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JPS Old Testament

Leviticus 21:7

They shall not take a woman that is a harlot, or profaned; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband; for he is holy unto his God.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Marriage;   Minister, Christian;   Mourning;   Priest;   Sanctification;   Uncleanness;   The Topic Concordance - Priests;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - High Priest, the;   Marriage;   Priests;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Mourning;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Holiness;   Priest;   Prostitution;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Priest, Christ as;   Priest, Priesthood;   Prostitution;   Worship;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Priest;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Leviticus;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Canon of the Old Testament;   Congregation, Assembly;   Crimes and Punishments;   Deuteronomy;   Hexateuch;   Holiness;   Law;   Leviticus;   Marriage;   Priests and Levites;   Sanctification, Sanctify;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Zacharias ;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Aaron;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Priesthood, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Harlot;   Law in the Old Testament;   Leviticus;   Profane;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Azulai, Azulay;   Commandments, the 613;   ḥalalah;   Holiness;   Priest;   Simeon ben Yoḥai;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
They shall not take a woman that is a prostitute, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy to his God.
King James Version
They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God.
Lexham English Bible
"‘They shall not marry a woman who is a prostitute and defiled, nor shall they marry a woman divorced from her husband, because each priest is holy for his God.
New Century Version
"‘A priest must not marry an unclean prostitute or a divorced woman, because he is holy to his God.
New English Translation
They must not take a wife defiled by prostitution, nor are they to take a wife divorced from her husband, for the priest is holy to his God.
Amplified Bible
'They shall not take [as a wife] a woman who is a prostitute, nor a woman who is divorced from her husband; for the priest is holy to his God.
New American Standard Bible
'They shall not take a woman who is a prostitute and profaned, nor shall they take a woman divorced from her husband; for he is holy to his God.
Geneva Bible (1587)
They shall not take to wife an whore, or one polluted, neither shall they marrie a woman diuorced from her husband: for such one is holy vnto his God.
Legacy Standard Bible
They shall not take a woman who is profaned by harlotry, nor shall they take a woman divorced from her husband; for he is holy to his God.
Contemporary English Version
Don't marry a divorced woman or a woman who has served as a temple prostitute. You are holy,
Complete Jewish Bible
"‘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.
Darby Translation
They shall not take as wife a whore, or a dishonoured woman; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband; for he is holy unto his God.
Easy-to-Read Version
"A priest serves God in a special way, so he must not marry a woman who has had sexual relations with any other man. He must not marry a prostitute or a divorced woman.
English Standard Version
They shall not marry a prostitute or a woman who has been defiled, neither shall they marry a woman divorced from her husband, for the priest is holy to his God.
George Lamsa Translation
They shall not marry a harlot or an unclean woman; neither shall they marry a woman who has been put away from her husband; for he is holy to his God.
Good News Translation
A priest shall not marry a woman who has been a prostitute or a woman who is not a virgin or who is divorced; he is holy.
Christian Standard Bible®
They are not to marry a woman defiled by prostitution. They are not to marry one divorced by her husband, for the priest is holy to his God.
Literal Translation
They shall not take a woman who is a prostitute, or polluted; nor shall they take a woman put away from her husband; for he is holy to his God.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
They shal take no whore, ner one that is defyled, or yt is put awaye from hir huĂźbande, for he is holy vnto his God:
American Standard Version
They shall not take a woman that is a harlot, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God.
Bible in Basic English
They may not take as wife a loose or common woman, or one who has been put away by her husband: for the priest is holy to his God.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Let them not take a wyfe that is an whore, or polluted, nor put from her husband: for such a one is holy vnto his god.
King James Version (1611)
They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane, neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy vnto his God.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
They shall not take a woman who is a harlot and profaned, or a woman put away from her husband; for he is holy to the Lord his God.
English Revised Version
They shall not take a woman that is a harlot, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God.
Berean Standard Bible
A priest must not marry a woman defiled by prostitution or divorced by her husband, for the priest is holy to his God.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
A preest schal not wedde a wijf a corrupt womman, and a `foul hoore, nether he schal wedde `hir that is forsakun of the hosebonde, for he is halewid to his God,
Young's Literal Translation
`A woman, a harlot, or polluted, they do not take, and a woman cast out from her husband they do not take, for he [is] holy to his God;
Update Bible Version
They shall not take a woman that is a prostitute, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy to his God.
Webster's Bible Translation
They shall not take a wife [that is] a lewd woman, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he [is] holy to his God.
World English Bible
They shall not take a woman that is a prostitute, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy to his God.
New King James Version
They shall not take a wife who is a harlot or a defiled woman, nor shall they take a woman divorced from her husband; for the priest [fn] is holy to his God.
New Living Translation
"Priests may not marry a woman defiled by prostitution, and they may not marry a woman who is divorced from her husband, for the priests are set apart as holy to their God.
New Life Bible
They should not take a woman who is unclean because of selling the use of her body. They should not take a woman who is divorced from her husband. For the religious leader is holy to his God.
New Revised Standard
They shall not marry a prostitute or a woman who has been defiled; neither shall they marry a woman divorced from her husband. For they are holy to their God,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
A woman that is unchaste or dishonoured, shall they not take, And a woman divorced from her husband, shall they not take, - For holy, he is unto his God.
Douay-Rheims Bible
They shall not take to wife a harlot or a vile prostitute, nor one that has been put away from her husband: because they are consecrated to their God,
Revised Standard Version
They shall not marry a harlot or a woman who has been defiled; neither shall they marry a woman divorced from her husband; for the priest is holy to his God.
THE MESSAGE
"Because a priest is holy to his God he must not marry a woman who has been a harlot or a cult prostitute or a divorced woman. Make sure he is holy because he serves the food of your God. Treat him as holy because I, God , who make you holy, am holy.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
'They shall not take a woman who is profaned by harlotry, nor shall they take a woman divorced from her husband; for he is holy to his God.

