What is the meaning of Leviticus 21:3? Or his unmarried sister • Leviticus 21:1-2 lays out a sweeping rule: priests must avoid contact with the dead, “except for his mother, his father, his son, his daughter, or his brother”. Verse 3 adds one more category—an unmarried sister—using the simple connector “or,” showing she belongs on the same short list of immediate family for whom mourning is permitted. • This exception balances the priest’s call to ceremonial holiness with the fifth-commandment call to honor family (Exodus 20:12). • Ezekiel 44:25 echoes the same list for future priests, underscoring that God consistently makes room for family care within priestly purity. • By contrast, a Nazirite could not defile himself even for close kin (Numbers 6:6-7). The priestly allowance highlights God’s compassion toward those under a priest’s roof. • New-covenant believers are likewise told to meet family obligations: “If anyone does not provide for his relatives… he has denied the faith” (1 Timothy 5:8). Who is near to him • “Near” points to physical proximity and covenant responsibility. The sister still lives in her father’s or brother’s household, so her death directly touches the priest’s daily life. • Old Testament law often links nearness with duty of care. Boaz acted as a “near kinsman” for Ruth (Ruth 3:12-13), illustrating the same principle. • Mourning for someone “near” maintains family solidarity while reminding Israel that holiness never cancels compassion (see Proverbs 17:17; Galatians 6:10). • The verse also prefigures Paul’s command that families first care for dependent widows so the church is not burdened (1 Timothy 5:3-4). Since she has no husband • The clause explains why this sister remains under her brother’s protection: without a husband she has no other legal provider. • Scripture repeatedly safeguards women in this situation (Exodus 22:22; Deuteronomy 24:17; James 1:27). Allowing the priest to mourn her death reinforces God’s heart for the vulnerable. • Her singleness clarifies the limit: once she marries, care passes to her husband’s household, so a priest would no longer be permitted to defile himself for her (compare Genesis 2:24). • In every age, God’s people are called to protect those who lack family covering (Psalm 68:5; Acts 6:1). summary Leviticus 21:3 widens the priestly mourning allowance to include an unmarried sister who still depends on her brother because she has no husband. God balances ceremonial purity with family duty, ensuring that holiness never hardens into indifference. The verse upholds care for the vulnerable, underscores household responsibility, and foreshadows New Testament commands to honor and support needy relatives—all while maintaining the priest’s unique call to represent a holy God. |
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