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Scripture: The text alone. Study: The verses explained. Original: The Hebrew and Greek, and the tradition.

Leviticuschapter 21

24 verses · Moses, by tradition · 15th to 13th century BC · The Law

Original Language

Leviticus 21— Hebrew word study · with the Hebrew tradition

In Jewish life

Jewish practice and Jewish teaching both have something to say about Leviticus 21. Three things follow: where it is read, what is done because of it, and how the rabbis have taught it. The purpose is to inform a Christian reader what Jews believe and how Judaism was and is practised.

The reading

Weekly portion 31 of 54

אֱמֹר Emor, Leviticus 21:1 to 24:23

Read with it: Ezekiel 44:15 to 44:31.

The verse numbers here are the ones a Hebrew Bible carries, which differ from an English Bible by a verse or two in several places. The Sephardi reading is named only where this site records a difference; communities vary beyond what is listed. What these books are, and how a Christian reader meets them →

Where the rabbis cite this chapter

4 rows sit beside their verses in the text, on 4 verses of this chapter. No row that speaks to the chapter as a whole is recorded. Every quote links to its full source.

Texts and citation data: Sefaria (sefaria.org); excerpts follow each version’s license, and every passage opens at its source.

How to read a word below: the Hebrewword, then how it sounds, then what it means, then its number in Strong’s concordance, a widely used lookup this site follows (H for Hebrew and Aramaic, G for Greek). Square brackets hold a word the English supplies that the Hebrew does not, angle brackets mark the Hebrew’s own grammatical elements that English renders as separate words, and the mark ס or פ is where the Hebrew manuscripts end a paragraph.

A priest and the dead1

Leviticus 21:1· Hebrew and glosses: STEP Bible

וַיֹּ֤אמֶרvaiyomerand he saidH559יְהוָה֙yahwehYahwehH3068אֶל־ʾel-toH413מֹשֶׁ֔הmoshehMosesH4872אֱמֹ֥רʾemorsayH559אֶל־ʾel-toH413הַכֹּהֲנִ֖יםhakohanimthe priestsH3548בְּנֵ֣יbenei[the] sons ofH1121אַהֲרֹ֑ןʾaharonAaronH175וְאָמַרְתָּ֣veamartaand you will sayH559אֲלֵהֶ֔םʾalehemto themH413לְנֶ֥פֶשׁlenefeshfor a corpseH5315לֹֽא־lo'-notH3808יִטַּמָּ֖אyitama'he will make himself uncleanH2930בְּעַמָּֽיו׃beamavamong kinspeople<s> hisH5971

Ramban on Leviticus 21:1

RambanSpain, 1194–1270· Commentary
SAY [UNTO THE PRIESTS] … AND THOU SHALT SAY UNTO THEM. “[The repetition of the verb say … and thou shalt say is] to warn the adults about the children” [that they observe this law]. This is Rashi’s language on the basis of the words of our Rabbis.

Read it in full at Sefaria · Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976

Leviticus 21:12· Hebrew and glosses: STEP Bible

וּמִן־umin-and fromH4480הַמִּקְדָּשׁ֙hamikdashthe sanctuaryH4720לֹ֣אlo'notH3808יֵצֵ֔אyetze'he will go outH3318וְלֹ֣אvelo'and notH3808יְחַלֵּ֔לyechalelhe will profaneH2490אֵ֖תʾet<obj.>H853מִקְדַּ֣שׁmikdash[the] sanctuary ofH4720אֱלֹהָ֑יוʾelohavGod hisH430כִּ֡יkiforH3588נֵ֠זֶרnezer[the] consecration ofH5145שֶׁ֣מֶןshemen[the] oil ofH8081מִשְׁחַ֧תmishchat<the> anointing ofH4888אֱלֹהָ֛יוʾelohavGod hisH430עָלָ֖יוʾalav[is] on himH5921אֲנִ֥יʾaniIH589יְהוָֽה׃yahweh[am] YahwehH3068

Ramban on Leviticus 21:12

RambanSpain, 1194–1270· Commentary
“He does not follow the bier [of a near relative]. Our Rabbis have further derived from this verse [the principle] that the High Priest may perform [the Divine Service] when he is an onen (a mourner), 28 See above, Seder Shemini, Note.

Read it in full at Sefaria · Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976

Leviticus 21:13· Hebrew and glosses: STEP Bible

וְה֕וּאvehu'and heH1931אִשָּׁ֥הʾishaha womanH802בִבְתוּלֶ֖יהָvivtuleihain virginiti<es> herH1331יִקָּֽח׃yikachhe will takeH3947

Ramban on Leviticus 21:13

RambanSpain, 1194–1270· Commentary
This means that he is not to wed a woman who is not a virgin, this being a negative commandment which is derived from a positive commandment [which carries the force of a positive commandment].

Read it in full at Sefaria · Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976

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