Conduct for Priests
Leviticus 21, verse 1. Now the Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them, ‘They shall not be defiled by the dead among their people, Leviticus 21, verse 2. except for their nearest relatives: their father, mother, sons, daughters, brother, Leviticus 21, verse 3. and virgin sister near to him and having no husband; for these he may be defiled. Leviticus 21, verse 4. Otherwise, he shall not be unexpectedly defiled and profaned among his people. Leviticus 21, verse 5. You shall not shave a bald spot on your head for the dead, nor shall they shave the edges of their beard, nor make any cuttings on their flesh. Leviticus 21, verse 6. They shall be holy to their God, and not defile the name of their God, for they offer the sacrifices of the Lord as the gifts of their God; therefore, they shall be holy. Leviticus 21, verse 7. They shall not take a wife who is a prostitute and defiled, nor shall they take a woman divorced from her husband; for a priest is holy to the Lord his God. Leviticus 21, verse 8. Therefore you shall sanctify him, for he offers the gifts of the Lord your God. He shall be holy to you, for I the Lord, who sanctifies them, am holy. Leviticus 21, verse 9. The daughter of any priest, if she defiles herself by playing the harlot, she defiles the name of her father. She shall be burned with fire. Leviticus 21, verse 10. The high priest who is great among his brethren, on whose head the anointing oil was poured and who was consecrated to wear the garments, shall not uncover his head nor tear his clothes; Leviticus 21, verse 11. nor shall he go near any soul who died, nor defile himself for his father or mother; Leviticus 21, verse 12. nor shall he go out of the holy places, nor defile the sanctified place of his God; for the consecration of God's holy anointing oil is upon him: I am the Lord. Leviticus 21, verse 13. Moreover, he shall take a wife in her virginity. Leviticus 21, verse 14. But a widow, a divorced woman, a defiled woman, or a prostitute—these he shall not marry; but he shall take a virgin of his own people as wife. Leviticus 21, verse 15. Nor shall he defile his seed among his people, for I the Lord sanctify him.’” Leviticus 21, verse 16. Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Leviticus 21, verse 17. “Speak to Aaron, saying, ‘No man of your descendants in succeeding generations who has any defect may approach to offer the gifts of his God. Leviticus 21, verse 18. For any man who has a defect shall not approach: a man lame or blind, who has a slit nose or ear, Leviticus 21, verse 19. a man who has a broken hand or foot, Leviticus 21, verse 20. or is a hunchback or has a defect in his eye, or an inflammation with respect to the eyes, or a man who has a severe itch or a single testicle. Leviticus 21, verse 21. No man of the seed of Aaron the priest who has a defect shall come near to offer the sacrifices to your God. He has a defect; he shall not come near to offer the gifts of your God. Leviticus 21, verse 22. The gifts of his God are most holy, and he may eat only the holy things; Leviticus 21, verse 23. but he shall not go near the veil or approach the altar, because he has a defect, lest he defile the holy place of his God; for I the Lord sanctify them.’” Leviticus 21, verse 24. Thus Moses told this to Aaron and his sons, and to all the children of Israel.