Leviticus 21:4

Complete Jewish Bible

He may not make himself unclean, because he is a leader among his people; doing so would profane him.

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
He shall not defile himself, [being] a chief man among his people, to profane himself.

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

Lexham English Bible
He must not make himself unclean as a kinsman by marriage, defiling himself.

New Century Version
But a priest must not make himself unclean if the dead person was only related to him by marriage.

New English Translation
He must not defile himself as a husband among his people so as to profane himself.

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

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

Geneva Bible (1587)
He shall not lament for the Prince among his people, to pollute him selfe.

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

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

Darby Translation
He shall not make himself unclean [who is] a chief among his peoples, to profane himself.

Easy-to-Read Version
But a priest must not make himself unclean if the dead person was only one of his slaves.

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

George Lamsa Translation
But he shall not defile himself for the prince of his people, lest he profane himself.

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

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

Literal Translation
A leader shall not defile himself among his people, to pollute himself;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Morouer he shal not defyle him self vpo eny ruler in his people, to vnhalowe him self.

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

Bible in Basic English
But let him, being a chief among his people, not make himself unclean in such a way as to put shame on himself.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But he shall not be defiled vpon hym that hath aucthoritie among his people, to pollute him selfe.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
He shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.

King James Version (1611)
But hee shall not defile himselfe being a chiefe man among his people, to prophane himselfe.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
He shall not defile himself suddenly among his people to profane himself.

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

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

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
but nether he schal be defoulid in the prince of his puple.

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

Update Bible Version
He shall not defile himself suddenly among his relatives, 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.

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

New Life Bible
He should not make himself unclean as a husband among his people, and so make himself sinful.

New Revised Standard
But he shall not defile himself as a husband among his people and so profane himself.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
He shall not make himself unclean being a chief among his people, - by profaning himself:

Douay-Rheims Bible
But not even for the prince of his people shall he do any thing that may make him unclean.

Revised Standard Version
He shall not defile himself as a husband among his people and so profane himself.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
'He shall not defile himself as a relative by marriage among his people, and so profane himself.

Contextual Overview

¹ Adonai said to Moshe, "Speak to the cohanim, the sons of Aharon; tell them: ‘No cohen is to make himself unclean for any of his people who dies, ² except for his close relatives — his mother, father, son, daughter and brother; ³ he may also make himself unclean for his virgin sister who has never married and is therefore dependent on him. ⁴ He may not make himself unclean, because he is a leader among his people; doing so would profane him. ⁵ Cohanim are not to make bald spots on their heads, mar the edges of their beards or cut gashes in their flesh. ⁶ Rather, they are to be holy for their God and not profane the name of their God. For they are the ones who present Adonai with offerings made by fire, the bread of their God; therefore they must be holy. ⁷ "‘A cohen is not to marry a woman who is a prostitute, who has been profaned or who has been divorced; because he is holy for his God. ⁸ Rather, you are to set him apart as holy, because he offers the bread of your God; he is to be holy for you, because I, Adonai , who makes you holy, am holy. ⁹ The daughter of a cohen who profanes herself by prostitution profanes her father; she is to be put to death by fire.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Or, the verse may be read, being an husband among his people, he shall not defile himself for his wife, etc. Ezekiel 24:16, Ezekiel 24:17

Cross-References

Genesis 21:10
so Sarah said to Avraham, "Throw this slave-girl out! And her son! I will not have this slave-girl's son as your heir along with my son Yitz'chak!"

Genesis 21:12
But God said to Avraham, "Don't be distressed because of the boy and your slave-girl. Listen to everything Sarah says to you, because it is your descendants through Yitz'chak who will be counted.

Genesis 21:22
(vi) At that time Avimelekh and Pikhol the commander of his army spoke to Avraham. They said, "God is with you in everything you do.

Genesis 21:23
Therefore, swear to me here by God that you will never deal falsely with me or with my son or grandson; but according to the kindness with which I have treated you, you will treat me and the land in which you have lived as a foreigner.

Exodus 12:48
If a foreigner staying with you wants to observe Adonai 's Pesach, all his males must be circumcised. Then he may take part and observe it; he will be like a citizen of the land. But no uncircumcised person is to eat it.

Leviticus 12:3
On the eighth day, the baby's foreskin is to be circumcised.

