Leviticus

Leviticus 21:10–15

¹⁰The priest who is highest among his brothers, who has had the anointing oil poured on his head and has been ordained to wear the priestly garments, must not let his hair hang loose^a or tear his garments. ¹¹He must not go near any dead body; he must not defile himself, even for his father or mother. ¹²He must not leave or desecrate the sanctuary of his God, for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is on him. I am the LORD.

¹³The woman he marries must be a virgin. ¹⁴He is not to marry a widow, a divorced woman, or one defiled by prostitution. He is to marry a virgin from his own people, ¹⁵so that he does not defile his offspring among his people, for I am the LORD who sanctifies him.”

Footnotes

a 21:10 Or must not uncover his head

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 21:10

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The priest	וְהַכֹּהֵן֩	wə·hak·kō·hên	Conjunctive waw, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3548 priest
who is highest	הַגָּד֨וֹל	hag·gā·ḏō·wl	Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H1419 great
among his brothers	מֵאֶחָ֜יו	mê·’e·ḥāw	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H251 brother
who	אֲ‍ֽשֶׁר־	’ăšer-	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
has had the anointing	הַמִּשְׁחָה֙	ham·miš·ḥāh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H4888 ointment
oil	שֶׁ֤מֶן	še·men	Noun - masculine singular construct	H8081 fat, oil
poured	יוּצַ֥ק	yū·ṣaq	Verb - Hofal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3332 pour, cast, flow
on	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
his head	רֹאשׁ֣וֹ׀	rō·šōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H7218 head
and has been ordained	וּמִלֵּ֣א	ū·mil·lê	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H4390 be full, fill
to wear	לִלְבֹּ֖שׁ	lil·bōš	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H3847 put on (a garment), wear, clothe, be clothed
the priestly garments	הַבְּגָדִ֑ים	hab·bə·ḡā·ḏîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H899 treachery
must not	לֹ֣א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
his hair	רֹאשׁוֹ֙	rō·šōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H7218 head
hang loose	יִפְרָ֔ע	yip̄·rā‘	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6544 act as leader, lead (?)
or tear	יִפְרֹֽם׃	yip̄·rōm	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6533 tear, rend garment
his garments	וּבְגָדָ֖יו	ū·ḇə·ḡā·ḏāw	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H899 treachery

Leviticus 21:11

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He must not	לֹ֣א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
go	יָבֹ֑א	yā·ḇō	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
near any	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
dead	מֵ֖ת	mêṯ	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H4191 die
body	נַפְשֹׁ֥ת	nap̄·šōṯ	Noun - feminine plural construct	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
he must not	לֹ֥א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
defile himself	יִטַּמָּֽא׃	yiṭ·ṭam·mā	Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H2930 be or become unclean
even for his father	לְאָבִ֥יו	lə·’ā·ḇîw	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H1 father
or mother	וּלְאִמּ֖וֹ	ū·lə·’im·mōw	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H517 mother

Leviticus 21:12

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He must not	לֹ֣א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
leave	יֵצֵ֔א	yê·ṣê	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3318 go or come out
or desecrate	יְחַלֵּ֔ל	yə·ḥal·lêl	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H2490 bore, pierce
the sanctuary	מִקְדַּ֣שׁ	miq·daš	Noun - masculine singular construct	H4720 sacred place, sanctuary
of his God	אֱלֹהָ֑יו	’ĕ·lō·hāw	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H430 God
for	כִּ֡י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
the consecration	נֵ֠זֶר	nê·zer	Noun - masculine singular construct	H5145 consecration, crown, Naziriteship
of the anointing	מִשְׁחַ֧ת	miš·ḥaṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H4888 ointment
oil	שֶׁ֣מֶן	še·men	Noun - masculine singular construct	H8081 fat, oil
of his God	אֱלֹהָ֛יו	’ĕ·lō·hāw	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H430 God
is on him	עָלָ֖יו	‘ā·lāw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H5921 height
I	אֲנִ֥י	’ă·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
am the LORD	יְהוָֽה׃	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh

Leviticus 21:13

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The woman	אִשָּׁ֥ה	’iš·šāh	Noun - feminine singular	H802 woman, wife, female
he	וְה֕וּא	wə·hū	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
marries	יִקָּֽח׃	yiq·qāḥ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3947 take
must be a virgin	בִבְתוּלֶ֖יהָ	ḇiḇ·ṯū·le·hā	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person feminine singular	H1331 virginity

Leviticus 21:14

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He is not	לֹ֣א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
to marry	יִקָּ֑ח	yiq·qāḥ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3947 take
a widow	אַלְמָנָ֤ה	’al·mā·nāh	Noun - feminine singular	H490 widow
a divorced woman	וּגְרוּשָׁה֙	ū·ḡə·rū·šāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular	H1644 drive out, cast out
or one defiled	וַחֲלָלָ֣ה	wa·ḥă·lā·lāh	Conjunctive waw; Adjective - feminine singular	H2491 pierced
by prostitution	זֹנָ֔ה	zō·nāh	Noun - feminine singular	H2181 commit fornication, be a harlot
He is to marry	יִקַּ֥ח	yiq·qaḥ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3947 take
a virgin	בְּתוּלָ֥ה	bə·ṯū·lāh	Noun - feminine singular	H1330 virgin
from his own people	מֵעַמָּ֖יו	mê·‘am·māw	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H5971 people

Leviticus 21:15

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
so that he does not	וְלֹֽא־	wə·lō-	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
defile	יְחַלֵּ֥ל	yə·ḥal·lêl	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H2490 bore, pierce
his offspring	זַרְע֖וֹ	zar·‘ōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H2233 sowing, seed, offspring
among his people	בְּעַמָּ֑יו	bə·‘am·māw	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H5971 people
for	כִּ֛י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
I	אֲנִ֥י	’ă·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
am the LORD	יְהוָ֖ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
who sanctifies him	מְקַדְּשֽׁוֹ׃פ	mə·qad·də·šōw	Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H6942 be set apart, consecrated