1
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, אֱמֹר אֶל-הַכֹּהֲנִים בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן; וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם, לְנֶפֶשׁ לֹא-יִטַּמָּא בְּעַמָּיו.
Jehovah said to
Moses: Speak to the priests, the sons of
Aaron, and say to them: None of you shall defile himself for a dead person among his people,
noteJehová dijo a Moisés: Habla a los sacerdotes, hijos de Aarón, y díles: Ninguno de vosotros se contaminará por un muerto entre su pueblo,
2
כִּי, אִם-לִשְׁאֵרוֹ, הַקָּרֹב, אֵלָיו: לְאִמּוֹ וּלְאָבִיו, וְלִבְנוֹ וּלְבִתּוֹ וּלְאָחִיו.
except for his close relative — for his mother, or his father, or his son, or his daughter, or his brother,
notesalvo por su pariente cercano —por su madre, o su padre, o su hijo, o su hija, o su hermano,
3
וְלַאֲחֹתוֹ הַבְּתוּלָה הַקְּרוֹבָה אֵלָיו, אֲשֶׁר לֹא-הָיְתָה לְאִישׁ--לָהּ, יִטַּמָּא.
or for his virgin sister who is near to him, who has had no husband — for her he may defile himself.
noteo por su hermana virgen, cercana a él, que no ha tenido marido —por ella puede contaminarse.
4
לֹא יִטַּמָּא, בַּעַל בְּעַמָּיו--לְהֵחַלּוֹ.
5
לֹא-יקרחה יִקְרְחוּ קָרְחָה בְּרֹאשָׁם, וּפְאַת זְקָנָם לֹא יְגַלֵּחוּ; וּבִבְשָׂרָם--לֹא יִשְׂרְטוּ, שָׂרָטֶת.
They shall not make a bald spot on their heads, or shave off the corners of their beard, or make any cuts in their flesh.
noteNo harán calva en su cabeza, ni rasurarán las puntas de su barba, ni harán cortes en su carne.
6
קְדֹשִׁים יִהְיוּ, לֵאלֹהֵיהֶם, וְלֹא יְחַלְּלוּ, שֵׁם אֱלֹהֵיהֶם: כִּי אֶת-אִשֵּׁי יְהוָה לֶחֶם אֱלֹהֵיהֶם, הֵם מַקְרִיבִם--וְהָיוּ קֹדֶשׁ.
They shall be holy to their God, and not profane the name of their God, for they present the offerings of Jehovah made by fire, the bread of their God; therefore they shall be holy.
noteSerán santos para su Dios, y no profanarán el nombre de su Dios; porque presentan las ofrendas de Jehová hechas por fuego, el pan de su Dios; por tanto, serán santos.
7
אִשָּׁה זֹנָה וַחֲלָלָה לֹא יִקָּחוּ, וְאִשָּׁה גְּרוּשָׁה מֵאִישָׁהּ לֹא יִקָּחוּ: כִּי-קָדֹשׁ הוּא, לֵאלֹהָיו.
They shall not take a woman who is a
prostitute or a
profaned woman, and they shall not take a woman divorced from her husband, for the priest is holy to his God.
noteNo tomarán mujer
prostituta ni
profanada, ni tomarán mujer divorciada de su marido; porque el sacerdote es santo para su Dios.
8
וְקִדַּשְׁתּוֹ--כִּי-אֶת-לֶחֶם אֱלֹהֶיךָ, הוּא מַקְרִיב; קָדֹשׁ, יִהְיֶה-לָּךְ--כִּי קָדוֹשׁ, אֲנִי יְהוָה מְקַדִּשְׁכֶם.
You shall treat him as holy, for he presents the bread of your God; he shall be holy to you, for I, Jehovah, who sanctifies you, am holy.
noteLo tratarás como santo, porque presenta el pan de tu Dios; santo será para ti, porque santo soy yo, Jehová, que os santifico.