Contextual Overview

1 And the LORD said unto Moses: Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto them: There shall none defile himself for the dead among his people; 2 except for his kin, that is near unto him, for his mother, and for his father, and for his son, and for his daughter, and for his brother; 3 and for his sister a virgin, that is near unto him, that hath had no husband, for her may he defile himself. 4 He shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself. 5 They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corners of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh. 6 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. 7 They shall not take a woman that is a harlot, or profaned; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband; for he is holy unto his God. 8 Thou shalt sanctify him therefore; for he offereth the bread of thy God; he shall be holy unto thee; for I the LORD, who sanctify you, am holy. 9 And the daughter of any priest, if she profane herself by playing the harlot, she profaneth her father: she shall be burnt with fire.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

that is a whore: Leviticus 21:8, Ezekiel 44:22, 1 Timothy 3:11

put away: Deuteronomy 24:1-4, Isaiah 50:1

Reciprocal: Genesis 21:10 - Cast out Exodus 19:6 - and an Leviticus 19:29 - to cause Leviticus 21:13 - General Numbers 30:9 - General Deuteronomy 24:2 - she may go Deuteronomy 33:8 - with thy Ezra 10:18 - the sons Titus 1:6 - the husband

Cross-References

Genesis 21:11
And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight on account of his son.
Genesis 21:12
And God said unto Abraham: 'Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah saith unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall seed be called to thee.
Genesis 21:32
So they made a covenant at Beer-sheba; and Abimelech rose up, and Phicol the captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.
Genesis 21:34
And Abraham sojourned in the land of the Philistines many days.
Numbers 23:23
For there is no enchantment with Jacob, neither is there any divination with Israel; now is it said of Jacob and of Israel: 'What hath God wrought!'
Psalms 86:8
There is none like unto Thee among the gods, O Lord, and there are no works like Thine.
Psalms 86:10
For Thou art great, and doest wondrous things; Thou art God alone.
Isaiah 49:21
Then shalt thou say in thy heart: 'Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have been bereaved of my children, and am solitary, an exile, and wandering to and fro? And who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where were they?'
Isaiah 66:8
Who hath heard such a thing? Who hath seen such things? Is a land born in one day? Is a nation brought forth at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

They shall not take a wife [that is] a whore, or profane,.... By the former is meant a common whore, that prostitutes herself to any one through lust or for gain; and by the latter one whose chastity is violated, but either unwillingly, that has been forced and ravished, or else willingly, being enticed, persuaded, and prevailed upon, but did not make a practice of it; this seems to be the true sense of the words: but the Jewish writers understand them differently; by a "whore" they suppose is meant one that is not an Israelitish woman, that is not born of an Israelite, at least of an Israelitish woman, as proselytes or freed persons; for they say there are no whores but such, or one that lies with such persons, she may not marry with; as such as are guilty of cutting off, or any of the Nethinim, or spurious persons, so Jarchi; and by a "profane" person they think is meant such as are born of those that are rejected, as the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it; that is, that are either born of incestuous marriages, such as are forbidden, Leviticus 18:1; or that are born of those that are rejected in the priesthood, or whom a priest might not marry, as the daughter of a widow, by the high priest, or the daughter of one divorced, by a common priest, which is the sense of Jarchi:

neither shall they take a woman put away by her husband: which was, in these and later times, common for any offence, when the crime of adultery was not pretended; but this always supposed something bad or amiss, and made such a woman suspected of having done an unseemly thing, therefore priests were forbidden marrying such persons: the Targum of Jonathan adds,

"or by her husband's brother;''

and so takes in one that has loosed the shoe, as the Jews call her, who being left without issue, her husband's brother refused to marry her, and therefore she plucked off his shoe, and spit in his face, see

Deuteronomy 25:7; such an one a priest might not marry, according to this paraphrast, and other Jewish writers, and if he did was to be beaten a;

for he [is] holy unto his God; separated from common persons, and devoted to the service of God, and therefore not to be defiled with such sort of women, or to lie under any scandal or reproach through such, marriages.

a Misn. Maccot, c. 3. sect. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Profane - A woman who has been seduced, or one of illegitimate birth. A somewhat stricter rule for the priests’ marriages was revealed to the prophet in later times, Ezekiel 44:22.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Leviticus 21:7. That is a whore — A prostitute, though even reclaimed.

Profane — A heathen, or one who is not a cordial believer in the true God.

Put away from her husband — Because this very circumstance might lead to suspicion that the priest and the divorced woman might have been improperly connected before.


 
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