Call to holiness for all God's people. |
| Lev 21:1 | And the Lord said to Moses, "Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them, No one among them shall defile himself for a dead person... | General priests' rules, High Priest is even stricter. |
| Lev 21:10 | "The priest who is chief among his brothers, on whose head the anointing oil is poured...shall not uncover his head or tear his clothes." | High Priest's elevated status and distinct regulations. |
| Lev 21:11 | "He shall not go near any dead body; he shall not defile himself even for his father or for his mother." | Direct prohibition of defilement by death for High Priest. |
| Lev 21:12 | "He shall not go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God, for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is on him..." | High Priest's consecrated role links him to the sanctuary. |
| Lev 22:3 | "Tell them, 'If any one of all your offspring throughout your generations approaches the holy things that the people of Israel dedicate to the Lord while he has an uncleanness..." | Uncleanness prohibits sacred service. |
| Num 6:7 | "He shall not make himself unclean for his father or for his mother, for his brother or for his sister, when they die, because his separation to God is on his head." | Nazarite vow's strictness on defilement. |
| Num 18:32 | "You shall bear no sin by reason of it, when you have lifted up the best of it. And you shall not profane the holy things of the people of Israel..." | Warning against profaning sacred things. |
| Deut 14:1 | "You are the sons of the Lord your God. You shall not cut yourselves or make any baldness on your foreheads for the dead." | Prohibits pagan mourning practices for all Israelites. |
| Isa 52:11 | Depart, depart, go out from there; touch no unclean thing; go out from the midst of her; purify yourselves, you who bear the vessels of the Lord. | Call to ritual purity for those in God's service. |
| Ezek 44:23 | "They shall teach my people the difference between the holy and the common, and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean." | Priestly duty to uphold ritual distinctions. |
| Mal 2:7 | For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. | Priests are messengers of God, requiring purity and wisdom. |
| Heb 7:26 | For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. | Christ, the perfect High Priest, embodies ultimate purity. |
| Heb 7:27 | He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people... | Christ's inherent purity makes His sacrifice singular. |
| Heb 9:14 | how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works... | Christ's purity offers internal cleansing. |
| 1 Pet 1:16 | "You shall be holy, for I am holy." | Echoes Lev 11:44; applies to New Testament believers. |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him... | Believers as a corporate priesthood called to holiness. |
| Rev 21:27 | But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life. | Ultimate perfect purity in God's eternal presence. |
Leviticus 21 verses
Leviticus 21 4 Meaning
Leviticus 21:4 establishes a specific and stringent prohibition for the High Priest, designated as "a ruler among his people," concerning ceremonial defilement. He is forbidden from participating in any action that would render him ritually unclean, particularly mourning rituals that involve contact with the dead or intense expressions of grief which are permitted for other priests. This rule prevents him from "profaning himself" or allowing himself to become defiled, emphasizing his absolute separation and unique holiness required for his sacred duties in ministering before the Most Holy God on behalf of Israel.
Leviticus 21 4 Context
Leviticus chapter 21 delineates specific holiness codes for the Levitical priesthood. These regulations ensure the priests maintain a high standard of ritual purity befitting their sacred office as mediators between God and Israel. Verses 1-9 establish rules for ordinary priests concerning defilement from the dead (primarily regarding family members), physical blemishes, and marriage. Verse 4 stands out because it falls within a section (verses 10-15) dedicated specifically to the High Priest, whose consecration and unique role demanded even stricter separation. Unlike common priests who could defile themselves for immediate family (v. 2-3), the High Priest was forbidden to do so, even for his closest kin (v. 11). The immediate historical and cultural context underscores the importance of the temple and the ritual purity of those serving within it, which was a marked contrast to the cultic practices of surrounding pagan nations where priests might engage in practices considered defiling or lack strict cleanliness standards. This law reinforces Yahweh's demand for absolute holiness from His most prominent human representative.
Leviticus 21 4 Word analysis
- He: Refers implicitly and directly to "the priest who is chief among his brothers," as identified in Lev 21:10—the High Priest. His singular and paramount position among all priests necessitates distinct, elevated standards.
- shall not: Hebrew:
lo(לֹא), a strong negative particle indicating an absolute prohibition. There is no circumstance under which this action is permitted for him. - profane himself: Hebrew:
yitammē'(יִטַּמֵּא). This is the Hithpael imperfect of the rootṭamē'(טָמֵא), meaning "to become unclean," "to defile oneself." The Hithpael conjugation indicates a reflexive action: he allows himself to become defiled or actively defiles himself. It refers to ritual impurity rather than moral sin, specifically by violating the laws related to mourning and dead bodies as elaborated in later verses. The implication is that such ritual impurity for the High Priest would compromise his sacred standing. - a ruler among his people: Hebrew:
ba'al 'am bo(בַּעַל עַם בּוֹ).ba'al(בַּעַל): Master, owner, lord, husband. In this context, it emphasizes his preeminent status and authority, not as a political king, but as the supreme religious leader. He is the head or lord over the people in matters of divine law and sacred service.'am(עַם): People, nation.bo(בּוֹ): "In him," or "belonging to him." The phrase uniquely designates the High Priest's singular spiritual authority and influence over the entire congregation. His actions have communal impact because of his unique representation.
- so as to defile himself: Hebrew:
ləhēḥalləlo(לְהֵחַלְּלוֹ). This is the Hithpael infinitive construct ofḥalal(חָלַל), meaning "to profane," "to desecrate."lə-(לְ): A preposition indicating purpose or result, "so as to," "in order to."hēḥalləlo: The reflexive sense (Hithpael) indicates that he profanes himself and thereby profanes his sacred office and connection to God. It’s a violation of his consecrated status. This type of defilement makes one unfit for sacred service and implies bringing disrespect or commonness to something holy. The profanation is an ultimate result of the ritual defilement (ṭamē').
Leviticus 21 4 Bonus section
The distinctive phrase "a ruler among his people" (בעל עם בו) applied to the High Priest, highlights that his authority and standing were divinely ordained, not derived from political or martial power like a king. His dominion was spiritual, representing God to the people and the people to God. This elevates the sacred role of the High Priest beyond mere ritual performance, endowing him with a unique identity directly linked to the purity of the nation and the holiness of God's presence. Any breach of his holiness directly reflected on the covenant relationship. This concept subtly yet firmly counteracts ancient Near Eastern perceptions where priestly roles might be subservient to earthly rulers or intermingled with common social status. It declared the High Priesthood in Israel as singularly devoted to Yahweh alone, possessing an inherent sacred authority.
Leviticus 21 4 Commentary
Leviticus 21:4 sets the High Priest apart with unparalleled rigor regarding ceremonial purity. As "a ruler among his people," his defilement would not merely be a personal ritual transgression but a direct affront to the very holiness of God whom he represents and serves. The twin prohibitions of "profaning himself" (yitammē') and "so as to defile himself" (hēḥalləlo) emphasize that becoming unclean (first verb) inevitably leads to the desecration of his holy office and person (second verb). His proximity to God in the sanctuary required a radical separation from anything associated with impurity, particularly death, which represents the antithesis of God's life-giving nature.
This absolute standard underscores the weighty responsibility of spiritual leadership, where personal holiness directly impacts the integrity of worship and the community's relationship with God. It foreshadows the need for a perfect High Priest—Jesus Christ (Heb 7:26)—who was inherently "holy, innocent, unstained," and therefore did not need to be ceremonially purified or sacrifice for His own sins. The Old Testament High Priest's strict requirements serve as a poignant lesson in the necessary separation, consecration, and spotless character required to approach a holy God.