Leviticus 21:4
New International Version
He must not make himself unclean for people related to him by marriage, and so defile himself.

New Living Translation
But a priest must not defile himself and make himself unclean for someone who is related to him only by marriage.

English Standard Version
He shall not make himself unclean as a husband among his people and so profane himself.

Berean Standard Bible
He is not to defile himself for those related to him by marriage, and so profane himself.

King James Bible
But he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.

New King James Version
Otherwise he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.

New American Standard Bible
He shall not defile himself as a relative by marriage among his people, so as to profane himself.

NASB 1995
‘He shall not defile himself as a relative by marriage among his people, and so profane himself.

NASB 1977
‘He shall not defile himself as a relative by marriage among his people, and so profane himself.

Legacy Standard Bible
He shall not defile himself as a relative by marriage among his people, and so profane himself.

Amplified Bible
He shall not become unclean as a relative by marriage among his people, and so profane himself.

Christian Standard Bible
He is not to make himself unclean for those related to him by marriage and so defile himself.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He is not to make himself unclean for those related to him by marriage and so defile himself.”

American Standard Version
He shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.

Contemporary English Version
Don't make yourself unclean by attending the funeral of someone related to you by marriage.

English Revised Version
He shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
As the head of your people, you should never become unclean. That would make you unholy.

Good News Translation
He shall not make himself unclean at the death of those related to him by marriage.

International Standard Version
Because he is a husband among his people, he is not to defile himself, thereby polluting himself.

Majority Standard Bible
He is not to defile himself for those related to him by marriage, and so profane himself.

NET Bible
He must not defile himself as a husband among his people so as to profane himself.

New Heart English Bible
He shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.

Webster's Bible Translation
But he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.

World English Bible
He shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
A master [priest] does not defile himself among his people—to defile himself;

Young's Literal Translation
A master priest doth not defile himself among his people -- to pollute himself;

Smith's Literal Translation
A chief among his people shall not be defiled, to profane himself.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But not even for the prince of his people shall he do any thing that may make him unclean.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But not even by the leader of his people shall he be contaminated.

New American Bible
But as a husband among his kindred he shall not make himself unclean and thus profane himself.

New Revised Standard Version
But he shall not defile himself as a husband among his people and so profane himself.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But he shall not defile himself for the prince of his people, lest he profane himself.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
He shall not be defiled for the Prince of his people, that he will not be polluted.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
He shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
He shall not defile himself suddenly among his people to profane himself.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Holiness Required of Priests
3or his unmarried sister who is near to him, since she has no husband. 4He is not to defile himself for those related to him by marriage, and so profane himself. 5Priests must not make bald spots on their heads, shave off the edges of their beards, or make cuts in their bodies.…

Cross References
Numbers 19:11-13
Whoever touches any dead body will be unclean for seven days. / He must purify himself with the water on the third day and on the seventh day; then he will be clean. But if he does not purify himself on the third and seventh days, he will not be clean. / Anyone who touches a human corpse and fails to purify himself defiles the tabernacle of the LORD. That person must be cut off from Israel. He remains unclean, because the water of purification has not been sprinkled on him, and his uncleanness is still on him.

Ezekiel 44:25-27
A priest must not defile himself by going near a dead person. However, for a father, a mother, a son, a daughter, a brother, or an unmarried sister, he may do so, / and after he is cleansed, he must count off seven days for himself. / And on the day he goes into the sanctuary, into the inner court, to minister in the sanctuary, he must present his sin offering, declares the Lord GOD.

Matthew 8:21-22
Another of His disciples requested, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” / But Jesus told him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

Luke 9:59-60
Then He said to another man, “Follow Me.” The man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” / But Jesus told him, “Let the dead bury their own dead. You, however, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

1 Timothy 3:2-3
An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, / not dependent on wine, not violent but gentle, peaceable, and free of the love of money.

1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Hebrews 7:26
Such a high priest truly befits us—One who is holy, innocent, undefiled, set apart from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.

1 Corinthians 9:13-14
Do you not know that those who work in the temple eat of its food, and those who serve at the altar partake of its offerings? / In the same way, the Lord has prescribed that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; / you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.

2 Corinthians 6:17-18
“Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” / And: “I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

Romans 12:1-2
Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. / Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-5
For it is God’s will that you should be holy: You must abstain from sexual immorality; / each of you must know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, / not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God;

1 Peter 1:15-16
But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, / for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

Exodus 29:1-9
“Now this is what you are to do to consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve Me as priests: Take a young bull and two rams without blemish, / along with unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil. Make them out of fine wheat flour, / put them in a basket, and present them in the basket, along with the bull and the two rams. ...

