Study Desk

'If there is a man who takes his sister, his father's daughter or his mother's daughter, so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace; and they shall be cut off in the sight of the sons of their people. He has uncovered his sister's nakedness; he bears his guilt.

'You shall also not uncover the nakedness of your mother's sister or of your father's sister, for such a one has uncovered his blood relative; they will bear their guilt.

'If there is a man who sleeps with his uncle's wife, he has uncovered his uncle's nakedness; they will bear their sin. They will die childless.

'If there is a man who takes his brother's wife, it is detestable; he has uncovered his brother's nakedness. They will be childless.

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them: 'No one shall defile himself for a dead person among his people,

except for his relatives who are nearest to him, his mother, his father, his son, his daughter, and his brother,

also for his virgin sister who is near to him because she has not had a husband; for her, he may defile himself.

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

'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.

'The priest who is highest among his brothers, on whose head the anointing oil has been poured and who has been consecrated to wear the garments, shall not uncover his head nor tear his clothes;

nor shall he approach any dead person, nor defile himself even for his father or his mother;

nor shall he leave the sanctuary nor profane the sanctuary of his God, for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is on him; I am the LORD.

'A widow, or a divorced woman, or one who is profaned by prostitution, these he shall not take; but rather he is to marry a virgin of his own people,

so that he will not profane his children among his people; for I am the LORD who sanctifies him.'"

"Speak to Aaron, saying, 'None of your descendants throughout their generations who has an impairment shall approach to offer the food of his God.

or a contorted back, or one who is a dwarf, or has a spot in his eye, or a festering rash or scabs, or crushed testicles.

'No man among the descendants of Aaron the priest who has an impairment is to come forward to offer the LORD'S offerings by fire; since he has an impairment, he shall not come forward to offer the food of his God.

'He may eat the food of his God, both of the most holy and of the holy,

So Moses spoke to Aaron and to his sons and to all the sons of Israel.

"Tell Aaron and his sons to be careful with the holy gifts of the sons of Israel, which they dedicate to Me, so as not to profane My holy name; I am the LORD.