Leviticus

Leviticus 22:2–8

²“Tell Aaron and his sons to treat with respect the sacred offerings that the Israelites have consecrated to Me, so that they do not profane My holy name. I am the LORD.

³Tell them that for the generations to come, if any of their descendants in a state of uncleanness approaches the sacred offerings that the Israelites consecrate to the LORD, that person must be cut off from My presence. I am the LORD.

⁴If a descendant of Aaron has a skin disease^a or a discharge, he may not eat the sacred offerings until he is clean. Whoever touches anything defiled by a corpse or by a man who has an emission of semen, ⁵or whoever touches a crawling creature or a person that makes him unclean, whatever the uncleanness may be — ⁶the man who touches any of these will remain unclean until evening. He must not eat from the sacred offerings unless he has bathed himself with water.

⁷When the sun has set, he will become clean, and then he may eat from the sacred offerings, for they are his food. ⁸He must not eat anything found dead or torn by wild animals, which would make him unclean. I am the LORD.

Footnotes

a 22:4 Forms of the Hebrew tzaraath, traditionally translated as leprosy, were used for various skin diseases; see Leviticus 13.

Read all of Leviticus 22

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 22:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Tell	דַּבֵּ֨ר	dab·bêr	Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular	H1696 speak
Aaron	אַהֲרֹ֜ן	’a·hă·rōn	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H175 Aaron
and his sons	בָּנָ֗יו	bā·nāw	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H1121 son
to treat with respect	וְיִנָּֽזְרוּ֙	wə·yin·nā·zə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5144 dedicate, consecrate
the sacred offerings	מִקָּדְשֵׁ֣י	miq·qā·ḏə·šê	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine plural construct	H6944 sacred, sanctity
that the Israelites	בְנֵֽי־	ḇə·nê-	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1121 son
have consecrated to Me	מַקְדִּשִׁ֛ים	maq·di·šîm	Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural	H6942 be set apart, consecrated
so that they do not	וְלֹ֥א	wə·lō	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
profane	יְחַלְּל֖וּ	yə·ḥal·lə·lū	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H2490 bore, pierce
My holy	קָדְשִׁ֑י	qāḏ·šî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H6944 sacred, sanctity
name	שֵׁ֣ם	šêm	Noun - masculine singular construct	H8034 name
I	אֲנִ֥י	’ă·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
am the LORD	יְהוָֽה׃	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh

Leviticus 22:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Tell	אֱמֹ֣ר	’ĕ·mōr	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H559 utter, say
them	אֲלֵהֶ֗ם	’ă·lê·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural	H413 motion to
for the generations to come	לְדֹרֹ֨תֵיכֶ֜ם	lə·ḏō·rō·ṯê·ḵem	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine plural	H1755 period, generation, dwelling
if any	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
of	זַרְעֲכֶ֗ם	zar·‘ă·ḵem	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine plural	H2233 sowing, seed, offspring
in a state of uncleanness	וְטֻמְאָת֖וֹ	wə·ṭum·’ā·ṯōw	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H2932 uncleanness
approaches	יִקְרַ֣ב	yiq·raḇ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7126 come near, approach
the sacred offerings	הַקֳּדָשִׁים֙	haq·qo·ḏā·šîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H6944 sacred, sanctity
that	אֲשֶׁ֨ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
the Israelites	בְנֵֽי־	ḇə·nê-	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1121 son
consecrate	יַקְדִּ֤ישׁוּ	yaq·dî·šū	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H6942 be set apart, consecrated
to the LORD	לַֽיהוָ֔ה	Yah·weh	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
that	הַהִ֛וא	ha·hi·w	Article; Pronoun - third person feminine singular	H1931 he, she
person	הַנֶּ֧פֶשׁ	han·ne·p̄eš	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
must be cut off	וְנִכְרְתָ֞ה	wə·niḵ·rə·ṯāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular	H3772 cut off, cut down
from My presence	מִלְּפָנַ֖י	mil·lə·p̄ā·nay	Preposition-m, Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H6440 face, before
I	אֲנִ֥י	’ă·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
am the LORD	יְהוָֽה׃	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh

Leviticus 22:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
If a descendant	מִזֶּ֣רַע	miz·ze·ra‘	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H2233 sowing, seed, offspring
of Aaron	אַהֲרֹ֗ן	’a·hă·rōn	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H175 Aaron
has a skin disease	צָר֙וּעַ֙	ṣā·rū·a‘	Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular	H6879 be struck with leprosy, leprous
or	א֣וֹ	’ōw	Conjunction	H176 or
a discharge	זָ֔ב	zāḇ	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H2100 flow, gush
he may not eat	יֹאכַ֔ל	yō·ḵal	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H398 eat
the sacred offerings	בַּקֳּדָשִׁים֙	baq·qo·ḏā·šîm	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H6944 sacred, sanctity
until	עַ֖ד	‘aḏ	Preposition	H5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
he is clean	יִטְהָ֑ר	yiṭ·hār	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H2891 be clean, pure
Whoever touches	וְהַנֹּגֵ֙עַ֙	wə·han·nō·ḡê·a‘	Conjunctive waw, Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H5060 touch, reach, strike
anything	בְּכָל־	bə·ḵāl	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
defiled	טְמֵא־	ṭə·mê-	Adjective - masculine singular construct	H2931 unclean
by a corpse	נֶ֔פֶשׁ	ne·p̄eš	Noun - feminine singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
or	א֣וֹ	’ōw	Conjunction	H176 or
by a man	אִ֔ישׁ	’îš	Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
who	אֲשֶׁר־	’ă·šer-	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
has	תֵּצֵ֥א	tê·ṣê	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H3318 go or come out
an emission	שִׁכְבַת־	šiḵ·ḇaṯ-	Noun - feminine singular construct	H7902 act of lying, layer
of semen	זָֽרַע׃	zā·ra‘	Noun - masculine singular	H2233 sowing, seed, offspring

Leviticus 22:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
or	אוֹ־	’ōw-	Conjunction	H176 or
whoever	אִישׁ֙	’îš	Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
touches	יִגַּ֔ע	yig·ga‘	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5060 touch, reach, strike
a	בְּכָל־	bə·ḵāl	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
crawling creature	שֶׁ֖רֶץ	še·reṣ	Noun - masculine singular	H8318 swarmers, swarming things
or	א֤וֹ	’ōw	Conjunction	H176 or
a person	בְאָדָם֙	ḇə·’ā·ḏām	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H120 man, mankind
that	אֲשֶׁ֣ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
makes him unclean	יִטְמָא־	yiṭ·mā-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H2930 be or become unclean
whatever	לְכֹ֖ל	lə·ḵōl	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
the uncleanness may be	טֻמְאָתֽוֹ׃	ṭum·’ā·ṯōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H2932 uncleanness

Leviticus 22:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
the man	נֶ֚פֶשׁ	ne·p̄eš	Noun - feminine singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
who	אֲשֶׁ֣ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
touches	תִּגַּע־	tig·ga‘-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H5060 touch, reach, strike
any of these	בּ֔וֹ	bōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular
will remain unclean	וְטָמְאָ֖ה	wə·ṭā·mə·’āh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular	H2930 be or become unclean
until	עַד־	‘aḏ-	Preposition	H5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
evening	הָעָ֑רֶב	hā·‘ā·reḇ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6153 (sun)set, evening
He must not	וְלֹ֤א	wə·lō	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
eat	יֹאכַל֙	yō·ḵal	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H398 eat
from	מִן־	min-	Preposition	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
the sacred offerings	הַקֳּדָשִׁ֔ים	haq·qo·ḏā·šîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H6944 sacred, sanctity
unless	כִּ֛י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
he has bathed	רָחַ֥ץ	rā·ḥaṣ	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H7364 wash, wash off, away, bathe
himself	בְּשָׂר֖וֹ	bə·śā·rōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H1320 flesh
with water	בַּמָּֽיִם׃	bam·mā·yim	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine

Leviticus 22:7

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When the sun	הַשֶּׁ֖מֶשׁ	haš·še·meš	Article; Noun - common singular	H8121 sun
has set	וּבָ֥א	ū·ḇā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
he will become clean	וְטָהֵ֑ר	wə·ṭā·hêr	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H2891 be clean, pure
and then	וְאַחַר֙	wə·’a·ḥar	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H310 behind
he may eat	יֹאכַ֣ל	yō·ḵal	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H398 eat
from	מִן־	min-	Preposition	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
the sacred offerings	הַקֳּדָשִׁ֔ים	haq·qo·ḏā·šîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H6944 sacred, sanctity
for	כִּ֥י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
they	הֽוּא׃	hū	Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
are his food	לַחְמ֖וֹ	laḥ·mōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3899 bread, food

Leviticus 22:8

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He must not	לֹ֥א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
eat	יֹאכַ֖ל	yō·ḵal	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H398 eat
anything found dead	נְבֵלָ֧ה	nə·ḇê·lāh	Noun - feminine singular	H5038 carcass, corpse
or torn by wild animals	וּטְרֵפָ֛ה	ū·ṭə·rê·p̄āh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular	H2966 animal torn
which would make him unclean	לְטָמְאָה־	lə·ṭā·mə·’āh-	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person feminine singular	H2930 be or become unclean
I	אֲנִ֖י	’ă·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
am the LORD	יְהוָֽה׃	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh