Leviticus 22:11 kjv
But if the priest buy any soul with his money, he shall eat of it, and he that is born in his house: they shall eat of his meat.
Leviticus 22:11 nkjv
But if the priest buys a person with his money, he may eat it; and one who is born in his house may eat his food.
Leviticus 22:11 niv
But if a priest buys a slave with money, or if slaves are born in his household, they may eat his food.
Leviticus 22:11 esv
but if a priest buys a slave as his property for money, the slave may eat of it, and anyone born in his house may eat of his food.
Leviticus 22:11 nlt
However, if the priest buys a slave for himself, the slave may eat from the sacred offerings. And if his slaves have children, they also may share his food.
Leviticus 22 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 22:10 | "No outsider shall eat of a holy thing; no sojourner or hired servant shall eat of a holy thing." | Contrasts with the current verse: Outsiders excluded. |
| Lev 22:12 | "If a priest's daughter marries a layman, she shall not eat of the contribution of the holy things." | Priestly privileges are tied to the household. |
| Num 18:11 | "This also is yours: the contribution of their gift, all the wave offerings of the people of Israel. I have given them to you..." | Holy gifts are God's provision for priests. |
| Num 18:13 | "The first of all the ripened things in their land, which they bring to the Lord, shall be yours. Everyone who is clean in your house may eat of it." | Cleanness required for those in priest's house. |
| Exod 12:43-45 | "This is the statute of the Passover... No foreigner shall eat of it. But every slave that is bought for money... may eat of it after you have circumcised him." | Parallels permission for bought servants to partake in holy meal (Passover). |
| Gen 14:14 | "When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, 318 of them..." | Example of large household including those "born in his house." |
| Exod 21:2 | "When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh year he shall go out free..." | Distinguishes between types of servitude; points to permanent ownership for Gentiles. |
| Deut 18:1 | "The Levitical priests, all the tribe of Levi, shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel; they shall eat the Lord's food offerings..." | Priests depend on holy offerings for sustenance. |
| Ezek 44:7 | "...who have brought foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and flesh, to be in my sanctuary..." | God's strictness on who can serve/approach holy things. |
| Ezra 2:64 | "The whole assembly together was 42,360, besides their male and female servants, of whom there were 7,337..." | Shows servants were part of household totals. |
| Matt 7:6 | "Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs..." | Principle of guarding sacred things from the unfit. |
| 1 Cor 9:13 | "Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the altar's offerings?" | NT affirmation of clergy receiving sustenance from offerings. |
| 1 Cor 6:20 | "for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." | Believers are "bought" by Christ, belonging to Him. |
| 1 Cor 7:23 | "You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men." | Believers' "purchased" status unto God. |
| Eph 2:19 | "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God," | Gentiles, once outsiders, become part of God's spiritual household. |
| Gal 6:10 | "So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith." | Concept of "household" applied spiritually to believers. |
| Col 1:13 | "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son," | Spiritual transfer of allegiance/belonging. |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession..." | All believers are part of a spiritual "priesthood" (possession). |
| Rom 12:4-5 | "For as in one body we have many members, and all the members do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ..." | Unity and diverse roles within the body of Christ (God's household). |
| Jn 6:53-56 | "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you." | Spiritual eating for eternal life, tied to belonging to Christ. |
| Heb 3:6 | "...but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence..." | Believers become part of God's "house" through Christ. |
Leviticus 22 verses
Leviticus 22 11 Meaning
Leviticus 22:11 defines specific categories of people within a priest's household who are permitted to eat from the holy offerings (sacred food, terumah) designated for the priestly family. It specifies two groups: those the priest has acquired as permanent property (purchased servants or slaves) and those born within his household (servants' children born in the house, or children of the priest). This is a foundational distinction, outlining that those truly belonging to the priestly household, not merely guests or temporary residents, share in its sacred privileges.
Leviticus 22 11 Context
Leviticus 22 concerns the meticulous regulations governing the priests' handling and consumption of holy offerings, which were the priests' sustenance from the people to God. The chapter emphasizes the importance of priestly holiness and purity to avoid profaning God's sacred things. The preceding verses (Lev 22:1-9) established general rules, including a prohibition against anyone unclean partaking of holy food. Verse 10 explicitly excludes "outsiders" (zar)—including sojourners and hired servants—from eating holy things. Verse 11 provides the exception, detailing who within the priest's extended family or property is permitted to eat. This particular verse reflects the economic realities and household structure of ancient Israel, where permanent servitude (often for foreign captives or indentured individuals) was recognized, and their inclusion in the household’s shared meals underscored their permanent status and belonging. The laws safeguard the sacred provisions by clearly delineating who has a legitimate claim to them, preventing their profanation or misuse.
