Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version No descendant of Aaron the priest who has any defect is to come near to present the food offerings to the LORD. He has a defect; he must not come near to offer the food of his God. New Living Translation No descendant of Aaron who has a defect may approach the altar to present special gifts to the LORD. Since he has a defect, he may not approach the altar to offer food to his God. English Standard Version No man of the offspring of Aaron the priest who has a blemish shall come near to offer the LORD’s food offerings; since he has a blemish, he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God. Berean Standard Bible No descendant of Aaron the priest who has a defect shall approach to present the food offerings to the LORD. Since he has a defect, he is not to come near to offer the food of his God. Berean Literal Bible Any man of the seed of Aaron the priest who has a blemish in him shall not come near to offer the fire offerings to YHWH; he has a blemish in him. He shall not come near to offer the bread of his God. King James Bible No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God. New King James Version No man of the descendants of Aaron the priest, who has a defect, shall come near to offer the offerings made by fire to the LORD. He has a defect; he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God. New American Standard Bible No man among the descendants of Aaron the priest who has an impairment is to come forward to offer the LORD’S offerings by fire; since he has an impairment, he shall not come forward to offer the food of his God. NASB 1995 No man among the descendants of Aaron the priest who has a defect is to come near to offer the LORD’S offerings by fire; since he has a defect, he shall not come near to offer the food of his God. NASB 1977 ‘No man among the descendants of Aaron the priest, who has a defect, is to come near to offer the LORD’S offerings by fire; since he has a defect, he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God. Legacy Standard Bible No man among the seed of Aaron the priest who has a defect shall approach to bring near the offerings to Yahweh by fire; since he has a defect, he shall not approach to bring near the food of his God. Amplified Bible No man among the descendants of Aaron the priest who has a [physical] defect and is disfigured or deformed is to approach [the altar] to present the offerings of the LORD by fire. He has a defect; he shall not approach [the altar] to present the food of his God. Berean Annotated Bible No descendant of Aaron (light bringer) the priest who has a defect shall approach to present the food offerings to the LORD {YHWH}. Since he has a defect, he is not to come near to offer the food of his God {Elohaw}. Christian Standard Bible No descendant of the priest Aaron who has a defect is to come near to present the food offerings to the LORD. He has a defect and is not to come near to present the food of his God. Holman Christian Standard Bible No descendant of Aaron the priest who has a defect is to come near to present the fire offerings to the LORD. He has a defect and is not to come near to present the food of his God. American Standard Version no man of the seed of Aaron the priest, that hath a blemish, shall come nigh to offer the offerings of Jehovah made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God. Contemporary English Version These men may not serve as my priests and burn sacrifices to me. English Revised Version no man of the seed of Aaron the priest, that hath a blemish, shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God. GOD'S WORD® Translation If a descendant of the priest Aaron has a physical defect, he must never bring sacrifices by fire to the LORD. He has a defect. He must never bring food to offer to God. Good News Translation No descendant of Aaron the priest who has any physical defects may present the food offering to me. International Standard Version None of the descendants of Aaron the priest who has a defect is to approach to bring offerings of the LORD made by fire, since he has a defect. He is not to approach to offer the food of his God. NET Bible No man from the descendants of Aaron the priest who has a physical flaw may step forward to present the LORD's gifts; he has a physical flaw, so he must not step forward to present the food of his God. New Heart English Bible no man of the descendants of Aaron the priest, who has a blemish, shall come near to present offerings to your God made by fire. Since he has a blemish, he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God. Webster's Bible Translation No man of the seed of Aaron the priest, that hath a blemish, shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire; he hath a blemish, he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleNo descendant of Aaron the priest who has a defect shall approach to present the food offerings to the LORD. Since he has a defect, he is not to come near to offer the food of his God. World English Bible No man of the offspring of Aaron the priest who has a defect shall come near to offer the offerings of Yahweh made by fire. Since he has a defect, he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionNo man in whom is blemish (of the seed of Aaron the priest) comes near to bring the fire-offerings of YHWH near; blemish [is] in him; he does not come near to bring the bread of his God near. Berean Literal Bible Any man of the seed of Aaron the priest who has a blemish in him shall not come near to offer the fire offerings to YHWH; he has a blemish in him. He shall not come near to offer the bread of his God. Young's Literal Translation No man in whom is blemish (of the seed of Aaron the priest) doth come nigh to bring near the fire-offerings of Jehovah; blemish is in him; the bread of his God he doth not come nigh to bring near. Smith's Literal Translation Any man to whom in him a blemish from the seed of Aaron the priest, shall not come near to bring the sacrifices of Jehovah: a blemish is in him, the bread of his God he shall not come near to bring. