Lectionary Calendar
Friday, May 2nd, 2025
the Second Week after Easter
Attention!
Take your personal ministry to the Next Level by helping StudyLight build churches and supporting pastors in Uganda.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

New American Standard Bible (1995)

Leviticus 21:18

'For no one who has a defect shall approach: a blind man, or a lame man, or he who has a disfigured face, or any deformed limb,

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Blemish;   Blindness;   Lameness;   Priest;   Sanctification;   Thompson Chain Reference - Health-Disease;   Lame, the;   Nose;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Priests;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Blemishes;   Blindness;   Priest;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Clean, Unclean;   Funeral;   Priest, Christ as;   Worship;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Blemish;   Priest;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - David;   Priest;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Blemish;   Blindness;   Disabilities and Deformities;   Lame, Lameness;   Leviticus;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Canon of the Old Testament;   Congregation, Assembly;   Crimes and Punishments;   Deuteronomy;   Hexateuch;   Holiness;   Law;   Leviticus;   Medicine;   Priests and Levites;   Sanctification, Sanctify;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Priest;   Smith Bible Dictionary - High Priest;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Blemish;   Flat;   Lame;   Nose;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Blemish;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Priesthood, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Blindness;   Eyes, Diseases of the;   Flat Nose;   Lame;   Leviticus;   Nose;   Priest;   Priest, High;   Superfluous;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Blemish;   Priest;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
For whatever man he be that has a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that has a flat nose, or any deformity,
King James Version
For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous,
Lexham English Bible
Indeed, any man in whom is a physical defect shall not come near: a blind man or lame or disfigured or deformed,
New Century Version
Anyone who has something wrong with him must not come near: blind men, crippled men, men with damaged faces, deformed men,
New English Translation
Certainly no man who has a physical flaw is to approach: a blind man, or one who is lame, or one with a slit nose, or a limb too long,
Amplified Bible
'For no man who has a defect shall approach [God's altar as a priest]: no man who is blind or lame, or who has a disfigured face, or any deformed limb,
New American Standard Bible
'For no one who has an impairment shall approach: a man who is blind, or one who limps, or one who has a slit nose, or one with any conspicuous feature,
Geneva Bible (1587)
For whosoeuer hath any blemish, shall not come neere: as a man blinde or lame, or that hath a flat nose, or that hath any misshapen member,
Legacy Standard Bible
For no one who has a defect shall come near: a blind man or a lame man or he who has a disfigured face or any deformed limb,
Complete Jewish Bible
No one with a defect may approach — no one blind, lame, with a mutilated face or a limb too long,
Darby Translation
for whatever man hath a defect, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or one limb longer than the other,
Easy-to-Read Version
Any man who has something wrong with him must not serve as priest and bring sacrifices to me. These men cannot serve as priests: blind men, crippled men, men with bad scars on their faces, men with arms or legs that are too long,
English Standard Version
For no one who has a blemish shall draw near, a man blind or lame, or one who has a mutilated face or a limb too long,
George Lamsa Translation
For any man who has a blemish, he shall not approach: a lame man or a blind man or one whose nose is cut off or one who is deprived of ears
Good News Translation
No man with any physical defects may make the offering: no one who is blind, lame, disfigured, or deformed;
Christian Standard Bible®
No man who has any defect is to come near: no man who is blind, lame, facially disfigured, or deformed;
Literal Translation
For no man in whom there is a blemish shall draw near, a blind man, or one lame, or disfigured, or deformed;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For who so euer hath a blemysh vpon him, shal not come nere, whether he be blynde, lame, with an euell fauoured nose, wt eny myßshappen membre,
American Standard Version
For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or anything superfluous,
Bible in Basic English
For any man whose body is damaged may not come near: one who is blind, or has not the use of his legs, or one who has a broken nose or any unnatural growth,
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For whosoeuer hath any blemishe, shall not come neare: as if he be blynde or lame, or that hath a brused nose, or that hath any misshapen member:
JPS Old Testament (1917)
For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath any thing maimed, or anything too long,
King James Version (1611)
For whatsoeuer man hee be that hath a blemish, he shall not approche: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous,
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
No man who has a blemish on him shall draw nigh; a man blind, lame, with his nose disfigured, or his ears cut,
English Revised Version
For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous,
Berean Standard Bible
No man who has any defect may approach-no man who is blind, lame, disfigured, or deformed;
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
nethir schal neiy to his seruyce;
Young's Literal Translation
for no man in whom [is] blemish doth draw near -- a man blind, or lame or dwarfed, or enlarged,
Update Bible Version
For whatever man he is that has a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that has a flat nose, or anything superfluous,
Webster's Bible Translation
For whatever man [he may be] that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous,
World English Bible
For whatever man he be that has a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that has a flat nose, or any deformity,
New King James Version
For any man who has a defect shall not approach: a man blind or lame, who has a marred face or any limb too long,
New Living Translation
No one who has a defect qualifies, whether he is blind, lame, disfigured, deformed,
New Life Bible
For no one whose body is not perfect should come near, no blind man, or man who cannot walk, or one with a marked face, or a bad arm or leg,
New Revised Standard
For no one who has a blemish shall draw near, one who is blind or lame, or one who has a mutilated face or a limb too long,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Surely, no man in whom is any blemish, shall come near, - No man who is blind or lame, or hath a flat nose, or is lanky;
Douay-Rheims Bible
Neither shall he approach to minister to him: If he be blind; if he be lame; if he have a little, or a great, or a crooked nose;
Revised Standard Version
For no one who has a blemish shall draw near, a man blind or lame, or one who has a mutilated face or a limb too long,

