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 holy.

Bible > Leviticus > Chapter 21 > Verse 6

◄ Leviticus 21:6 ►

New International Version
They must be holy to their God and must not profane the name of their God. Because they present the food offerings to the LORD, the food of their God, they are to be holy.

New Living Translation
They must be set apart as holy to their God and must never bring shame on the name of God. They must be holy, for they are the ones who present the special gifts to the LORD, gifts of food for their God.

English Standard Version
They shall be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God. For they offer the LORD’s food offerings, the bread of their God; therefore they shall be holy.

Berean Standard Bible
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 holy.

King James Bible
They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of their God: for the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and the bread of their God, they do offer: therefore they shall be holy.

New King James Version
They shall be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God, for they offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and the bread of their God; therefore they shall be holy.

New American Standard Bible
They shall be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God, because they present the offerings by fire to the LORD, the food of their God; so they shall be holy.

NASB 1995
‘They shall be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God, for they present the offerings by fire to the LORD, the food of their God; so they shall be holy.

NASB 1977
‘They shall be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God, for they present the offerings by fire to the LORD, the bread of their God; so they shall be holy.

Legacy Standard Bible
They shall be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God, for they bring near the offerings to Yahweh by fire, the food of their God; so they shall be holy.

Amplified Bible
They shall be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God; for they present the offerings by fire to the LORD, the food of their God; so they shall be holy.

Christian Standard Bible
They are to be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God. For they present the food offerings to the LORD, the food of their God, and they must be holy.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They are to be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God. For they present the fire offerings to Yahweh, the food of their God, and they must be holy.

American Standard Version
They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of their God; for the offerings of Jehovah made by fire, the bread of their God, they do offer: therefore they shall be holy.

Contemporary English Version
I am the LORD your God, and I have chosen you alone to offer sacrifices of food to me on the altar. That's why you must keep yourselves holy.

English Revised Version
They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of their God: for the offerings of the LORD made by fire, the bread of their God, they do offer: therefore they shall be holy.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Be God's holy men, and don't dishonor the name of your God. Be holy because you bring sacrifices by fire to the LORD. It is the food of your God.

Good News Translation
He must be holy and must not disgrace my name. He offers food offerings to me, and he must be holy.

International Standard Version
They are to be holy to their God. They are not to defile the name of their God, because they're the ones who bring the offerings of the LORD made by fire—the food of their God—so they are to be holy.

Majority Standard Bible
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 holy.

NET Bible
"'They must be holy to their God, and they must not profane the name of their God, because they are the ones who present the LORD's gifts, the food of their God. Therefore they must be holy.

New Heart English Bible
They shall be holy to their God, and not profane the name of their God; for they offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire, the bread of their God; therefore they shall be holy.

Webster's Bible Translation
They shall be holy to their God, and not profane the name of their God: for the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and the bread of their God they do offer: therefore they shall be holy.

World English Bible
They shall be holy to their God, and not profane the name of their God, for they offer the offerings of Yahweh made by fire, the bread of their God. Therefore they shall be holy.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
they are holy to their God, and they do not defile the Name of their God, for the fire-offerings of YHWH, bread of their God, they are bringing near, and have been holy.

Young's Literal Translation
they are holy to their God, and they pollute not the name of their God, for the fire-offerings of Jehovah, bread of their God, they are bringing near, and have been holy.

Smith's Literal Translation
They shall be holy to their God, and profane not the name of their God: for the sacrifices of Jehovah, and the bread of their God they bring: and they were holy.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
They shall be holy to their God, and shall not profane his name: for they offer the burnt offering of the Lord, and the bread of their God, and therefore they shall be holy.

Catholic Public Domain Version
They shall be holy to their God, and they shall not pollute his name. For they offer the incense of the Lord and the bread of their God, and because of this they shall be holy.

New American Bible
They shall be holy to their God, and shall not profane their God’s name, since they offer the oblations of the LORD, the food of their God; so they must be holy.

New Revised Standard Version
They shall be holy to their God, and not profane the name of their God; for they offer the LORD’s offerings by fire, the food of their God; therefore they shall be holy.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
But they shall be holy to their God, and not profane the name of their God; for the offerings of the LORD made by fire and the bread of their God they do offer; therefore they shall be holy.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
But they shall be Holy Ones to their God and they shall not pollute the Name of their God, because they receive the offering of LORD JEHOVAH, the bread of their God, and they shall be Holy Ones.

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of their God; for the offerings of the LORD made by fire, the bread of their God, they do offer; therefore they shall be holy.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
They shall be holy to their God, and they shall not profane the name of their God; for they offer the sacrifices of the Lord as the gifts of their God, and they shall be holy.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Holiness Required of Priests
…5Priests must not make bald spots on their heads, shave off the edges of their beards, or make cuts in their bodies. 6They 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 holy. 7A priest must not marry a woman defiled by prostitution or divorced by her husband, for the priest is holy to his God.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Exodus 19:6
And unto Me you shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to speak to the Israelites.”

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.

Revelation 1:6
who has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and power forever and ever! Amen.

Revelation 5:10
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign upon the earth.”

Malachi 2:7
For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the LORD of Hosts.

Isaiah 61:6
But you will be called the priests of the LORD; they will speak of you as ministers of our God; you will feed on the wealth of nations, and you will boast in their riches.

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 3:17
If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

1 Thessalonians 4:7
For God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness.

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.”

Numbers 6:8
Throughout the time of his separation, he is holy to the LORD.

Deuteronomy 7:6
For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His prized possession out of all peoples on the face of the earth.

