Leviticus 21:10
in Leviticus 21The 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 or tear his garments.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil is poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not let the hair of his head go loose, nor rend his clothes;
KJV
And he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes;
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This verse in Leviticus 21
Commentary
8 notes on this verseHe that is the high priest - This is the first place where this title is introduced; the title is very emphatic, הכהן הגדול haccohen haggadol, that priest, the great one. For the meaning of כהן cohen, see the note on Gen 14:18. As the chief or high priest was a representative of our blessed Lord, therefore he was required to be especially holy; and he is represented as God’s king among the people.
This site's exposition
he that is the high priest among his brethren
on Leviticus 21:10-12
The title high priest occurs here for the first time in Scripture. What Moses forbade Aaron in the hour his sons died at 10:6, an uncovered head and rent clothes, is fixed on the office permanently, and verse 11 closes to him the two funerals an ordinary priest may attend, his father's and his mother's. Verse 12 keeps him inside the sanctuary and gives the reason as the crown of the anointing oil of his God, then ends with I am the LORD. Mark 14:63 and Matthew 26:65 both record a high priest rending his clothes at the trial of Jesus.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
The garments - Those holy garments, which were peculiar to him. Shall not uncover his head - This being then the posture of mourners, chap. x, 6, though afterwards the custom was changed and mourners covered their heads, 2 Sam. xv, 30, Esth vi, 12.
), both which were typical of the anointing and adorning of the Lord Jesus, with all the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, which he received without measure. It is called the crown of the anointing oil of his God (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation
), so perfectly unconcerned must he show himself in all the crosses and comforts of this life: even his natural affection must be swallowed up in compassion to the ignorant, and a feeling of their infirmities, and a tender concern for the household of God, which he was made the ruler of.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
And he that is the high priest among his brethren,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Moreover, the high dignity of his office demanded a corresponding superiority in personal holiness, and stringent rules were prescribed for the purpose of upholding the suitable dignity of his station and family. The same rules are extended to the families of Christian ministers (1Ti 3:2;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
It was the distinguishing mark of the anointing of the high priest, that the holy oil was poured upon his head like a crown (compare Lev 8:12). Uncover his head - Rather, let his hair be disheveled. See the note at Lev 10:6.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
HE SHALL NOT LET THE HAIR OF HIS HEAD GO LOOSE etc. NEITHER SHALL HE GO IN TO ANY DEAD BODY.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
22 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהַכֹּהֵן֩ | vehakohen | and the priest | H3548 → | 750 times |
| הַגָּד֨וֹל | hagadol | <the> great | H1419 → | |
| מֵאֶחָ֜יו | meechav | more than brothers his | H251 → | 630 times |
| אֲֽשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | whom | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יוּצַ֥ק | yutzak | it was poured | H3332 → | 50 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| רֹאשׁ֣וֹ׀ | rosho | head his | H7218 → | 599 times |
| שֶׁ֤מֶן | shemen | [the] oil of | H8081 → | 193 times |
| הַמִּשְׁחָה֙ | hamishchah | <the> anointing | H4888 → | 26 times |
| וּמִלֵּ֣א | umile' | and he has filled | H4390 → | 249 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יָד֔וֹ | yado | hand his | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| לִלְבֹּ֖שׁ | lilbosh | to wear | H3847 → | 110 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַבְּגָדִ֑ים | habegadim | the garments | H899 → | 217 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| רֹאשׁוֹ֙ | rosho | head his | H7218 → | 599 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יִפְרָ֔ע | yifra' | he will let loose | H6544 → | 16 times |
| וּבְגָדָ֖יו | uvegadav | and garments his | H899 → | 217 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יִפְרֹֽם׃ | yifrom | he will tear | H6533 → | 3 times |
וְהַכֹּהֵן֩and the priest
vehakohenH3548 →750 times
הַגָּד֨וֹל<the> great
hagadolH1419 →
מֵאֶחָ֜יוmore than brothers his
meechavH251 →630 times
אֲֽשֶׁר־whom
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
יוּצַ֥קit was poured
yutzakH3332 →50 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
רֹאשׁ֣וֹ׀head his
roshoH7218 →599 times
שֶׁ֤מֶן[the] oil of
shemenH8081 →193 times
הַמִּשְׁחָה֙<the> anointing
hamishchahH4888 →26 times
וּמִלֵּ֣אand he has filled
umile'H4390 →249 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יָד֔וֹhand his
yadoH3027 →1618 times
לִלְבֹּ֖שׁto wear
lilboshH3847 →110 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַבְּגָדִ֑יםthe garments
habegadimH899 →217 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
רֹאשׁוֹ֙head his
roshoH7218 →599 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
יִפְרָ֔עhe will let loose
yifra'H6544 →16 times
וּבְגָדָ֖יוand garments his
uvegadavH899 →217 times
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
יִפְרֹֽם׃he will tear
yifromH6533 →3 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Numbers 35:25The assembly is to protect the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood. Then the assembly will return him to the city of refuge to which he fled, and he must live…
it leads to
- Exodus 29:7
Then take the anointing oil and anoint him by pouring it on his head.
- Romans 3:24–26
and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
- Leviticus 4:3
If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the LORD a young bull without blemish as a sin offering for the sin he has committed.
- Joshua 20:6
He is to stay in that city until he stands trial before the assembly and until the death of the high priest serving at that time. Then the manslayer may return to his own…
- Hebrews 10:19–22
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,
- Exodus 29:7
Through
Matthew 26:65At this, the high priest tore his clothes and declared, “He has blasphemed! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.
it leads to
- Matthew 9:3
On seeing this, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming!”
- Numbers 14:6
Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes
- Jeremiah 36:24
Yet in hearing all these words, the king and his servants did not become frightened or tear their garments.
- Matthew 9:3
About Leviticus
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.