Contextual Overview

16 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 17 "Speak to Aaron, saying, 'No man of your offspring throughout their generations who has a defect shall approach to offer the food of his God. 18 'For no one who has a defect shall approach: a blind man, or a lame man, or he who has a disfigured face, or any deformed limb,19 or a man who has a broken foot or broken hand, 20 or a hunchback or a dwarf, or one who has a defect in his eye or eczema or scabs or crushed testicles. 21 'No man among the descendants of Aaron the priest who has a defect is to come near to offer the LORD'S offerings by fire; since he has a defect, he shall not come near to offer the food of his God. 22 'He may eat the food of his God, both of the most holy and of the holy, 23 only he shall not go in to the veil or come near the altar because he has a defect, so that he will not profane My sanctuaries. For I am the LORD who sanctifies them.'" 24 So Moses spoke to Aaron and to his sons and to all the sons of Israel.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

a blind man: Isaiah 56:10, Matthew 23:16, Matthew 23:17, Matthew 23:19, 1 Timothy 3:2, 1 Timothy 3:3, 1 Timothy 3:7, Titus 1:7, Titus 1:10

superfluous: Leviticus 22:23

Reciprocal: Leviticus 22:22 - Blind Daniel 1:4 - in whom

Cross-References

Genesis 16:10
Moreover, the angel of the LORD said to her, "I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be too many to count."
Genesis 17:20
"As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I will bless him, and will make him fruitful and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.
Genesis 21:12
But God said to Abraham, "Do not be distressed because of the lad and your maid; whatever Sarah tells you, listen to her, for through Isaac your descendants shall be named.
Genesis 21:13
"And of the son of the maid I will make a nation also, because he is your descendant."
Genesis 21:18
"Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him by the hand, for I will make a great nation of him."
Genesis 21:29
Abimelech said to Abraham, "What do these seven ewe lambs mean, which you have set by themselves?"
Genesis 21:31
Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because there the two of them took an oath.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For whatsoever man [he be] that hath a blemish,.... Let him be otherwise ever so well qualified for his office, as with respect to his parentage, against which no objection lies; or, as to his character and abilities, being a man of knowledge and of good manners; and whether these blemishes be, as the Jews z call them, fixed, settled ones, which have attended them ever since they were born, and are likely to attend them as long as they live; or are transient ones, only for the present, and perhaps, in a short time, wilt be removed; yet it matters not, while these blemishes are on them,

he shall not approach; to the altar to offer sacrifice, or do any part of the priestly office, for this phrase is expressive of a sacerdotal act: the particular blemishes unfitting a man for such service follow:

a blind man, or a lame; that is blind of one eye, or of both; and is lame of one leg, or of both:

or he that hath a flat nose; which Jarchi explains, whose nose is sunk between his two eyes, whose nose is short, and crooked, or mutilated:

or anything superfluous; more members than usual, as six fingers on an hand, or two gristles in an ear, as Ben Gersom; or whose members are not proportionate, as one eye large and the other small, or one thigh or leg longer than the other, so Jarchi; the Targum of Jonathan is,

"whose thigh (or thigh bone) is out of joint;''

and so a man draws his foot after him, which is the sense of the Rabbins, as observed by Kimchi a, and Ben Melech from him; and so such are not fit to be called the priests of the Lord, and much less ministers of his word, who are blind as to the knowledge of divine and spiritual things, and walk not as becomes the Gospel of Christ; or halt between two opinions, or savour not the things of God, and lay not aside all superfluity of naughtiness.

z Misn. Zebachim, c. 12. sect 1. & Becorot, c. 7. sect. 1. a Sepher Shorash. rad. שרע.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

He was not treated as an outcast, but enjoyed his privileges as a son of Aaron, except in regard to active duties.

Leviticus 21:20

A dwarf - One who is small and wasted, either short, as in the text, or slender, as in the margin. It is hardly likely that dwarfishness would be overlooked in this enumeration. So most critical authorities.

Scurry or scabbed - These words most probably include all affected with any skin disease.

Leviticus 21:22

See Leviticus 2:3 note; Leviticus 6:25 note.

Leviticus 21:23

Sanctuaries - The places especially holy, including the most holy place, the holy place, and the altar.

This law is of course to be regarded as one development of the great principle that all which is devoted to the service of God should be as perfect as possible of its kind.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Leviticus 21:18. A blind man — That is, in one eye; for he that was utterly blind could not possibly be employed in such a service. A flat nose, like that of an ape; so the best versions. Any thing superfluous, such as six fingers, six toes, &c.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile