Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version No man who has any defect may come near: no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed; New Living Translation No one who has a defect qualifies, whether he is blind, lame, disfigured, deformed, English Standard Version For no one who has a blemish shall draw near, a man blind or lame, or one who has a mutilated face or a limb too long, Berean Standard Bible No man who has any defect may approach—no man who is blind, lame, disfigured, or deformed; King James Bible For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous, New King James Version For any man who has a defect shall not approach: a man blind or lame, who has a marred face or any limb too long, New American Standard Bible For no one who has an impairment shall approach: a man who is blind, or one who limps, or one who has a slit nose, or one with any conspicuous feature, NASB 1995 For no one who has a defect shall approach: a blind man, or a lame man, or he who has a disfigured face, or any deformed limb, NASB 1977 ‘For no one who has a defect shall approach: a blind man, or a lame man, or he who has a disfigured face, or any deformed limb, Legacy Standard Bible For no one who has a defect shall come near: a blind man or a lame man or he who has a disfigured face or any deformed limb, Amplified Bible For no man who has a defect shall approach [God’s altar as a priest]: no man who is blind or lame, or who has a disfigured face, or any deformed limb, Christian Standard Bible No man who has any defect is to come near: no man who is blind, lame, facially disfigured, or deformed; Holman Christian Standard Bible No man who has any defect is to come near: no man who is blind, lame, facially disfigured, or deformed; American Standard Version For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or anything superfluous, English Revised Version For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous, GOD'S WORD® Translation Indeed, no one who has a physical defect may ever come near [the altar]. That means anyone who is blind or lame, who has a disfigured face, a deformity, Good News Translation No man with any physical defects may make the offering: no one who is blind, lame, disfigured, or deformed; International Standard Version Indeed, any person who has a defect is not to approach the Tent of Meeting— the blind, the lame, one who is mutilated in the face or who has a very long limb, Majority Standard Bible No man who has any defect may approach?no man who is blind, lame, disfigured, or deformed; NET Bible Certainly no man who has a physical flaw is to approach: a blind man, or one who is lame, or one with a slit nose, or a limb too long, New Heart English Bible For whatever man he is that has a blemish, he shall not draw near: a blind man, or a lame, or he who has a flat nose, or any deformity, Webster's Bible Translation For whatever man he may be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous, World English Bible For whatever man he is that has a defect, he shall not draw near: a blind man, or a lame, or he who has a flat nose, or any deformity, Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionfor no man in whom [is] a blemish draws near: a man blind, or lame, or disfigured, or deformed, Young's Literal Translation for no man in whom is blemish doth draw near -- a man blind, or lame or dwarfed, or enlarged, Smith's Literal Translation For every man to whom in him a blemish shall not come near: a man blind, or lame, or flat-nosed, or stretched out, Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleNeither shall he approach to minister to him: If he be blind, if he be lame, if he have a little, or a great, or a crooked nose, Catholic Public Domain Version Neither shall he approach to minister to him: if he is blind, if he is lame, if he is small, or large, or has a crooked nose, New American Bible Anyone who has any of the following blemishes may not come forward: he who is blind, or lame, or who has a split lip, or a limb too long, New Revised Standard Version For no one who has a blemish shall draw near, one who is blind or lame, or one who has a mutilated face or a limb too long, Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleFor any man who has a blemish, he shall not approach: a lame man or a blind man or one whose nose is cut off or one who is deprived of ears Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Because no man who has a defect in him shall come near: a man who is lame, or blind, or flat nosed, or whose ear is deformed. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath any thing maimed, or anything too long, Brenton Septuagint Translation No man who has a blemish on him shall draw nigh; a man blind, lame, with his nose disfigured, or his ears cut, Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Restrictions Against Those with Blemishes…17“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. 18 No man who has any defect may approach— no man who is blind, lame, disfigured, or deformed; 19no man who has a broken foot or hand,… Cross References Deuteronomy 15:21 But if an animal has a defect, is lame or blind, or has any serious flaw, you must not sacrifice it to the LORD your God. Malachi 1:8 When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is it not wrong? And when you present the lame and sick ones, is it not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you or show you favor?” asks the LORD of Hosts. 2 Samuel 5:8 On that day he said, “Whoever attacks the Jebusites must use the water shaft to reach the lame and blind who are despised by David.” That is why it is said, “The blind and the lame will never enter the palace.” Deuteronomy 17:1 You shall not sacrifice to the LORD your God an ox or a sheep with any defect or serious flaw, for that is detestable to the LORD your God. Leviticus 22:20-25 You must not present anything with a defect, because it will not be accepted on your behalf. / When a man presents a peace offering to the LORD from the herd or flock to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering, it must be without blemish or defect to be acceptable. / You are not to present to the LORD any animal that is blind, injured, or maimed, or anything with a running sore, a festering rash, or a scab; you must not put any of these on the altar as a food offering to the LORD. ... Isaiah 56:3-5 Let no foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, “The LORD will utterly exclude me from His people.” And let the eunuch not say, “I am but a dry tree.” / For this is what the LORD says: “To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, who choose what pleases Me and hold fast to My covenant— / I will give them, in My house and within My walls, a memorial and a name better than that of sons and daughters. I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off. 2 Samuel 9:13 So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table, and he was lame in both feet. Numbers 19:2 “This is the statute of the law that the LORD has commanded: Instruct the Israelites to bring you an unblemished red heifer that has no defect and has never been placed under a yoke. 1 Peter 1:19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot. Matthew 21:14 The blind and the lame came to Him at the temple, and He healed them. Hebrews 7:28 For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever. Matthew 15:30-31 Large crowds came to Him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and laid them at His feet, and He healed them. / The crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel. Luke 14:13-14 But when you host a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind, / and you will be blessed. Since they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” John 9:1-3 Now as Jesus was passing by, He saw a man blind from birth, / and His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” / Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God would be displayed in him. Acts 3:2-8 And a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those entering the temple courts. / When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. / Peter looked directly at him, as did John. “Look at us!” said Peter. ... Treasury of Scripture For whatever man he be that has a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that has a flat nose, or any thing superfluous, a blind man Isaiah 56:10 His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Matthew 23:16,17,19 Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! … 1 Timothy 3:2,3,7 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; … superfluous Leviticus 22:23 Either a bullock or a lamb that hath any thing superfluous or lacking in his parts, that mayest thou offer for a freewill offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted. Jump to Previous Approach Blemish Blind Damaged Defect Deformed Deformity Disfigured Draw Face Flat Lame Maimed Mutilated Nose Superfluous Unnatural Use Whatever WhatsoeverJump to Next Approach Blemish Blind Damaged Defect Deformed Deformity Disfigured Draw Face Flat Lame Maimed Mutilated Nose Superfluous Unnatural Use Whatever WhatsoeverLeviticus 21 1. Of the priests' mourning6. 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 No man who has any defect may approach— This phrase establishes a standard for the Levitical priesthood, emphasizing the requirement for physical wholeness in those who serve in the sanctuary. The priesthood in ancient Israel was a sacred office, and those who served were to reflect the holiness and perfection of God. This requirement for physical perfection can be seen as a type of the spiritual perfection required by God, pointing forward to the ultimate High Priest, Jesus Christ, who was without blemish or defect (Hebrews 7:26-28). The emphasis on physical wholeness also underscores the importance of purity and holiness in worship, a theme that runs throughout the book of Leviticus. no man who is blind, lame, disfigured, or deformed; Persons / Places / Events 1. PriestsThe primary focus of Leviticus 21 is on the priests of Israel, who were set apart to serve in the tabernacle and later in the temple. They were required to maintain a standard of physical and ceremonial purity. 2. Tabernacle/Temple The place where the priests served, representing the presence of God among His people. It was a holy place requiring those who served there to be without physical defects as a symbol of spiritual purity. 3. Moses The author of Leviticus, who received the laws from God on Mount Sinai and communicated them to the Israelites. 4. Israelites The chosen people of God, who were given the Law to guide their worship and daily living, setting them apart from other nations. 5. God The ultimate authority who established these laws to maintain holiness and order among His people. Teaching Points Holiness and PurityThe requirement for priests to be without physical defects symbolizes the need for spiritual purity and holiness in approaching God. Symbolism of Physical Perfection Physical perfection in the Old Testament priesthood points to the ultimate perfection found in Christ, who is our High Priest without blemish. Inclusivity in Christ While the Old Testament law excluded those with physical defects from priestly service, the New Testament reveals that all are included in Christ, who heals and redeems our imperfections. Spiritual Readiness Just as priests needed to be physically whole, believers are called to be spiritually whole, seeking God’s sanctification in their lives. God’s Standards God’s standards are high, reflecting His holiness. Believers are called to strive for holiness, relying on Christ’s righteousness.(18) For whatsoever man . . . --This part of the verse is simply an emphatic repetition of the same declaration at the end of the last verse to introduce the examples of the bodily blemishes which disqualified the priests for the service at the altar. A similar law obtained among the Greeks and Romans, that a priest should be perfect in all his parts; and according to the Hindoo law, Brahmins born with a bodily defect, or who received one before their sixteenth year, are excluded from the rites of consecration. A blind man.--During the second Temple, this was not only interpreted to be partial blindness on both eyes, or on one eye, but was taken to include any blemish in the eye or in the eyelid, of which the administrators of the Law enumerate twenty-six cases, nineteen in the eye and seven in the eyelid. Or a lame.--This was understood during the second Temple to refer to any imperfection in the gait of the priest, which might show itself in twenty different ways. Or he that hath a flat nose.--Of the nasal deformity no less than nine different illustrations are given. Or any thing superfluous.--That is, one member of the body more stretched out or longer than the others, or out of proportion, as an eye, shoulder, thigh, leg, &c. Hebrew Noכָל־ (ḵāl) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every man אִ֛ישׁ (’îš) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person who אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-) Pronoun - relative Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that has any defect מ֖וּם (mūm) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3971: To stain, a blemish may approach— יִקְרָ֑ב (yiq·rāḇ) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 7126: To come near, approach no man אִ֤ישׁ (’îš) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person who is blind, עִוֵּר֙ (‘iw·wêr) Adjective - masculine singular Strong's 5787: Blind lame, פִסֵּ֔חַ (p̄is·sê·aḥ) Adjective - masculine singular Strong's 6455: Lame disfigured, חָרֻ֖ם (ḥā·rum) Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular Strong's 2763: To seclude, to devote to religious uses, to be blunt as to the nose or א֣וֹ (’ōw) Conjunction Strong's 176: Desire, if deformed; שָׂרֽוּעַ׃ (śā·rū·a‘) Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular Strong's 8311: To prolong, be deformed by excess of members Links Leviticus 21:18 NIVLeviticus 21:18 NLT Leviticus 21:18 ESV Leviticus 21:18 NASB Leviticus 21:18 KJV Leviticus 21:18 BibleApps.com Leviticus 21:18 Biblia Paralela Leviticus 21:18 Chinese Bible Leviticus 21:18 French Bible Leviticus 21:18 Catholic Bible OT Law: Leviticus 21:18 For whatever man he is that has (Le Lv Lev.) |
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