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleWhosoever of the seed of Aaron the priest hath a blemish, he shall not approach to offer sacrifices to the Lord, nor bread to his God. Catholic Public Domain Version Anyone from the offspring of Aaron, the priest, who has a blemish, shall not approach to offer sacrifices to the Lord, nor the bread to his God. New American Bible No descendant of Aaron the priest who has any such blemish may draw near to offer the oblations of the LORD; on account of his blemish he may not draw near to offer the food of his God. New Revised Standard Version No descendant of Aaron the priest who has a blemish shall come near to offer the LORD’s offerings by fire; since he has a blemish, he shall not come near to offer the food of his God. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleNo man of the descendants of Aaron the priest who has a blemish shall come near to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire; for he has a blemish; he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated No man who has a defect in him of the seed of Ahron the Priest shall come near to offer the offering of LORD JEHOVAH, because of that blemish in him; he shall not come to offer the bread of his God. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917no man of the seed of Aaron the priest, that hath a blemish, shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire; he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God. Brenton Septuagint Translation Whoever of the seed of Aaron the priest has a blemish on him, shall not draw nigh to offer sacrifices to thy God, because he has a blemish on him; he shall not draw nigh to offer the gifts of God. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Restrictions Against Those with Blemishes…20or who is a hunchback or dwarf, or who has an eye defect, a festering rash, scabs, or a crushed testicle. 21No descendant of Aaron the priest who has a defect shall approach to present the offerings made by fire to the LORD. Since he has a defect, he is not to come near to offer the food of his God. 22He may eat the most holy food of his God as well as the holy food,… Cross References No descendant of Aaron the priest who has a defect Exodus 28:1 “Next, have your brother Aaron brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, to serve Me as priests. Numbers 3:10 So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood; but any outsider who approaches the tabernacle must be put to death.” Numbers 18:7 But only you and your sons shall attend to your priesthood for everything concerning the altar and what is inside the veil, and you are to perform that service. I am giving you the work of the priesthood as a gift, but any outsider who comes near the sanctuary must be put to death.” shall approach to present the food offerings to the LORD. Numbers 28:2-3 “Command the Israelites and say to them: See that you present to Me at its appointed time the food for My food offerings, as a pleasing aroma to Me. / And tell them that this is the food offering you are to present to the LORD as a regular burnt offering each day: two unblemished year-old male lambs. Leviticus 2:1-2 “When anyone brings a grain offering to the LORD, his offering must consist of fine flour. He is to pour olive oil on it, put frankincense on it, / and bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests. The priest shall take a handful of the flour and oil, together with all the frankincense, and burn this as a memorial portion on the altar, a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD. Exodus 29:38-42 This is what you are to offer regularly on the altar, each day: two lambs that are a year old. / Offer one lamb in the morning and the other at twilight. / With the first lamb offer a tenth of an ephah of fine flour, mixed with a quarter hin of oil from pressed olives, and a drink offering of a quarter hin of wine. … Since he has a defect, Leviticus 22:20-25 You must not present anything with a defect, because it will not be accepted on your behalf. / When a man presents a peace offering to the LORD from the herd or flock to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering, it must be without blemish or defect to be acceptable. / You are not to present to the LORD any animal that is blind, injured, or maimed, or anything with a running sore, a festering rash, or a scab; you must not put any of these on the altar as a food offering to the LORD. … Deuteronomy 23:1-2 No man with crushed or severed genitals may enter the assembly of the LORD. / No one of illegitimate birth may enter the assembly of the LORD, nor may any of his descendants, even to the tenth generation. Malachi 1:8 When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is it not wrong? And when you present the lame and sick ones, is it not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you or show you favor?” asks the LORD of Hosts. he is not to come near to offer the food of his God. Numbers 18:3-5 And they shall attend to your duties and to all the duties of the Tent; but they must not come near to the furnishings of the sanctuary or the altar, or both they and you will die. / They are to join you and attend to the duties of the Tent of Meeting, doing all the work at the Tent; but no outsider may come near you. / And you shall attend to the duties of the sanctuary and of the altar, so that wrath may not fall on the Israelites again. Numbers 16:40 just as the LORD commanded him through Moses. This was to be a reminder to the Israelites that no outsider who is not a descendant of Aaron should approach to offer incense before the LORD, lest he become like Korah and his followers. Deuteronomy 18:1-2 The Levitical priests—indeed the whole tribe of Levi—shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They