Leviticus 21:18
16 Then the LORD said to Moses,
17 “Say to Aaron, ‘For the generations to come, none of your descendants who has a physical defect may approach to offer the food of his God.
No man who has any defect may approach—no man who is blind, lame, disfigured, or deformed;
19 no man who has a broken foot or hand,
20 or who is a hunchback or dwarf, or who has an eye defect, a festering rash, scabs, or a crushed testicle.
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
- No man who has any defect may approach—no man who is blind, lame, disfigured, or deformed;
- KJV
- 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,
- WEB
- For whatever man he is that has a defect, he shall not draw near: a blind man, or a lame, or he who has a flat nose, or any deformity,
- ASV
- 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,
- DARBY
- 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,
- BLB
- For any man who has a blemish in him shall not approach—a man blind, or lame, or disfigured, or deformed,
- ÅB
- Ingen som har noe lyte, skal trede nær, ingen som er blind eller halt eller har noe ansiktslyte eller et lem som er for stort,
- OTB
- Ingen mann som har noen defekt kan nærme seg: ingen mann som er blind, eller halt, eller har et vansiret ansikt, eller noen påfallende deformitet,
- B1930
- Ingen som har noget lyte, skal trede nær, ingen som er blind eller halt eller har noget ansiktslyte eller et lem som er for stort,
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
1 Timothy 3:2–3
An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
Read in contextLeviticus 22:19–25
must offer an unblemished male from the cattle, sheep, or goats in order for it to be accepted on your behalf.
Read in contextMatthew 23:19
You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes it sacred?
Read in contextMatthew 23:16–17
Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’
Read in contextTitus 1:10
For many are rebellious and full of empty talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision,
Read in context1 Timothy 3:7
Furthermore, he must have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the snare of the devil.
Read in contextTitus 1:7
As God’s steward, an overseer must be above reproach—not self-absorbed, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not greedy for money.
Read in contextIsaiah 56:10
Israel’s watchmen are blind, they are all oblivious; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they are dreamers lying around, loving to slumber.
Read in context