Leviticus 21:4 — Word Study
WLCלֹ֥א יִטַּמָּ֖א בַּ֣עַל בְּעַמָּ֑יו לְהֵ֖חַלּֽוֹ׃
BSAHe is notlôʼ [a master priest, chief man among his people, under any circumstances] to defile himselfṭâmêʼ▸ [make himself unclean, ceremonially impure] for those related to him by marriagebaʻal [only through marriage ties, through a spouse] and so profane himselfchâlal [in this way, by this action, pollute, desecrate]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לֹ֥א | not | Particle |
| יִטַּמָּ֖א | he will make himself unclean | Verb, Hithpael, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| בַּ֣עַל | a husband | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| בְּעַמָּ֑יו | among kinspeople his | Preposition, noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| לְהֵ֖חַלּֽוֹ׃ | to profane himself | Preposition, verb niphal infinitive construct common, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | He is not to defile himself for those related to him by marriage, and so profane himself. |
| KJV | But he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself. |
| ASV | He shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself. |
| YLT | 'A master [priest] doth not defile himself among his people — to pollute himself; |
| WEB | He shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself. |
| BBE | But let him, being a chief among his people, not make himself unclean in such a way as to put shame on himself. |
Where they part company is in the phrasing of טָמֵא — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence has a main clause with a clear prohibition and subordinate phrases that clarify the conditions and consequences.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbטָמֵא
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Leviticus 21:4
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Laws for Priestsgenerated
Leviticus 21:4 is part of a larger section that details the responsibilities and restrictions placed upon priests in Israel. These laws emphasize the need for priests to maintain a higher standard of holiness, particularly concerning their interactions with family members. This is crucial as they serve in the presence of God and handle sacred offerings, as noted in the surrounding verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ezekiel 24:16–17 | “Son of man, behold, I am about to take away the desire of your eyes with a fatal blow. But you must not mourn or weep or let your tears flow. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — טָמֵא, yi.ta.Ma'generated
The verb טָמֵא (tame') means to become unclean, often in a ceremonial context. It indicates a state of impurity that can result from various actions or conditions, especially in relation to religious observance.
In this verse, the priest is instructed not to make himself unclean for those related to him by marriage. This reflects the importance of maintaining ceremonial purity, which is vital for his role in performing sacred duties.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree on the meaning of the verse, emphasizing the priest's obligation not to defile himself for relatives by marriage.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb יִטַּמָּ֖א (he will make himself unclean) governs the main clause, with the subject being implied as the priest. The structure emphasizes the prohibition against defilement, which is central to the priest's responsibilities.
The sentence is straightforward, with the main action clearly stated and the conditions for that action outlined in a subordinate clause.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates טָמֵא as μιανθήσεται (to be made unclean), which captures the essence of the Hebrew term while reflecting the Greek understanding of ceremonial purity.
This choice indicates a consistent interpretation of the concept of ritual cleanliness, aligning with the broader themes found in the Septuagint.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Leviticus 21:4 tells us that a priest must not make himself unclean for those related to him by marriage. This is important because priests have specific duties in the service of God, and they must remain holy and pure.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Priests have a special role in serving God, and maintaining their purity is essential for their duties.
To be unclean refers to a state of ceremonial impurity that can prevent a priest from performing his sacred duties.
Yes, there are various laws in Leviticus that outline situations where priests must maintain their purity, such as avoiding contact with certain dead bodies.
While the specific laws for priests may not apply, the principle of maintaining holiness and purity in our lives remains relevant.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some ways I can maintain purity in my own life?
- How do the principles of holiness apply to my relationships?
- In what areas do I need to be more mindful of my actions and their impact on my spiritual life?
- How can I support others in their pursuit of holiness?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Leviticus 21:4 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible[But] he shall not defile himself, [being] a chief man among his people,.... Which is not to be understood of any lord or nobleman or any chief ruler or governor of the people; for the context speaks
Read John Gill on Leviticus 21 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryBut he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself. But he shall not defile himself - `for any other,' as the sense may be fully expressed.
