Leviticus 21:15
Leviticus 21:15 in Multiple Translations
so that he does not defile his offspring among his people, for I am the LORD who sanctifies him.”
Neither shall he profane his seed among his people: for I the LORD do sanctify him.
And he shall not profane his seed among his people: for I am Jehovah who sanctifieth him.
And he may not make his seed unclean among his people, for I the Lord have made him holy.
so that he doesn't make his children unclean among his people, for I am the Lord who makes him holy.”
Neyther shall he defile his seede among his people: for I am the Lord which sanctifie him.
and he doth not pollute his seed among his people; for I [am] Jehovah, sanctifying him.'
He shall not profane his offspring among his people, for I am the LORD who sanctifies him.’”
Neither shall he profane his seed among his people: for I the LORD do sanctify him.
He shall not mingle the stock of his kindred with the common people of his nation: for I am the Lord who sanctify him.
Berean Amplified Bible — Leviticus 21:15
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Leviticus 21:15 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וְ/לֹֽא
יְחַלֵּ֥ל
זַרְע֖/וֹ
בְּ/עַמָּ֑י/ו
כִּ֛י
אֲנִ֥י
יְהוָ֖ה
מְקַדְּשֽׁ/וֹ
וְ/לֹֽא
lôʼ
H3808
not
Conj | Part
יְחַלֵּ֥ל
châlal
H2490
to bore
V-Piel-Imperf-3ms
זַרְע֖/וֹ
zeraʻ
H2233
seed
N-ms | Suff
בְּ/עַמָּ֑י/ו
ʻam
H5971
Amaw
Prep | N-mp | Suff
כִּ֛י
kîy
H3588
for
Conj
אֲנִ֥י
ʼănîy
H589
I
Pron
יְהוָ֖ה
Yᵉhôvâh
H3068
The Lord
N-proper
מְקַדְּשֽׁ/וֹ
qâdash
H6942
to consecrate
V-Piel | Suff
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Leviticus 21:15
וְ/לֹֽא
lôʼ
H3808
"not"
Conj | Part
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Definition: 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Usage: Occurs in 3967 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. See also: Genesis 2:5; Genesis 31:15; Exodus 4:9.
יְחַלֵּ֥ל
châlal
H2490
"to bore"
V-Piel-Imperf-3ms
This Hebrew word means to profane or begin, like starting something new or breaking a rule. It appears in the Bible when someone disrespects God or a person, like in Ezekiel 22:26. It can also mean to play music or start a project.
Definition: 1) to wound (fatally), bore through, pierce, bore 1a) (Qal) to pierce 1b) (Pual) to be slain 1c) (Poel) to wound, pierce 1d) (Poal) to be wounded
Usage: Occurs in 132 OT verses. KJV: begin ([idiom] men began), defile, [idiom] break, defile, [idiom] eat (as common things), [idiom] first, [idiom] gather the grape thereof, [idiom] take inheritance, pipe, player on instruments, pollute, (cast as) profane (self), prostitute, slay (slain), sorrow, stain, wound. See also: Genesis 4:26; Ezra 3:8; Psalms 55:21.
זַרְע֖/וֹ
zeraʻ
H2233
"seed"
N-ms | Suff
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means seed or offspring, like in Genesis where God promises Abraham many descendants. It can also mean a plant or sowing time, as in Isaiah 55:10. This concept is central to God's plan for humanity.
Definition: : seed/sowing 1) seed, sowing, offspring 1a) a sowing 1b) seed 1c) semen virile 1d) offspring, descendants, posterity, children 1e) of moral quality 1e1) a practitioner of righteousness (fig.) 1f) sowing time (by meton)
Usage: Occurs in 205 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] carnally, child, fruitful, seed(-time), sowing-time. See also: Genesis 1:11; 1 Samuel 1:11; Psalms 18:51.
בְּ/עַמָּ֑י/ו
ʻam
H5971
"Amaw"
Prep | N-mp | Suff
A people or nation is what this Hebrew word represents, like the nation of Israel in Exodus 33:13. It can also mean a tribe, troops, or attendants, and is used to describe a group of people gathered together. The word is often used to refer to the people of God.
Definition: This name means nation, people
Usage: Occurs in 1655 OT verses. KJV: folk, men, nation, people. See also: Genesis 11:6; Exodus 16:4; Leviticus 17:9.
כִּ֛י
kîy
H3588
"for"
Conj
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Definition: 1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since 1a) that 1a1) yea, indeed 1b) when (of time) 1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force) 1c) because, since (causal connection) 1d) but (after negative) 1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if 1f) but rather, but 1g) except that 1h) only, nevertheless 1i) surely 1j) that is 1k) but if 1l) for though 1m) forasmuch as, for therefore
Usage: Occurs in 3910 OT verses. KJV: and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet. See also: Genesis 1:4; Genesis 26:16; Genesis 42:15.