are to eat the food offerings to the LORD; that is their inheritance. / Although they have no inheritance among their brothers, the LORD is their inheritance, as He promised them. Deuteronomy 15:21 But if an animal has a defect, is lame or blind, or has any serious flaw, you must not sacrifice it to the LORD your God. Malachi 1:14 “But cursed is the deceiver who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but sacrifices a defective animal to the Lord. For I am a great King,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and My name is to be feared among the nations. Hebrews 7:26-28 Such a high priest truly befits us—One who is holy, innocent, undefiled, set apart from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. / Unlike the other high priests, He does not need to offer daily sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people; He sacrificed for sin once for all when He offered up Himself. / For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever. 1 Peter 1:19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot. Treasury of Scripture No man that has a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come near to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire: he has a blemish; he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God. to offer Leviticus 21:6,8,17 They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of their God: for the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and the bread of their God, they do offer: therefore they shall be holy… Jump to Previous Aaron Blemish Body Bread Damaged Defect Descendant Fire Food Nigh Offer Offerings Offspring Present Priest Seed WayJump to Next Aaron Blemish Body Bread Damaged Defect Descendant Fire Food Nigh Offer Offerings Offspring Present Priest Seed WayLeviticus 21 1. Of the priests' mourning6. Of their holiness 7. Of their marriages 8. Of their estimation 9. Of the high priest's holiness 10. Of his marriage 13. The priests that have blemishes must not minister in the sanctuary No descendant of Aaron the priest who has a defect This phrase establishes a standard for the priesthood, emphasizing the importance of physical wholeness in those who serve in the sanctuary. The descendants of Aaron were set apart for priestly duties, and any physical defect disqualified them from performing certain sacred functions. This requirement underscores the holiness and perfection expected in those who serve God, reflecting the perfection of God Himself. In the broader biblical context, this can be seen as a type pointing to Jesus Christ, the perfect High Priest, who was without blemish or defect (Hebrews 7:26-28). shall approach to present the food offerings to the LORD. Since he has a defect, he is not to come near to offer the food of his God. Persons / Places / Events 1. AaronThe first high priest of Israel, brother of Moses, and ancestor of the Levitical priesthood. His descendants were set apart for priestly duties. 2. Priests The descendants of Aaron who were responsible for performing sacrifices and maintaining the rituals of the Tabernacle and later the Temple. 3. Physical Defect Refers to any physical imperfection or disability that would disqualify a priest from performing certain sacred duties. 4. Food Offerings Sacrificial offerings made to God, which were a central part of Israelite worship and included grain, oil, and animal sacrifices. 5. The LORD The covenant name of God, Yahweh, who established the laws and rituals for His people, Israel. Teaching Points Holiness and Perfection in ServiceThe requirement for priests to be without physical defect underscores the holiness and perfection expected in those who serve God. This reflects God's perfect nature and the need for purity in worship. Symbolism of Physical Perfection Physical perfection in the priesthood symbolizes spiritual purity and the need for those who approach God to be without blemish. This points to the ultimate fulfillment in Christ, who is spiritually and morally perfect. Inclusivity in the New Covenant While the Old Testament law restricted those with physical defects from priestly service, the New Covenant, through Christ, opens the way for all believers to serve God, regardless of physical condition. Christ as the Perfect High Priest Jesus Christ, as the sinless and perfect high priest, fulfills the requirements of the law and offers believers access to God, highlighting the grace and mercy available through Him. Spiritual Wholeness Over Physical Perfection In the New Testament, the emphasis shifts from physical perfection to spiritual wholeness, encouraging believers to focus on inner purity and holiness. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Leviticus 21:21?2. How does Leviticus 21:21 emphasize the importance of holiness in worship practices? 3. What does Leviticus 21:21 teach about God's standards for priestly service? 4. How can we apply the principle of purity from Leviticus 21:21 today? 5. What connections exist between Leviticus 21:21 and New Testament teachings on holiness? 6. How does Leviticus 21:21 reflect God's desire for order in worship? 7. Why does Leviticus 21:21 restrict those with defects from offering food to God? 8. How does Leviticus 21:21 reflect the cultural values of ancient Israel? 9. What theological implications arise from the exclusion in Leviticus 21:21? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Leviticus 21? 11. Why does Leviticus 16 not address inevitable scientific gaps in the concept of sin transference and ritual purification despite later translations or commentaries? 12. How do Leviticus 22:19-24's strict requirements for unblemished animal sacrifices align with modern views on fairness and the value of imperfection? 13. How historically accurate is the claim in Leviticus 21:1-4 that any contact with the dead (apart from immediate family) defiled a priest? 