Leviticus 21
1 Of the priests' mourning.
6 Of their holiness.
7 Of their marriages.
8 Of their estimation.
9 Of the priest's daughter convicted of whoredom.
10 Of the high priest's holiness.
13 Of his marriage.
16 The priests that have blemishes must not minister in the sanctuary.
said .... Say ......... say <0559> [Speak.]
defile <02930> [There.]
[or, the verse may be read, being an husband among his people, he shall not defile himself for his wife, etc.]
bald spot shaved <07144 07139> [not make baldness.]
This custom is also called rounding the corners of the head, (ch. 19:27,) and seems to have been performed in honour of some idol.
corner <06285> [the corner.]
The Hebrew {peath zakon}, may denote the whiskers; as the Syriac {phatho} signifies. These are by the Arabs, according to Niebuhr, still cut entirely off, or worn quite short; and hence they are called by Jeremiah, [qtswtsy p'h,] those with cropped whiskers. Perhaps some superstition, of which we are ignorant, was connected with this; but whether or not, it was the object of Moses to keep the Israelites distinct from other nations.
holy .................................. holy <06944 06918> [holy.]
profane <02490> [profane.]
food <03899> [bread.]
holy <06918> [therefore.]
prostitution <02181> [that is a whore.]
divorced <01644> [put away.]
sanctify ...................... sanctifies <06942> [sanctify.]
Lord <03068> [for I.]
daughter <01323> [the daughter.]
burned <08313> [she shall be burnt.]
head ....................... head <07218> [upon.]
ordained <04390> [consecrated.]
dishevel <06544> [uncover.]
[not rend.]
All human corpses were considered as unclean. Whoever touched one was unclean for seven days, and was obliged on the third and seventh day to purify himself according to the Mosaic instructions. In the case of the priest it went still farther; insomuch, that even mourning for the dead by any external sign, such as tearing their clothes, defiled them. Hence such mournings were absolutely forbidden to be used in any case, and by the other priests also, except in the case of their very nearest relations, for whom they were allowed to mourn. This statue is founded on the importance of sustaining the decency and purity of Divine worship. The servants of the Deity were to keep themselves at a distance from every thing that in the least degree savoured of uncleanness.
father <01> [his father.]
go out <03318> [go out.]
dedication <05145> [for the crown.]
profane <02490> [profane.]
<03068> [for I the.]
physical flaw <03971> [blemish.]
approach ... present <07126> [let him.]
food <03899> [bread. or, food.]
man ........... blind man <05787 0376> [a blind man.]
limb too long <08311> [superfluous.]
dwarf <01851> [a dwarf. or, too slender. or hath.]
physical flaw ............. physical flaw <03971> [a blemish.]
In the above list of blemishes, we meet with some that might render the priest contemptible in the eyes of men; and others that would be very great impediments in the discharge of his ministerial duties.
present ................. present <07126> [to offer.]
most holy .... holy <06944> [both.]
most holy .... holy <06944> [and of the holy.]
go <0935> [go in.]
profane <02490> [profane.]
Lord <03068> [for I the Lord.]
Aaron <0175> [Aaron.]