Leviticus 22 11 Word analysis
- But if (וְכִי / ve'khi): This conjunction introduces a condition and serves as a sharp contrast or exception to the general prohibition stated in the preceding verse (Lev 22:10), which forbids "outsiders" from eating holy food.
- a priest (כֹּהֵן / kohen): Refers to a male descendant of Aaron, consecrated to serve God and mediate for Israel. This term emphasizes the privileged status and the associated responsibilities in handling sacred objects and food.
- buys a person (יִקְנֶה־נֶפֶשׁ / yiqneh-nefesh):
- יִקְנֶה (yiqneh): "He buys, acquires, purchases." Denotes a permanent transaction of ownership, indicating the individual is now legally owned by the priest.
- נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh): "Soul, life, person." In this context, it refers to a human being, indicating that it is a living individual, not merely an object, but acquired as property.
- as acquired property (קִנְיַן / qinyan): This noun signifies "acquisition, possession, property." When used with "buys a person," it unequivocally denotes a permanent servitude or chattel slavery, distinguishing this individual from a temporary hired hand or guest. This would typically refer to a foreign servant, as Israelites could not be permanently enslaved (Lev 25:44-46).
- he may eat of it (הוּא יֹאכַל־בּוֹ / hu yokhal-bo): "He (the servant/person) may eat from it (the holy food)." This grants permission for the purchased individual to partake in the holy food, as their status as permanent property integrates them into the priest's household structure and, by extension, into its communal sacred meal privileges.
- and those who are born in his house (וִילִידֵי בֵיתוֹ / viledê bêto):
- וִילִידֵי (viledê): "And born of." This refers to children, particularly those born to servants within the priest’s household, implying their birth status within the household. It solidifies their integral, generational connection to the household, distinct from newcomers.
- בֵיתוֹ (bêto): "His house/household." This encompasses the entire living unit under the priest's authority, including his immediate family, purchased servants, and their descendants. This highlights a concept of communal identity tied to the physical residence and its head.
- may eat of his food (הֵמָּה יֹאכְלוּ בְלַחְמוֹ / hema yokhelu ve'lakhmo): "They (the household-born) may eat from his (the priest’s) food." This reconfirms the eligibility of those born into the household to consume the holy provisions, further cementing their status as full, legitimate members for the purpose of partaking in the family's sacred privileges. The term `lakhmo` (his food) specifically refers to the portions of the sacred offerings (like the `terumah`, the contribution).
Leviticus 22 11 Bonus section
This verse subtly reveals the socio-economic structure of ancient Israelite households, often comprising immediate family, purchased servants, and those born into servitude. These servants were not considered "outsiders" (Lev 22:10) but integral, permanent members of the household who benefited from the privileges of the master's status, including access to sacred sustenance. This reflects a broader theological concept: access to God's provisions and blessings is often tied to covenantal belonging and integration into His "household." While the Old Testament depicts physical structures and literal households, the New Testament echoes these themes spiritually, portraying believers as "bought with a price" and integrated into "the household of God" (Eph 2:19), partaking in spiritual sustenance from Christ, our High Priest. This progression highlights a movement from legal, earthly possession to spiritual adoption and familial incorporation.
Leviticus 22 11 Commentary
Leviticus 22:11 precisely defines who, beyond the immediate blood relatives, could share in the sacred offerings given to the priests. This provision underscores the principle of "belonging" as key to accessing sacred privileges. The criterion is not necessarily Israelite heritage (as many servants were foreign) or spiritual merit, but incorporation into the priest's legal and domestic household. "Acquired property" (purchased individuals) and "those born in his house" signifies a permanent, non-temporary relationship with the priestly family. Their participation affirmed their inclusion within the Bêt kohen (house of the priest) which provided sustenance and protection in exchange for loyalty and service. This rule safeguarded the holy food from those without a legitimate, enduring connection, emphasizing that sacred access derived from covenantal identity and belonging, rather than arbitrary selection. This law practically reinforced the priest’s dependency on these provisions for his extended household.