Leviticus 21:13
New International Version
“’The woman he marries must be a virgin.

New Living Translation
“The high priest may marry only a virgin.

English Standard Version
And he shall take a wife in her virginity.

Berean Standard Bible
The woman he marries must be a virgin.

King James Bible
And he shall take a wife in her virginity.

New King James Version
And he shall take a wife in her virginity.

New American Standard Bible
He shall take a wife in her virginity.

NASB 1995
‘He shall take a wife in her virginity.

NASB 1977
‘And he shall take a wife in her virginity.

Legacy Standard Bible
And he shall take a wife in her virginity.

Amplified Bible
He shall take a wife in her virginity.

Christian Standard Bible
“He is to marry a woman who is a virgin.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He is to marry a woman who is a virgin.

American Standard Version
And he shall take a wife in her virginity.

Contemporary English Version
If you are the high priest, you must marry only a virgin

English Revised Version
And he shall take a wife in her virginity.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"The anointed priest must marry a virgin.

Good News Translation
He shall marry a virgin,

International Standard Version
"Furthermore, he is to marry a true virgin.

Majority Standard Bible
The woman he marries must be a virgin.

NET Bible
He must take a wife who is a virgin.

New Heart English Bible
"'He shall take a wife in her virginity.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he shall take a wife in her virginity.

World English Bible
“‘He shall take a wife in her virginity.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And he takes a wife in her virginity;

Young's Literal Translation
'And he taketh a wife in her virginity;

Smith's Literal Translation
And he shall take a wife in her virginity.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
He shall take a virgin unto his wife:

Catholic Public Domain Version
He shall take a virgin as his wife.

New American Bible
He shall marry only a woman who is a virgin.

New Revised Standard Version
He shall marry only a woman who is a virgin.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And he shall take a wife in her virginity.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And this one shall take a virgin woman.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And he shall take a wife in her virginity.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
He shall take for a wife a virgin of his own tribe.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Holiness Required of Priests
12He must not leave or desecrate the sanctuary of his God, for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is on him. I am the LORD. 13The woman he marries must be a virgin. 14He is not to marry a widow, a divorced woman, or one defiled by prostitution. He is to marry a virgin from his own people,…

Cross References
Ezekiel 44:22
And they shall not marry a widow or a divorced woman, but must marry a virgin of the descendants of the house of Israel, or a widow of a priest.

1 Timothy 3:2
An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,

1 Timothy 3:12
A deacon must be the husband of but one wife, a good manager of his children and of his own household.

Titus 1:6
An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, having children who are believers and who are not open to accusation of indiscretion or insubordination.

1 Corinthians 7:2
But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.

Genesis 24:3-4
and I will have you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am dwelling, / but will go to my country and my kindred to take a wife for my son Isaac.”

Genesis 28:1-2
So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him. “Do not take a wife from the Canaanite women,” he commanded. / “Go at once to Paddan-aram, to the house of your mother’s father Bethuel, and take a wife from among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother.

Deuteronomy 7:3-4
Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, / because they will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods. Then the anger of the LORD will burn against you, and He will swiftly destroy you.

2 Corinthians 6:14
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?

Malachi 2:11
Judah has broken faith; an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the LORD’s beloved sanctuary by marrying the daughter of a foreign god.

Ezra 9:12
Now, therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Never seek their peace or prosperity, so that you may be strong and may eat the good things of the land, leaving it as an inheritance to your sons forever.’

Nehemiah 13:25
I rebuked them and called down curses on them. I beat some of these men and pulled out their hair. Then I made them take an oath before God and said, “You must not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters as wives for your sons or for yourselves!

1 Corinthians 9:5
Have we no right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas?

Matthew 19:4-6
Jesus answered, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ / and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? / So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

Ephesians 5:31
“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”


Treasury of Scripture

And he shall take a wife in her virginity.

Leviticus 21:7
They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God.

Ezekiel 44:22
Neither shall they take for their wives a widow, nor her that is put away: but they shall take maidens of the seed of the house of Israel, or a widow that had a priest before.

2 Corinthians 11:2
For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

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Leviticus 21
1. Of the priests' mourning
6. 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














The woman he marries
This phrase refers to the high priest's marital requirements, emphasizing the importance of purity and holiness in his personal life. The high priest held a unique position as the spiritual leader and mediator between God and the Israelites, symbolizing the need for a life set apart for God. This requirement underscores the importance of maintaining a holy lineage and reflects the broader biblical theme of marriage as a covenant relationship. In the New Testament, marriage is often used as a metaphor for Christ's relationship with the Church (Ephesians 5:25-27).

must be a virgin.
The stipulation that the high priest's wife must be a virgin highlights the emphasis on purity and the unblemished nature of those who serve in sacred roles. Virginity here symbolizes spiritual purity and dedication, reflecting the holiness required of those who approach God. This requirement can be seen as a type of Christ, who is the ultimate High Priest, pure and without sin (Hebrews 7:26). The concept of virginity also connects to the prophecy of the virgin birth of Jesus (Isaiah 7:14), emphasizing the purity and divine nature of Christ's incarnation.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The High Priest
The primary subject of this verse, the high priest in Israel was held to a higher standard of holiness and purity due to his role in mediating between God and the people.

2. The Virgin
The woman whom the high priest is commanded to marry. This requirement underscores the importance of purity and holiness in the priestly office.

3. Israel
The nation to whom these laws were given, emphasizing the distinctiveness and holiness required of those who serve in the tabernacle.

4. Moses
The mediator of the Law, through whom God communicated these instructions to the Israelites.

5. The Tabernacle
The central place of worship for Israel, where the high priest performed his duties, symbolizing God's presence among His people.
Teaching Points
Holiness in Leadership
The high priest's requirement to marry a virgin underscores the call to purity and holiness for those in spiritual leadership. Leaders today are similarly called to live lives that reflect God's holiness.

Symbolism of Purity
The marriage to a virgin symbolizes the purity and dedication required in our relationship with God. Believers are called to present themselves as pure and holy, set apart for God's purposes.

Marriage as a Reflection of Spiritual Truths
The high priest's marriage serves as a metaphor for Christ's relationship with the Church. Just as the high priest was to marry a virgin, Christ seeks a pure and spotless bride.

Cultural Context and Timeless Principles
While the specific cultural context of Leviticus may differ from today, the underlying principles of holiness, purity, and dedication to God remain relevant.

The Role of the Law
The laws in Leviticus, including those about marriage, point to the need for a Savior who perfectly fulfills the law and enables us to live holy lives through His Spirit.(13) A wife in her virginity.--From this verse the administrators of the Law during the second Temple concluded that (1) the high priest must be the husband of one wife, though the ordinary priests might have several; (2) that she must be a virgin, under the age of thirteen; (3) that she must not even have been betrothed to another person; and that (4) she must be the daughter of Jewish parents by race, as it is stated in the next verse, though the ordinary priest was allowed to marry the daughter of proselytes. The first of these enactments is also enjoined by St. Paul on Christian bishops (1Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:16); whilst the fourth is actually expressed in the Greek version (LXX.), which has at the end of the verse, "of his own race."



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The woman
אִשָּׁ֥ה (’iš·šāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female

he
וְה֕וּא (wə·hū)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

marries
יִקָּֽח׃ (yiq·qāḥ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

must be a virgin.
בִבְתוּלֶ֖יהָ (ḇiḇ·ṯū·le·hā)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 1331: Virginity, the tokens of it


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OT Law: Leviticus 21:13 He shall take a wife in her (Le Lv Lev.)
Leviticus 21:12
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