Deuteronomy 12:32
Here are the laws and rulings you are to observe and obey in the land Adonai , the God of your ancestors, has given you to possess as long as you live on earth. You must destroy all the places where the nations you are dispossessing served their gods, whether on high mountains, on hills, or under some leafy tree. Break down their altars, smash their standing-stones to pieces, burn up their sacred poles completely and cut down the carved images of their gods. Exterminate their name from that place. "But you are not to treat Adonai your God this way. Rather, you are to come to the place where Adonai your God will put his name. He will choose it from all your tribes; and you will seek out that place, which is where he will live, and go there. You will bring there your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tenths [that you set aside for Adonai ], the offerings that you give, the offerings you have vowed, your voluntary offerings, and the firstborn of your cattle and sheep. There you will eat in the presence of Adonai your God; and you will rejoice over everything you set out to do, you and your households, in which Adonai your God has blessed you. You will not do things the way we do them here today, where everyone does whatever in his own opinion seems right; because you haven't yet arrived at the rest and inheritance which Adonai your God is giving you. But when you cross the Yarden and live in the land Adonai your God is having you inherit, and he gives you rest from all your surrounding enemies, so that you are living in safety; (ii) then you will bring all that I am ordering you to the place Adonai your God chooses to have his name live — your burnt offerings, sacrifices, tenths, the offering from your hand, and all your best possessions that you dedicate to Adonai ; and you will rejoice in the presence of Adonai your God — you, your sons and daughters, your male and female slaves and the Levi staying with you, inasmuch as he has no share or inheritance with you. "Be careful not to offer your burnt offerings just anywhere you see, but do it in the place Adonai will choose in one of your tribal territories; there is where you are to offer your burnt offerings and do everything I order you to do. However, you may slaughter and eat meat wherever you live and whenever you want, in keeping with the degree to which Adonai your God has blessed you. The unclean and the clean may eat it, as if it were gazelle or deer. But don't eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water. "You are not to eat on your own property the tenth of your grain, new wine or olive oil [that you set aside for Adonai ], or the firstborn of your cattle or sheep, or any offering you have vowed, or your voluntary offering, or the offering from your hand. No, you are to eat these in the presence of Adonai your God in the place Adonai your God will choose — you and your sons, daughters, male and female slaves, and the Levi who is your guest; and you are to rejoice before Adonai your God in everything you undertake to do. As long as you are living on your property, take care not to abandon the Levi. "When Adonai your God expands your territory, as he has promised you, and you say, ‘I want to eat meat,' simply because you want to eat meat, then you may eat meat, as much as you want. If the place which Adonai your God chooses to place his name is too far away from you; then you are to slaughter animals from your cattle or sheep, which Adonai has given you; and eat on your own property, as much as you want. Eat it as you would gazelle or deer; the unclean and clean alike may eat it. Just take care not to eat the blood, for the blood is the life, and you are not to eat the life with the meat. Don't eat it, but pour it out on the ground like water. Do not eat it, so that things will go well with you and with your children after you, as you do what Adonai sees as right. Only the things set aside for God which you have, and the vows you have vowed to make, you must take and go to the place which Adonai will choose. There you will offer your burnt offerings, the meat and the blood, on the altar of Adonai your God. The blood of your sacrifices is to be poured out on the altar of Adonai your God, and you will eat the meat. Obey and pay attention to everything I am ordering you to do, so that things will go well with you and with your descendants after you forever, as you do what Adonai sees as good and right. (iii) "When Adonai your God has cut off ahead of you the nations you are entering in order to dispossess, and when you have dispossessed them and are living in their land; be careful, after they have been destroyed ahead of you, not to be trapped into following them; so that you inquire after their gods and ask, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I want to do the same.' You must not do this to Adonai your God! For they have done to their gods all the abominations that Adonai hates! They even burn up their sons and daughters in the fire for their gods!

Luke 1:6
Both of them were righteous before God, observing all the mitzvot and ordinances of Adonai blamelessly.

Luke 1:59
On the eighth day, they came to do the child's b'rit-milah. They were about to name him Z'kharyah, after his father,

Luke 2:21
On the eighth day, when it was time for his b'rit-milah, he was given the name Yeshua, which is what the angel had called him before his conception.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

[But] he shall not defile himself, [being] a chief man among his people,.... Which is not to be understood of any lord or nobleman or any chief ruler or governor of the people; for the context speaks only of priests, and not of other personages; besides, such might defile themselves, or mourn for their dead, as Abraham did for Sarah; nor of any husband for his wife, for even a priest, as has been observed, might do this for his wife, and much more a private person; nor is there any need to restrain it, as some Jewish writers do, to an adulterous wife, which a husband might not mourn for, though he might for his right and lawful wife; but there is nothing in the text, neither of an husband, nor a wife: the words are to be interpreted of a priest, and either of him as considered as a person of eminence, consequence, and importance, and sons giving a reason why he should not defile himself for the dead, because he was a principal person among his people to officiate for them in sacred things; wherefore if he did not take care that he was not defiled for the dead, which might often happen, he would be frequently hindered from doing his office for the people, which would be attended with ill consequence to them; and therefore the above cases are only excepted, as being such that rarely happened: or rather the words are to be considered as a prohibition of defiling himself "for [any] chief" s, or principal man, lord, ruler, or governor, among his people; even for such an one he was not to defile himself, being no relation of his:

to profane himself; make himself unfit for sacred service, or make himself a common person; put himself upon a level with a common private man, and be no more capable of serving at the altar, or doing any part of the work off priest, than such an one.

s בעל בעמיו "in principe populi sui", V. L. so Pesicta & Ben Melech in loc. & Kimchi Sepher Shorash. rad. בעל

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The sense seems to be that, owing to his position in the nation, the priest is not to defile himself in any cases except those named in Leviticus 21:2-3. The Septuagint appear to have followed a different reading of the text which would mean, “he shall not defile himself for a moment.” The explanation in the margin of our version is hardly in keeping with the prohibition to Ezekiel on a special occasion. See Ezekiel 24:16.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Leviticus 21:4. A chief man among his people — The word בעל baal signifies a master, chief, husband, &c., and is as variously translated here.

1. He being a chief among the people, it would be improper to see him in such a state of humiliation as mourning for the dead necessarily implies.

2. Though a husband he shall not defile himself even for the death of a wife, because the anointing of his God is upon him. But the first sense appears to be the best.