Leviticus 21:17
in Leviticus 21“Say to Aaron, ‘For the generations to come, none of your descendants who has a physical defect may approach to offer the food of his God.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed throughout their generations that hath a blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God.
KJV
Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God.
⋯
This verse in Leviticus 21
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Gregory of NazianzusORATION 2 (IN DEFENSE OF HIS FLIGHT TO PONTUS) 94 · Written before 390.
I know also that not even bodily blemishes in either priests or victims passed without notice, but that it was required by the law that perfect sacrifices must be offered by perfect men—a symbol, I take it, of integrity of soul.
This site's exposition
Then the LORD said to Moses
on Leviticus 21:16-20
Twelve defects are listed across three verses and no reason is given for any of them. Calvin rested on the rule that only what was perfect came to the altar.
This site's exposition
who has a physical defect
For the generations to come makes the bar permanent. John Wesley declined to comment on each defect, since some of the Hebrew words are read in different ways and the service itself had ended. The bar is on approaching to offer, and verse 22 shows what such a man keeps.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Moreover, blameless priests served the Godhead by offering blameless sacrifices, while those who were blemished and offered blemished sacrifices and whom Moses described in Leviticus were separated from the altar. And who else is the blameless priest offering a blameless sacrifice than the person who holds fast to his confession and fulfills every requirement the account of martyrdom demands? He is the one we have spoken of before.
The Reformation1 voice
Speak unto Aaron, saying. Priests in whom there was any notable bodily defect are here forbidden from approaching the altar. I will not curiously inquire into the defects which Moses enumerates, since the same rule is here laid down, which is afterwards applied to the sacrifices, whereof none but perfect ones were to be offered.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
The particular defect's here mentioned, I shall not enlarge upon because some of the Hebrew words are diversely interpreted, and because the use of these things being abolished, the knowledge of them is not necessary.
Speak unto Aaron, saying,....
Those are unworthy to be called Christians, and unfit to be employed as ministers, that are spiritually blind, and lame, and crooked, whose sins render them scandalous and deformed, so as that the offerings of the Lord are abhorred for their sakes.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Whosoever - hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God - Never was a wiser, a more rational, and a more expedient law enacted relative to sacred matters. The man who ministers in holy things, who professes to be the interpreter of the will of God, should have nothing in his person nor in his manner which cannot contribute to render him respectable in the eyes of those to whom he ministers.
The words behind it
16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| דַּבֵּ֥ר | daber | speak | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| אֶֽל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אַהֲרֹ֖ן | ʾaharon | Aaron | H175 → | 347 times |
| לֵאמֹ֑ר | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אִ֣ישׁ | ʾish | a man | H376 → | 1663 times |
| מִֽזַּרְעֲךָ֞ | mizarakha | from offspring your | H2233 → | 229 times |
| לְדֹרֹתָ֗ם | ledorotam | to generations their | H1755 → | 167 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ʾasher | whom | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יִהְיֶ֥ה | yihyeh | it will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| בוֹ֙ | vo | in <the> him | ||
| מ֔וּם | mum | a blemish | H3971 → | 21 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יִקְרַ֔ב | yikrav | he will draw near | H7126 → | 280 times |
| לְהַקְרִ֖יב | lehakriv | to present | H7126 → | 280 times |
| לֶ֥חֶם | lechem | [the] food of | H3899 → | 298 times |
| אֱלֹהָֽיו׃ | ʾelohav | God his | H430 → | 2601 times |
דַּבֵּ֥רspeak
daberH1696 →1141 times
אֶֽל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
אַהֲרֹ֖ןAaron
ʾaharonH175 →347 times
לֵאמֹ֑ר<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
אִ֣ישׁa man
ʾishH376 →1663 times
מִֽזַּרְעֲךָ֞from offspring your
mizarakhaH2233 →229 times
לְדֹרֹתָ֗םto generations their
ledorotamH1755 →167 times
אֲשֶׁ֨רwhom
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
יִהְיֶ֥הit will be
yihyehH1961 →3559 times
בוֹ֙in <the> him
vo
מ֔וּםa blemish
mumH3971 →21 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
יִקְרַ֔בhe will draw near
yikravH7126 →280 times
לְהַקְרִ֖יבto present
lehakrivH7126 →280 times
לֶ֥חֶם[the] food of
lechemH3899 →298 times
אֱלֹהָֽיו׃God his
ʾelohavH430 →2601 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
Leviticus 10:3Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD meant when He said: ‘To those who come near Me I will show My holiness, and in the sight of all the people I…
it leads to
- Exodus 19:22
Even the priests who approach the LORD must consecrate themselves, or the LORD will break out against them.”
- Isaiah 49:3
He said to Me, “You are My Servant, Israel, in whom I will display My glory.”
- Leviticus 21:6
They must be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God. Because they present to the LORD the offerings made by fire, the food of their God, they must be…
- Exodus 19:22
Through
Psalms 65:4Blessed is the one You choose and bring near to dwell in Your courts! We are filled with the goodness of Your house, the holiness of Your temple.
it leads to
- Ephesians 1:4
For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love
- Psalms 23:6
Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
- Psalms 84:4
How blessed are those who dwell in Your house! They are ever praising You. Selah
- Psalms 106:4–5
Remember me, O LORD, in Your favor to Your people; visit me with Your salvation,
- Psalms 36:8
They feast on the abundance of Your house, and You give them drink from Your river of delights.
- Ephesians 1:4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Leviticus
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Gregory of Nazianzus, ORATION 2 (IN DEFENSE OF HIS FLIGHT TO PONTUS) 94; John Calvin, Commentary on the Four Last Books of Moses Arranged in the Form of a Harmony; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, EXHORTATION TO MARTYRDOM 30.