Leviticus 21:14

Verse

He is not to marry a widow, a divorced woman, or one defiled by prostitution. He is to marry a virgin from his own people,

American Standard Version (1901)

A widow, or one divorced, or a profane woman, a harlot, these shall he not take: but a virgin of his own people shall he take to wife.

Bible in Basic English

A widow, or one whose husband has put her away, or a common woman of loose behaviour, may not be the wife of a priest; but let him take a virgin from among his people.

Douay-Rheims 1899

But a widow or one that is divorced, or defiled, or a harlot, he shall not take, but a maid of his own people:

Free Bible Version

He must not marry a widow, a divorced woman, or one made unclean through prostitution. He has to marry a virgin from his own people,

Geneva Bible 1599

But a widowe, or a diuorced woman, or a polluted, or an harlot, these shall he not marrie, but shall take a maide of his owne people to wife:

King James (Authorized) Version

A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, or an harlot, these shall he not take: but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife.

One Unity Resource Bible

A widow, or one divorced, or a woman who has been defiled, or a prostitute, these he shall not marry: but a virgin of his own people shall he take as a wife.

Translation for Translators

You priests must not marry widows or prostitutes or divorced women, because if you did that, if you later have sons, they would not be acceptable to be priests among your people. You must marry only virgins from among your own people. I am Yahweh, who sets priests apart to be holy.’”

Unlocked Literal Bible

He must not marry a widow, a divorced woman, or a woman who is a prostitute. He will not marry these kinds of women. He may only marry a virgin from his own people,

Noah Webster Bible

A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, or a harlot, these shall he not take: but he shall take a virgin of his own people for a wife.

World English Bible

He shall not marry a widow, or one divorced, or a woman who has been defiled, or a prostitute. He shall take a virgin of his own people as a wife.

Young's Literal Translation

widow, or cast out, or polluted one — a harlot — these he doth not take, but a virgin of his own people he doth take [for] a wife,

Context

Holiness Required of Priests

¹³The woman he marries must be a virgin.¹⁴He is not to marry a widow, a divorced woman, or one defiled by prostitution. He is to marry a virgin from his own people,¹⁵so that he does not defile his offspring among his people, for I am the LORD who sanctifies him.”

Summary

This verse outlines specific restrictions for the high priest in choosing a wife, emphasizing the need for purity and holiness in the priesthood. It underscores the importance of maintaining a high standard of conduct and sanctity in the service of God. By prohibiting the marriage of the high priest to a widow, divorced woman, or prostitute, God sets apart the priesthood as a consecrated and honorable position. These regulations aim to uphold the dignity and integrity of the priestly office, reflecting God's desire for His chosen servants to be set apart for His holy work.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

A widow,.... The high priest might not marry, whether the widow of a priest or of an Israelite, as Aben Ezra, that is, of any Israelite that was not of the priesthood; and this, whether a widow after espousals, or after marriage, as runs the Jewish canon (u); the meaning is, that if she was betrothed to a man, and that man died before he married her, and so was a virgin; yet being betrothed to him was reckoned as his widow; and such an one the high priest might not marry, any more than one that had been left a widow, having being married: though, according to the same constitutions, if he had betrothed a widow, and after that was appointed an high priest, he might marry her, and an instance of it is given in Joshua the son of Gamla: and in the same it is observed, that an high priest, when his brother dies, must suffer his shoe to be plucked off, and not marry his brother's widow; which, in other cases, when there was no issue, was required: or a divorced woman; whether by a priest, or a common Israelite; and indeed, if a common priest might not marry such a person, much less an high priest: or profane anyone born of those that were not fit for priests to marry, as the Targum of Jonathan and Jarchi; See Gill on Lev 21:7, or an harlot; a common prostitute: those shall he not take any or either of them, to be his wife; which are forbid in order to maintain the dignity of his office, and a reverence of it: there seems to be a gradation in these instances, he might not marry a widow, which was forbidden no other man; and if not such an one, much less a divorced woman, still less a profane person, and least of all an harlot: but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife; which phrase, "of his own people", did not limit him to his own tribe, and to the fraternity of priests in it, as if he was to marry only in it, or the daughter of a priest; for the priests and Levites being scattered in the several tribes, and having no inheritances in them, were not restrained from marrying into other tribes, as the rest of the tribes were; and so an high priest sometimes married into another tribe, though he took care not to debase himself, by marrying into a mean family: so Jehoiada, the high priest, married Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram, Ch2 22:11; but by this law he was forbid to marry a virgin of another nation, even though a proselytess and one that was made free, as Gersom observes; a captive virgin, and one that was become a Jewess, as Aben Ezra says, he was not allowed to marry. (u) Misn. Yebamot, c. 6. sect. 4.