Leviticus

Leviticus 21:1–5

1Then the LORD said to Moses, “Speak to Aaron’s sons, the priests, and tell them that a priest is not to defile himself for a dead person among his people, 2except for his immediate family — his mother, father, son, daughter, or brother, 3or his unmarried sister who is near to him, since she has no husband. 4He is not to defile himself for those related to him by marriage, and so profane himself.

5Priests must not make bald spots on their heads, shave off the edges of their beards, or make cuts in their bodies.

Read all of Leviticus 21

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Leviticus 21:1

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Then the LORDיְהוָה֙Yah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
Mosesמֹשֶׁ֔הmō·šehNoun - proper - masculine singularH4872 Moses
Speakאֱמֹ֥ר’ĕ·mōrVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularH559 utter, say
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
Aaron’sאַהֲרֹ֑ן’a·hă·rōnNoun - proper - masculine singularH175 Aaron
sonsבְּנֵ֣יbə·nêNoun - masculine plural constructH1121 son
the priestsהַכֹּהֲנִ֖יםhak·kō·hă·nîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH3548 priest
and tellוְאָמַרְתָּ֣wə·’ā·mar·tāConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularH559 utter, say
themאֲלֵהֶ֔ם’ă·lê·hemPreposition; third person masculine pluralH413 motion to
is notלֹֽא־lō-Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
to defile himselfיִטַּמָּ֖אyiṭ·ṭam·māVerb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH2930 be or become unclean
for a dead personלְנֶ֥פֶשׁlə·ne·p̄ešPreposition-l; Noun - feminine singularH5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
among his peopleבְּעַמָּֽיו׃bə·‘am·māwPreposition-b; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singularH5971 people

Leviticus 21:2

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
exceptכִּ֚יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
for his immediateהַקָּרֹ֖בhaq·qā·rōḇArticle; Adjective - masculine singularH7138 near
familyלִשְׁאֵר֔וֹliš·’ê·rōwPreposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH7607 flesh
his motherלְאִמּ֣וֹlə·’im·mōwPreposition-l; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singularH517 mother
fatherוּלְאָבִ֔יוū·lə·’ā·ḇîwConjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH1 father
sonוְלִבְנ֥וֹwə·liḇ·nōwConjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH1121 son
daughterוּלְבִתּ֖וֹū·lə·ḇit·tōwConjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singularH1323 daughter
or brotherוּלְאָחִֽיו׃ū·lə·’ā·ḥîwConjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH251 brother

Leviticus 21:3

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
or his unmarriedהַבְּתוּלָה֙hab·bə·ṯū·lāhArticle; Noun - feminine singularH1330 virgin
sisterוְלַאֲחֹת֤וֹwə·la·’ă·ḥō·ṯōwConjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singularH269 sister
who is nearהַקְּרוֹבָ֣הhaq·qə·rō·w·ḇāhArticle; Adjective - feminine singularH7138 near
to himאֵלָ֔יו’ê·lāwPreposition; third person masculine singularH413 motion to
sinceאֲשֶׁ֥ר’ă·šerPronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
she hasהָיְתָ֖הhā·yə·ṯāhVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
noלֹֽא־lō-Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
husbandלְאִ֑ישׁlə·’îšPreposition-l; Noun - masculine singularH376 man

Leviticus 21:4

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
He is notלֹ֥אlōAdverb - Negative particleH3808 not
to defile himselfיִטַּמָּ֖אyiṭ·ṭam·māVerb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH2930 be or become unclean
for those related to him by marriageבַּ֣עַלba·‘alNoun - masculine singularH1167 owner, lord
and so profane himselfלְהֵ֖חַלּֽוֹ׃lə·hê·ḥal·lōwPreposition-l; Verb - Nifal - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singularH2490 bore, pierce

Leviticus 21:5

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Priests must notלֹֽא־lō-Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
make baldיִקְרְחָהyiq·rə·ḥå̄hVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralH7139 make bald
spots on their headsבְּרֹאשָׁ֔םbə·rō·šāmPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine pluralH7218 head
shave off the edgesוּפְאַ֥תū·p̄ə·’aṯConjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular constructH6285 corner, side
of their beardsזְקָנָ֖םzə·qā·nāmNoun - common singular construct; third person masculine pluralH2206 chin, beard
or makeיִשְׂרְט֖וּyiś·rə·ṭūVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralH8295 incise, scratch
cutsשָׂרָֽטֶת׃śā·rā·ṭeṯNoun - feminine singularH8296 incision
in their bodiesוּבִ֨בְשָׂרָ֔םū·ḇiḇ·śā·rāmConjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine pluralH1320 flesh

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Leviticus 21:1 Ezekiel 44:25 · Leviticus 19:28 · Leviticus 21:11 · Numbers 19:14 · Leviticus 10:6–7 · Numbers 19:16

Leviticus 21:4 Ezekiel 24:16–17

Leviticus 21:5 Deuteronomy 14:1 · Ezekiel 44:20 · Leviticus 19:27–28

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.