Deuteronomy 14:2
for you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD has chosen you to be a people for His prized possession out of all the peoples on the face of the earth.

Deuteronomy 26:19
that He will set you high in praise and name and honor above all the nations He has made, and that you will be a holy people to the LORD your God, as He has promised.

Psalm 99:9
Exalt the LORD our God and worship at His holy mountain, for the LORD our God is holy.

Treasury of Scripture

They shall be holy to their God, and not profane the name of their God: for the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and the bread of their God, they do offer: therefore they shall be holy.

holy

Leviticus 21:8
Thou shalt sanctify him therefore; for he offereth the bread of thy God: he shall be holy unto thee: for I the LORD, which sanctify you, am holy.

Leviticus 10:3
Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.

Exodus 28:36
And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.

profane

Leviticus 18:21
And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.

Leviticus 19:12
And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.

Malachi 1:6,11,12
A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? …

bread

Leviticus 3:11
And the priest shall burn it upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire unto the LORD.

Ezekiel 44:7
In that ye have brought into my sanctuary strangers, uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to pollute it, even my house, when ye offer my bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken my covenant because of all your abominations.

Malachi 1:7
Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible.

therefore

Isaiah 52:11
Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.

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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

Berean Study Bible

They must be holy
The Hebrew word for "holy" is "קָדוֹשׁ" (qadosh), which means set apart, sacred, or consecrated. In the context of Leviticus, holiness is a central theme, especially for the priests who serve in the tabernacle. The priests are called to a higher standard of purity and dedication because they are representatives of God to the people. This call to holiness is not just about ritual purity but also about moral and ethical living, reflecting God's character.

to their God
The phrase emphasizes the personal relationship between the priests and God. The Hebrew word for God here is "אֱלֹהִים" (Elohim), which is a plural form often used to denote the majesty and power of God. The priests' holiness is not an abstract concept but is directed towards their covenant relationship with God, who has chosen them for a special purpose.

and not profane
The Hebrew word for "profane" is "חָלַל" (chalal), which means to defile or desecrate. The priests are warned against actions that would desecrate the sacredness of God's name. This involves both their conduct and their handling of sacred duties. Profaning God's name would undermine the very purpose of their priestly service and the sanctity of the worship they lead.

the name of their God
In Hebrew culture, a name is more than just a label; it represents the character and essence of a person. The "name" of God, "שֵׁם" (shem), signifies His reputation, authority, and presence. The priests are entrusted with the responsibility of upholding the honor and sanctity of God's name through their service and lifestyle.

For they present the offerings made by fire
The offerings "made by fire" refer to the sacrificial system established by God, which includes burnt offerings, grain offerings, and peace offerings. These offerings are a central part of Israel's worship and are symbolic of atonement, thanksgiving, and fellowship with God. The priests, as mediators, play a crucial role in this sacrificial system, and their holiness is essential for the offerings to be acceptable.

to the LORD
The term "LORD" is the English representation of the Tetragrammaton, "יהוה" (YHWH), the personal name of God revealed to Moses. This name signifies God's eternal, self-existent nature and His covenantal faithfulness. The offerings are directed to YHWH, highlighting the personal and covenantal relationship between God and His people.

the food of their God
The phrase "food of their God" refers to the offerings that are considered as God's portion. While God does not need physical sustenance, the offerings symbolize the people's devotion and dependence on Him. The priests, by handling these offerings, are participating in a sacred act that sustains the spiritual relationship between God and Israel.

So they must be holy
The repetition of the call to holiness underscores its importance. The priests' holiness is not optional but a divine mandate. Their role as intermediaries between God and the people requires them to embody the holiness of God in their service and conduct. This call to holiness is a reminder of the transformative power of God's presence and the high calling of those who serve Him.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(6) They shall be holy unto their God.--This is the reason why the priests are not to disfigure themselves by maiming their outward appearance. Being sacred to the Lord, they are not to indulge in those outward manifestations of grief which would interfere with the discharge of their sacred duties, and thus cause the name of God to be profaned.

The offerings of the Lord made by fire, and the bread of their God.--Better, the offerings of the Lord made by fire, being the food of God. As the altar was the table, the sacrifice burnt on it was called His food. (See Leviticus 3:11.)

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

They must be
יִהְיוּ֙ (yih·yū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

holy
קְדֹשִׁ֤ים (qə·ḏō·šîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 6918: Sacred, God, an angel, a saint, a sanctuary

to their God
לֵאלֹ֣הֵיהֶ֔ם (lê·lō·hê·hem)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

and not
וְלֹ֣א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

profane
יְחַלְּל֔וּ (yə·ḥal·lə·lū)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 2490: To bore, to wound, to dissolve, to profane, to break, to begin, to play

the name
שֵׁ֖ם (šêm)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8034: A name

of their God.
אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם (’ĕ·lō·hê·hem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

For
כִּי֩ (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

they
הֵ֥ם (hêm)
Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1992: They

present
מַקְרִיבִ֖ם (maq·rî·ḇim)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 7126: To come near, approach

the offerings made by fire
אִשֵּׁ֨י (’iš·šê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 801: A burnt-offering, a sacrifice

to the LORD,
יְהוָ֜ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

the food
לֶ֧חֶם (le·ḥem)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3899: Food, bread, grain

of their God.
אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֛ם (’ĕ·lō·hê·hem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

So they must be
וְהָ֥יוּ (wə·hā·yū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

holy.
קֹֽדֶשׁ׃ (qō·ḏeš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6944: A sacred place, thing, sanctity

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OT Law: Leviticus 21:6 They shall be holy to their God (Le Lv Lev.)