Deuteronomy 33:8-10
Concerning Levi he said: “Give Your Thummim to Levi and Your Urim to Your godly one, whom You tested at Massah and contested at the waters of Meribah. / He said of his father and mother, ‘I do not consider them.’ He disregarded his brothers and did not know his own sons, for he kept Your word and maintained Your covenant. / He will teach Your ordinances to Jacob and Your law to Israel; he will set incense before You and whole burnt offerings on Your altar.


Treasury of Scripture

But he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.

Ezekiel 24:16,17
Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down…

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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














He is not to defile himself
In the context of Leviticus 21, this instruction is directed towards the priests, who were held to a higher standard of holiness due to their role in the tabernacle. The term "defile" refers to becoming ceremonially unclean, which would disqualify a priest from performing his sacred duties. This reflects the broader biblical theme of separation from sin and impurity, as seen in passages like 2 Corinthians 6:17, where believers are called to be separate from the world.

for those related to him by marriage
This phrase indicates that the priest is not to become ceremonially unclean even for in-laws, highlighting the importance of maintaining ritual purity. In ancient Israel, family ties were significant, but the priest's duty to God took precedence. This can be compared to Jesus' teaching in Matthew 10:37, where He emphasizes the priority of devotion to God over familial relationships.

and so profane himself
To "profane" means to treat something sacred with irreverence or disrespect. For a priest, becoming unclean would mean treating his holy office with disregard. This concept is echoed in Ezekiel 44:23, where priests are instructed to teach the people the difference between the holy and the common. The priest's role as a mediator between God and the people foreshadows Christ, our ultimate High Priest, who is described in Hebrews 7:26 as "holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners."

Persons / Places / Events
1. Priests
The primary focus of Leviticus 21 is on the priests, who were set apart for service in the tabernacle and later the temple. They were held to higher standards of purity and conduct.

2. Israel
The nation to whom the laws were given, emphasizing their unique covenant relationship with God and the need for holiness.

3. Moses
The mediator of the Law, through whom God communicated His statutes to the Israelites.

4. Tabernacle/Temple
The central place of worship where the priests served, symbolizing God's presence among His people.

5. Holiness
A recurring theme in Leviticus, highlighting the need for separation from impurity and dedication to God.
Teaching Points
Holiness and Separation
The call to holiness is a central theme in the life of a believer. Just as priests were to remain undefiled, Christians are called to live lives that are distinct and set apart for God.

Respect for God's Standards
God's standards for His people are not arbitrary but are designed to reflect His character. Understanding and respecting these standards is crucial for a life that honors God.

The Role of Priests
In the Old Testament, priests served as mediators between God and the people. In the New Testament, all believers are called to be priests, representing God to the world.

Avoiding Spiritual Defilement
While the specific laws of Leviticus may not apply directly, the principle of avoiding spiritual defilement remains relevant. Believers must guard against influences that can lead them away from God.

The Importance of Family and Community
While priests were restricted in their mourning practices, the broader principle of caring for family and community remains. Believers are called to balance their spiritual commitments with their responsibilities to others.(4) But he shall not defile himself, being a chief man . . . --Better, A husband shall not defile himself among his people when he had profaned himself. As the seven exceptions to the general rule began with his wife, whose funeral rites the priestly husband is allowed to attend, the verse before us restricts this permission to his legally prescribed wife. If he contracted a marriage which profaned him, he could not attend to her funeral ceremonies. The last clause, which is here translated, "when he had profaned him," literally denotes "to profane himself," "with respect to his profanation"--i.e., with respect to a marriage by which he profaned himself. This is the interpretation which the administrators of the Law attached to the verse, and which is transmitted in the Chaldee version of Jonathan. It is not only in perfect harmony with the context, but does least violence to this manifestly disordered text. The translations exhibited in the Authorised version, both in the text and in the margin, as well as most of those suggested by modern commentators, leave the clause unexplained, since it manifestly means something else than defiling himself by contracting impurity through contact with the dead, as is evident from the fact that it is not added in the other instances where the priest is forbidden to defile himself by attending to the dead. (See Leviticus 21:1-11.)



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
He is not
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

to defile himself
יִטַּמָּ֖א (yiṭ·ṭam·mā)
Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2930: To be or become unclean

for those related to him by marriage,
בַּ֣עַל (ba·‘al)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1167: A master, a husband, owner

and so profane himself.
לְהֵ֖חַלּֽוֹ׃ (lə·hê·ḥal·lōw)
Preposition-l | Verb - Nifal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2490: To bore, to wound, to dissolve, to profane, to break, to begin, to play


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OT Law: Leviticus 21:4 He shall not defile himself being (Le Lv Lev.)
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