אֲנִ֥י
ʼănîy
H589
"I"
Pron
This Hebrew word is a simple way of saying 'I' or 'me', often used for emphasis. It is used by people like David in the Psalms to express their thoughts and feelings. The word is a basic part of the Hebrew language.
Definition: I (first pers. sing. -usually used for emphasis)
Usage: Occurs in 803 OT verses. KJV: I, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, [idiom] which, [idiom] who. See also: Genesis 6:17; Leviticus 19:36; 1 Samuel 25:24.
יְהוָ֖ה
Yᵉhôvâh
H3068
"The Lord"
N-proper
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Definition: Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
Usage: Occurs in 5522 OT verses. KJV: Jehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה). See also: Genesis 2:4; Genesis 24:42; Exodus 8:8.
מְקַדְּשֽׁ/וֹ
qâdash
H6942
"to consecrate"
V-Piel | Suff
To consecrate means to set something or someone apart as holy or sacred, like the priests in Exodus. This word is about making something clean or pure. It is used in the Bible to describe sacred rituals and moral purity.
Definition: : consecate/sanctify 1) to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be set apart, be consecrated 1a2) to be hallowed 1a3) consecrated, tabooed 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to show oneself sacred or majestic 1b2) to be honoured, be treated as sacred 1b3) to be holy 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to set apart as sacred, consecrate, dedicate 1c2) to observe as holy, keep sacred 1c3) to honour as sacred, hallow 1c4) to consecrate 1d) (Pual) 1d1) to be consecrated 1d2) consecrated, dedicated 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to set apart, devote, consecrate 1e2) to regard or treat as sacred or hallow 1e3) to consecrate 1f) (Hithpael) 1f1) to keep oneself apart or separate 1f2) to cause Himself to be hallowed (of God) 1f3) to be observed as holy 1f4) to consecrate oneself
Usage: Occurs in 154 OT verses. KJV: appoint, bid, consecrate, dedicate, defile, hallow, (be, keep) holy(-er, place), keep, prepare, proclaim, purify, sanctify(-ied one, self), [idiom] wholly. See also: Genesis 2:3; 2 Samuel 11:4; Isaiah 5:16.
Study Notes — Leviticus 21:15
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Leviticus 21:15 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Leviticus 21:15
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Leviticus 21:15
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Leviticus 21:15
- Trapp's Commentary on Leviticus 21:15
- Ellicott's Commentary on Leviticus 21:15
- Cambridge Bible on Leviticus 21:15
- Barnes' Notes on Leviticus 21:15
- Whedon's Commentary on Leviticus 21:15
- Sermons on Leviticus 21:15
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.”
16Then 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.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Romans 11:16 | If the first part of the dough is holy, so is the whole batch; if the root is holy, so are the branches. |
| 2 | 1 Corinthians 7:14 | For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. |
| 3 | Nehemiah 13:23–29 | In those days I also saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or of the other peoples, but could not speak the language of Judah. I rebuked them and called down curses on them. I beat some of these men and pulled out their hair. Then I made them take an oath before God and said, “You must not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters as wives for your sons or for yourselves! Did not King Solomon of Israel sin in matters like this? There was not a king like him among many nations, and he was loved by his God, who made him king over all Israel—yet foreign women drew him into sin. Must we now hear that you too are doing all this terrible evil and acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women?” Even one of the sons of Jehoiada son of Eliashib the high priest had become a son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. Therefore I drove him away from me. Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites. |
| 4 | Malachi 2:15 | Has not the LORD made them one, having a portion of the Spirit? And why one? Because He seeks godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit and do not break faith with the wife of your youth. |
| 5 | Malachi 2:11 | Judah has broken faith; an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the LORD’s beloved sanctuary by marrying the daughter of a foreign god. |
| 6 | Leviticus 21:8 | 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. |
| 7 | Genesis 18:19 | For I have chosen him, so that he will command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, in order that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has promised.” |
| 8 | Ezra 9:2 | Indeed, the Israelites have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed has been mixed with the people of the land. And the leaders and officials have taken the lead in this unfaithfulness!” |
| 9 | Ezra 2:62 | These men searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. |
Leviticus 21:15 Summary
[This verse is saying that God wants the priests to marry someone who is a virgin, so that their children will be born into a family that is set apart for God. This is because God is the One who makes the priests holy, and He wants them to live in a way that honors Him. As believers, we can learn from this verse that God wants us to live in a way that is pleasing to Him, and to seek to raise our children to know and love Him, just like we see in Deuteronomy 6:6-7 and Proverbs 22:6.]