9
וּבַת אִישׁ כֹּהֵן, כִּי תֵחֵל לִזְנוֹת--אֶת-אָבִיהָ הִיא מְחַלֶּלֶת, בָּאֵשׁ תִּשָּׂרֵף. {ס}
And if a priest's daughter profanes herself by prostituting herself, she profanes her father; she shall be burned with fire.
{ס}noteY si la hija de un sacerdote se profana prostituyéndose, profana a su padre; será quemada con fuego. {ס}
10
וְהַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל מֵאֶחָיו אֲשֶׁר-יוּצַק עַל-רֹאשׁוֹ שֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה, וּמִלֵּא אֶת-יָדוֹ, לִלְבֹּשׁ, אֶת-הַבְּגָדִים--אֶת-רֹאשׁוֹ לֹא יִפְרָע, וּבְגָדָיו לֹא יִפְרֹם.
And the priest who is highest among his brothers, on whose head the anointing oil is poured, and who is consecrated to wear the garments — he shall not let his hair hang loose, nor tear his clothes.
noteY el sacerdote que sea el más importante entre sus hermanos, sobre cuya cabeza fue derramado el aceite de la unción, y que fue consagrado para vestir las vestiduras —no se soltará el cabello, ni rasgará sus vestidos.
11
וְעַל כָּל-נַפְשֹׁת מֵת, לֹא יָבֹא: לְאָבִיו וּלְאִמּוֹ, לֹא יִטַּמָּא.
He shall not go near any dead body, and he shall not defile himself, even for his father or his mother.
noteNo se acercará a ningún cuerpo muerto, ni se contaminará, ni siquiera por su padre o su madre.
12
וּמִן-הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, לֹא יֵצֵא, וְלֹא יְחַלֵּל, אֵת מִקְדַּשׁ אֱלֹהָיו: כִּי נֵזֶר שֶׁמֶן מִשְׁחַת אֱלֹהָיו, עָלָיו--אֲנִי יְהוָה.
He shall not leave the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God, for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am Jehovah.
noteNo saldrá del santuario, ni profanará el santuario de su Dios; porque la consagración del aceite de la unción de su Dios está sobre él: Yo soy Jehová.
13
וְהוּא, אִשָּׁה בִבְתוּלֶיהָ יִקָּח.
And he shall take a wife in her virginity.
noteY tomará por esposa a una mujer en su virginidad.
14
אַלְמָנָה וּגְרוּשָׁה וַחֲלָלָה זֹנָה, אֶת-אֵלֶּה לֹא יִקָּח: כִּי אִם-בְּתוּלָה מֵעַמָּיו, יִקַּח אִשָּׁה.
A widow, or a divorced woman, or a profaned woman, or a prostitute — these he shall not take; but he shall take a virgin from his own people as a wife,
noteViuda, o divorciada, o profanada, o prostituta —a estas no tomará; sino que tomará por esposa a una virgen de su propio pueblo,
15
וְלֹא-יְחַלֵּל זַרְעוֹ, בְּעַמָּיו: כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה, מְקַדְּשׁוֹ. {ס}
so that he does not profane his offspring among his people; for I am Jehovah, who sanctifies him.
{ס}notepara que no profane su descendencia entre su pueblo; porque yo soy Jehová, que lo santifico. {ס}
16
וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר.
Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying:
noteJehová habló a Moisés, diciendo:
17
דַּבֵּר אֶל-אַהֲרֹן, לֵאמֹר: אִישׁ מִזַּרְעֲךָ לְדֹרֹתָם, אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בוֹ מוּם--לֹא יִקְרַב, לְהַקְרִיב לֶחֶם אֱלֹהָיו.
Speak to Aaron, saying: Whoever of your offspring, throughout their generations, has a
blemish, shall not approach to present the bread of his God.
noteHabla a Aarón, diciendo: Cualquiera de tu descendencia, por sus generaciones, que tenga alguna
tacha, no se acercará para presentar el pan de su Dios.