14. What does the Bible say about tithes and offerings? What Does Leviticus 21:21 Mean No descendant of Aaron the priestLeviticus 21 narrows the priestly calling to the family line God chose in Exodus 28:1. • God’s covenant order: only Aaron’s sons could handle the altar (Numbers 18:7), emphasizing divine appointment rather than human ambition (Hebrews 5:4). • The standard is not cultural but revelatory; God Himself set it, so it stands as historically accurate and binding for Israel. who has a defect A “defect” (Leviticus 21:17-20) includes physical deformities, injuries, or blemishes. • Old-covenant worship demanded wholeness in both priest (Malachi 1:8) and sacrifice (Deuteronomy 15:21). • These visible imperfections symbolized the inward flaw of sin; the requirement pointed ahead to the flawless High Priest, Jesus (Hebrews 7:26). shall approach to present the food offerings to the LORD “Food offerings” cover burnt, grain, and fellowship offerings (Leviticus 3:11; 6:14-18). • Approach to God’s presence was deadly serious (Leviticus 16:2; Hebrews 9:7). • By restricting defective priests, God protected the sacred space and underlined His absolute holiness (Isaiah 6:3). Since he has a defect The repetition drives home causation: the defect itself disqualifies. • God’s standard is perfection; anything less falls short (Romans 3:23). • Sinless Christ meets that perfection so we may draw near in Him (Hebrews 4:15-16). he is not to come near to offer the food of his God The priest could still eat the holy food (Leviticus 21:22) but not officiate. • Service and fellowship are distinct: communion remained, but leadership functions ceased (Numbers 3:10). • Today every believer is a priest in Christ (1 Peter 2:9), yet leaders must still model exemplary integrity (1 Timothy 3:2). summary Leviticus 21:21 literally barred physically blemished sons of Aaron from altar duty to safeguard the holiness of worship and foreshadow the perfect priesthood of Christ. The verse underscores that God alone sets qualifications for approaching Him, demands wholeness, and ultimately fulfills those demands in His flawless Son, allowing all who trust Him to draw near with confidence. (21) No man that hath a blemish.--The addition of this general remark to the twelve instances adduced in the preceding verses, shows that the cases in question were simply typical, and that it was left to the administrators of the Law, not only to decide the minute details and various stages of these cases, but also to determine whether other bodily infirmities are included or not in this summary statement. Hence, during the second Temple, the authorities registered no less than one hundred and forty-two defects which disqualify the priest for serving at the altar. There was a chamber in the court of the Temple in which the Sanhedrim examined all the priests prior to their being received into the staff of those who officiated in the sanctuary. At the conclusion of this periodical examination, all the priests were divided into two classes. Those who were pronounced physically disqualified "put on black garments, wrapped themselves up in black cloaks, and went away in silence"; whilst those who were declared qualified put on white garments and white cloaks, and forthwith joined their brethren to assist in the sacred office. They celebrated the day by giving a feast to all their friends, which they opened with the following benediction: "Blessed be the Lord! Blessed be He because no blemish hath been found in the seed of Aaron, the priest; and blessed be He because He hath chosen Aaron and his sons to stand and to serve before the Lord in His most holy sanctuary." Those priests who were declared physically unfit, were employed in the chamber for wood at the north-east of the court of the women, to select the proper wood for the altar, since any piece which was worm-eaten could not be burnt on it. (See Leviticus 1:7.)Hebrew Noכָּל־ (kāl-) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every descendant מִזֶּ֙רַע֙ (miz·ze·ra‘) Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 2233: Seed, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity of Aaron אַהֲרֹ֣ן (’a·hă·rōn) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 175: Aaron -- an elder brother of Moses the priest הַכֹּהֵ֔ן (hak·kō·hên) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3548: Priest who אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-) Pronoun - relative Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that has a defect מ֗וּם (mūm) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3971: To stain, a blemish shall approach יִגַּ֔שׁ (yig·gaš) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 5066: To draw near, approach to present לְהַקְרִ֖יב (lə·haq·rîḇ) Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct Strong's 7126: To come near, approach the offerings made by fire אִשֵּׁ֣י (’iš·šê) Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 801: A burnt-offering, a sacrifice to the LORD. יְהוָ֑ה (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel [Since] he has a defect, מ֣וּם (mūm) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3971: To stain, a blemish he is not לֹ֥א (lō) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no to come near יִגַּ֖שׁ (yig·gaš) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 5066: To draw near, approach to offer לְהַקְרִֽיב׃ (lə·haq·rîḇ) Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct Strong's 7126: To come near, approach the food לֶ֣חֶם (le·ḥem) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 3899: Food, bread, grain of his God. אֱלֹהָ֔יו (’ĕ·lō·hāw) Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative Links Leviticus 21:21 NIVLeviticus 21:21 NLT Leviticus 21:21 ESV Leviticus 21:21 NASB Leviticus 21:21 KJV Leviticus 21:21 BibleApps.com Leviticus 21:21 Biblia Paralela Leviticus 21:21 Chinese Bible Leviticus 21:21 French Bible Leviticus 21:21 Catholic Bible OT Law: Leviticus 21:21 No man of the seed of Aaron (Le Lv Lev.) |
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