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does God care about the priest's marriage and offspring in Leviticus 21:15?
God cares about the priest's marriage and offspring because He wants to ensure the priest's family is set apart for Him, just like the priest is set apart to serve Him, as seen in Leviticus 21:6-7 and Exodus 19:6.
What does it mean to 'defile' one's offspring in this context?
To defile one's offspring means to make them unclean or unfit for service to God, which is the opposite of what God desires for the priests and their families, as stated in Leviticus 21:15 and supported by Malachi 2:15.
How does this verse relate to the concept of sanctification?
This verse shows that God is the One who sanctifies the priest, and the priest's obedience to God's commands is a part of that sanctification process, as seen in Leviticus 21:15 and 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7.
Is this verse still relevant to believers today?
While the specific rules for priests in Leviticus 21:15 may not apply directly to believers today, the principle of seeking to live a life that is set apart for God and seeking to raise godly offspring is still relevant, as seen in Ephesians 6:4 and 2 Corinthians 6:14-18.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways I can seek to live a life that is set apart for God, just like the priests were?
- How can I prioritize raising my children to know and love God, and what role does my own relationship with God play in that?
- What are some potential consequences of not following God's commands, and how can I avoid defiling my own 'offspring' spiritually?
- In what ways does God's desire for the priests to be set apart for Him reflect His desire for all believers to be set apart for Him?
Gill's Exposition on Leviticus 21:15
Neither shall he profane his seed among his people,.... By marrying any such persons, whereby his children, born of them, would lie under disgrace, and be unfit to succeed him in the priesthood, or
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Leviticus 21:15
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; He that is the high priest.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Leviticus 21:15
Neither shall he profane his seed by mixing it with forbidden kinds, whereby the children would be disparaged, and rendered unfit for their priestly function. Do sanctify him, i.e. have separated him from all other sorts of men for my especial and immediate service, and therefore will not have that race corrupted.
Trapp's Commentary on Leviticus 21:15
Leviticus 21:15 Neither shall he profane his seed among his people: for I the LORD do sanctify him.Ver. 15. Profane his seed.] Disable them for the priesthood by marrying such a wife as was forbidden him.
Ellicott's Commentary on Leviticus 21:15
(15) Neither shall he profane his seed.—Better, And he shall not profane; that is, he is not to contract any of these forbidden marriages, lest he should thereby degrade his offspring, since the children of such an issue, as well as their mother, were debarred the privileges of the priesthood, and were not permitted to partake of those portions of the sacrifices which formed the perquisites of the officiating priests.
Cambridge Bible on Leviticus 21:15
15. His posterity would become unholy, if they were not sprung from a mother who was worthy of marriage union with the high priest. The later Jews were very scrupulous as to the descent of those whom it was lawful for a priest to marry.
Barnes' Notes on Leviticus 21:15
Profane his seed - i. e. by a marriage which was not in keeping with the holiness of his office.
Whedon's Commentary on Leviticus 21:15
IN THE PRIESTS, Leviticus 21:1 to Leviticus 22:16.Jehovah, having given general statutes to conserve the purity of Israel, now proceeds to legislate for the priests, whose character and conduct are
Sermons on Leviticus 21:15
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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Israel and Church by Art Katz | In this sermon, the speaker addresses the ideological issue surrounding the present state of Israel. He contrasts two statements: "Never again" and "we are cut off, we are without |
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K-505 Israel as the Missing Key by Art Katz | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the ultimate demonstration that the church is called to be. He emphasizes that the church should strive to impress and move those who have his |
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First Fruits by Michael Koulianos | Michael Koulianos emphasizes the significance of 'first fruits' in our spiritual lives, drawing from Romans 11:16 to illustrate that the beginnings of our actions and commitments t |
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Holiness: What It Is Not, and What It Is by Samuel Logan Brengle | Samuel Logan Brengle emphasizes that holiness is often misunderstood; it is not a constant state of joy, freedom from temptation, infirmities, or afflictions. Instead, holiness is |
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Does God Do Miracles Today? - Sign Gifts by Denis Lyle | Denis Lyle preaches on the importance of producing spiritual fruit in our lives, emphasizing that just as trees are known by their fruit, Christians are recognized by the fruit the |
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The Parable of the Olive Tree by Arno Clemens Gaebelein | Arno Clemens Gaebelein preaches on the parable of the good and wild olive trees in Romans 11, emphasizing the relationship between Israel and the Gentiles. The parable illustrates |
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Child Dedication by Zac Poonen | This sermon emphasizes the importance of raising children as gifts from God, drawing parallels to the story of Moses being entrusted to his mother and the significance of nurturing |