18
כִּי כָל-אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר-בּוֹ מוּם, לֹא יִקְרָב: אִישׁ עִוֵּר אוֹ פִסֵּחַ, אוֹ חָרֻם אוֹ שָׂרוּעַ.
For no one who has a blemish shall approach — no man who is blind, or lame, or has a mutilated face, or a limb too long,
notePorque ningún hombre que tenga tacha se acercará —hombre ciego, o cojo, o de rostro mutilado, o con un miembro demasiado largo,
19
אוֹ אִישׁ, אֲשֶׁר-יִהְיֶה בוֹ שֶׁבֶר רָגֶל, אוֹ, שֶׁבֶר יָד.
or a man who has a broken foot or a broken hand,
noteo el hombre que tenga rota una pierna, o rota una mano,
20
אוֹ-גִבֵּן אוֹ-דַק, אוֹ תְּבַלֻּל בְּעֵינוֹ, אוֹ גָרָב אוֹ יַלֶּפֶת, אוֹ מְרוֹחַ אָשֶׁךְ.
or is a hunchback, or a dwarf, or has a defect in his eye, or a festering rash, or a scab, or crushed testicles.
noteo jorobado, o enano, o que tenga defecto en su ojo, o sarna, o costra, o testículos aplastados.
21
כָּל-אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר-בּוֹ מוּם, מִזֶּרַע אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן--לֹא יִגַּשׁ, לְהַקְרִיב אֶת-אִשֵּׁי יְהוָה: מוּם בּוֹ--אֵת לֶחֶם אֱלֹהָיו, לֹא יִגַּשׁ לְהַקְרִיב.
No man of the offspring of Aaron the priest who has a blemish shall come near to present the offerings of Jehovah made by fire; he has a blemish — he shall not come near to present the bread of his God.
noteNingún hombre de la descendencia de Aarón el sacerdote que tenga tacha se acercará para presentar las ofrendas de Jehová hechas por fuego; tiene tacha —no se acercará para presentar el pan de su Dios.
22
לֶחֶם אֱלֹהָיו, מִקָּדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִׁים, וּמִן-הַקֳּדָשִׁים, יֹאכֵל.
He may eat the bread of his God, both from the most holy and from the holy things.
notePodrá comer el pan de su Dios, tanto de las cosas santísimas como de las cosas santas.
23
אַךְ אֶל-הַפָּרֹכֶת לֹא יָבֹא, וְאֶל-הַמִּזְבֵּחַ לֹא יִגַּשׁ--כִּי-מוּם בּוֹ; וְלֹא יְחַלֵּל אֶת-מִקְדָּשַׁי, כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה מְקַדְּשָׁם.
Only he shall not go in to
the veil, and he shall not come near the altar, because he has a blemish, so that he does not profane my sanctuaries; for I am Jehovah, who sanctifies them.
noteSolamente no entrará hasta
el velo, ni se acercará al altar, porque tiene tacha; para que no profane mis santuarios, porque yo soy Jehová, que los santifico.
24
וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה, אֶל-אַהֲרֹן וְאֶל-בָּנָיו, וְאֶל-כָּל-בְּנֵי, יִשְׂרָאֵל. {פ}
So Moses spoke to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the children of Israel.
{פ}noteY así habló Moisés a Aarón, y a sus hijos, y a todos los hijos de Israel.
Leviticus 21 meaning — why priests get a stricter mourning law than everyone else
Verses 1–3 grant ordinary priests corpse-contact only for the five closest relatives — parent, child, sibling, and an unmarried sister (a married sister falls to her husband's household, and so drops off the list). Verse 5's ban on shaving a bald spot, trimming beard corners, or cutting the flesh restates, word for word, a law Leviticus 19:27–28 (already on these pages) already gave to all Israel — the priesthood held to the same standard as everyone else, not a harsher one, on this specific point.
⚠ V4's ‘a husband among his people’ is genuinely uncertain. KJV and ASV both read ba'al as ‘a chief man,’ forbidding a priest to defile himself even in a position of prominence; other readings take ba'al literally as ‘husband,’ restricting a priest from defiling himself for in-laws gained through marriage rather than blood. Both readings are defended; this translation does not choose.
Marriage restrictions for priests, and the one case punished by fire
A priest's marriage options exclude a prostitute, a profaned woman, and a divorced woman (v7) — a shorter list than the high priest will face in vv13–14, the first sign of a graduated holiness this chapter builds in stages, the same layered structure this project has already tracked in the tabernacle's own construction (choshev/rokem, already on these pages).
V9's priest's-daughter case — burned for prostituting herself — answers a warning this project's own Leviticus 19:29 (already on these pages) already gave in general form: ‘do not profane your daughter by making her a prostitute.’ Both verses use the identical root, chalal, ‘to profane’ — the general warning there, the specific priestly penalty here.
The high priest's own stricter law, and the gesture it cost Caiaphas nothing to break
The high priest's restrictions (vv10–15) sharpen every rule just given to ordinary priests: no loosened hair, no torn clothes, no corpse contact even for his own parents, no leaving the sanctuary during the days of consecration, and a marriage law that admits only a virgin of his own people — not even the widow an ordinary priest may marry.
⚠ V10's ban on tearing clothes is the exact gesture Caiaphas performs at Jesus's own trial (Mark 14:63, not yet on these pages) — the Law's own high priest, at the Law's own climactic moment, breaking a law written for his office specifically. Later Jewish tradition distinguished a judicial tear on hearing blasphemy from the mourning-tear this verse actually forbids, a real qualification worth stating alongside the fact rather than in place of it.
Why a blemish bars the altar but not the bread — approach, not worth
The blemish list (vv18–20) is long and clinical — blindness, lameness, a mutilated face, broken limbs, a hunchback, dwarfism, eye disease, skin disease, crushed testicles — and it would be easy to misread as a verdict on the men it names. KJV and ASV both keep the plain ‘blemish’ for mum throughout; NIV's ‘defect’ carries a slightly more clinical register but names the same physical standard.
The text itself will not allow that reading: v22 states plainly that a priest disqualified from the altar still eats the holy bread, still belongs fully to the priestly family, still draws provision as a priest. What he cannot do is APPROACH — go behind the veil, come near the altar (v23) — the identical distinction this project has tracked since Leviticus 11 (already on these pages): tame and tahor measure nearness to the sanctuary, not the worth of the person standing at whatever distance the law assigns him. A blemished priest is not a lesser priest morally or personally; he is a priest the text keeps three steps back from one specific doorway.
Notes on this translation
Decisions. Hebrew and English Leviticus 21 both run 1–24 — verified against the Masoretic text, no versification shift. Three Masoretic paragraphs divide it: closed after v9, closed after v15, open after v24. Chalalah, ‘a profaned woman,’ and mum, ‘a blemish,’ are both newly entered, the chapter's own two load-bearing technical terms. V4's ba'al be'amav is flagged as genuinely uncertain rather than resolved by fiat.
Echoes paid. Leviticus 19:27–28's mourning-practice ban (already on these pages), restated here word for word for priests specifically; Leviticus 19:29's warning against profaning a daughter (already on these pages), given its specific priestly penalty; the choshev/rokem graduated-holiness pattern from the tabernacle's own construction (already on these pages), now visible in the gap between an ordinary priest's marriage restrictions and the high priest's stricter ones; and the tame/tahor-as-approach-not-morality reading this project has held since Leviticus 11 (already on these pages), now extended from ritual impurity to physical blemish — a related but distinct case, held to the same principle.
Echoes planted. Mark 14:63 (not yet on these pages), where Caiaphas tears his own clothes at Jesus's trial, breaking the exact law v10 writes for his office.
⚠ A note on order: Leviticus stands complete on these pages, chapters 1–27.