Leviticus 21:10
8 You are to regard him as holy, since he presents the food of your God. He shall be holy to you, because I the LORD am holy—I who set you apart.
9 If a priest’s daughter defiles herself by prostituting herself, she profanes her father; she must be burned in the fire.
The priest who is highest among his brothers, who has had the anointing oil poured on his head and has been ordained to wear the priestly garments, must not let his hair hang loose or tear his garments.
11 He must not go near any dead body; he must not defile himself, even for his father or mother.
12 He must not leave or desecrate the sanctuary of his God, for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is on him. I am the LORD.
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- The priest who is highest among his brothers, who has had the anointing oil poured on his head and has been ordained to wear the priestly garments, must not let his hair hang loose or tear his garments.
- KJV
- And he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes;
- WEB
- “‘He who is the high priest among his brothers, upon whose head the anointing oil is poured, and who is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not let the hair of his head hang loose, or tear his clothes.
- ASV
- And he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil is poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not let the hair of his head go loose, nor rend his clothes;
- DARBY
- And the high priest among his brethren, on whose head the anointing oil was poured, and who is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor rend his garments.
- BLB
- And the high priest among his brothers, on whose head is poured the anointing oil and [who] has consecrated his hand to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head and not tear his clothes.
- ÅB
- Den som er yppersteprest blant sine brødre, han på hvis hode salvings-oljen er utøst, og som er innvidd og har ikledd seg de hellige klær, han skal ikke rake sitt hode og ikke sønderrive sine klær.
- OTB
- Ypperstepresten, den blant sine brødre som har fått salvingsoljen helt over sitt hode og som er blitt innviet til å bære klærne, må ikke la håret bli ustelt eller rive sine klær.
- B1930
- Den som er yppersteprest blandt sine brødre, han på hvis hode salvings-oljen er utøst, og som er innvidd og har iklædd sig de hellige klær, han skal ikke rake sitt hode og ikke sønderrive sine klær.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Leviticus 10:6–7
Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not let your hair become disheveled and do not tear your garments, or else you will die, and the LORD will be angry with the whole congregation. But your brothers, the whole house of Israel, may mourn on account of the fire that the LORD has ignited.
Read in contextLeviticus 16:32
The priest who is anointed and ordained to succeed his father as high priest shall make atonement. He will put on the sacred linen garments
Read in contextMatthew 26:65
At this, the high priest tore his clothes and declared, “He has blasphemed! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.
Read in contextExodus 29:29–30
The holy garments that belong to Aaron will belong to his sons after him, so they can be anointed and ordained in them.
Read in contextLeviticus 8:12
He also poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him to consecrate him.
Read in contextNumbers 35:25
The assembly is to protect the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood. Then the assembly will return him to the city of refuge to which he fled, and he must live there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.
Read in contextEsther 6:12
Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief.
Read in contextGenesis 37:34
Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days.
Read in context