Read Robert Jamieson on Leviticus 21 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleOr, seeing he is a chief man, & c., or ruler, &c., for such not only the high priest, but others also of the inferior priests, were. And therefore though he might defile himself for the persons now named, yet he, above all others, must take heed so to do it that he do not profane himself by doing as follows. Or, for a chief man, &c., the preposition lamed being easily understood from the former verse, where it is oft used, such supplements being not unusual in the Hebrew tongue. So the sense is, he shall not defile himself for any other person whatsoever who is not thus near of kin to him, no, not for a prince or chief ruler among his people, who might seem to challenge this duty from him…
Read Matthew Poole on Leviticus 21 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsLeviticus 21:4 [But] he shall not defile himself, [being] a chief man among his people, to profane himself.Ver. 4. Being a chief man.] A vir gregis; all whose actions were exemplary, and have not an impulsive only, but a compulsive power and property. "Why compellest thou the Gentiles?" His example was a compulsion.
Read John Trapp on Leviticus 21 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(4) But he shall not defile himself, being a chief man . . . —Better, A husband shall not defile himself among his people when he had profaned himself. As the seven exceptions to the general rule began with his wife, whose funeral rites the priestly husband is allowed to attend, the verse before us restricts this permission to his legally prescribed wife. If he contracted a marriage which profaned him, he could not attend to her funeral ceremonies. The last clause, which is here translated, “when he had profaned him,” literally denotes “to profane himself,” “with respect to his profanation”—i.e., with respect to a marriage by which he profaned himself. This is the interpretation which the…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Leviticus 21 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 4. A chief man among his people] The word בעל baal signifies a master, chief, husband, &c., and is as variously translated here. 1. He being a chief among the people, it would be improper to see him in such a state of humiliation as mourning for the dead necessarily implies. 2. Though a husband he shall not defile himself even for the death of a wife, because the anointing of his God is upon him. But the first sense appears to be the best.
Read AdamClarke on Leviticus 21 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges4. being a chief man] as a husband (R.V. mg.). This rendering limits the cases in which defilement is permissible to those already mentioned, and forbids mourning for a wife. The A.V. follows the Targum. The wording of the v. suggests a corruption in the text. The Sept. substitute (see R.V. mg.) for ‘a chief man’ is apparently obtained by a transposition in Heb. consonants, but fails to convey any clear meaning. It has been suggested, by a somewhat greater modification in the Heb., to read in mourning. Baentsch (HG. 111A) considers that the words ‘defile himself’ and ‘among his people’ shew that the v. forms an intimate part of the prohibition contained in the previous vv. Inasmuch, then…
Read Cambridge on Leviticus 21 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThe sense seems to be that, owing to his position in the nation, the priest is not to defile himself in any cases except those named in Leviticus 21:2-3.
Read Albert Barnes on Leviticus 21 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
He is not to defile himself for those related to him by marriage, and so profane himself.
He shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.
He is not to defile himself for those related to him by marriage, and so profane himself.
He must not defile himself as a husband among his people so as to profane himself.
Tyndale line
But he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.
He shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.
He shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.
But he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.
He shall not lament for the Prince among his people, to pollute him selfe.
Strictly literal
He shall not make himself unclean [who is] a chief among his peoples, to profane himself.
'A master [priest] doth not defile himself among his people — to pollute himself;
A master [priest] does not defile himself among his people—to defile himself;
The chief man among his people shall not defile himself, to be profaned thereby.
But he must not make himself unclean for other relatives and so defile himself.
From the Latin
But not even for the prince of his people shall he do any thing that may make him unclean.
Simplified
He must not make himself unclean for those only related to him by marriage—he is not to make himself ceremonially impure.
But let him, being a chief among his people, not make himself unclean in such a way as to put shame on himself.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text is supported by the Septuagint, which matches all five words. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs slightly with the word עמו (people) instead of בעמיו (his people). The Dead Sea Scrolls show no surviving text for this verse, indicating a gap that was restored by an editor.
לֹ֥א יִטַּמָּ֖א בַּ֣עַל בְּעַמָּ֑יו לְהֵ֖חַלּֽוֹ׃
5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
לא יטמא בעל בעמו להחלו
1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: עמו (people)
[ולא] [יטמא] [בעל] [בעמי׳ו] [להחל׳ו]
nothing on the leather here — 5 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Leviticus 21:4
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
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)
Part — ParticleHTn
טָמֵא (tame') is a Hebrew root meaning to be or become unclean, covering various contexts such as sexual, religious, and ceremonial impurity. The noun form, טָמְאָה (tam'ah), refers to uncleanness itself. The entries indicate that the word can be used reflexively to mean defiling oneself.
טָמֵא vb. be or become unclean
Qal be or become unclean
Niph. defile oneself, be defiled
Pi. defile
Pu. myself is not polluted
Hithp.—reflexive, defile oneself
Hothp. after that she has been defiled
base
טָמְאָה n.f. uncleanness Mi 2:10
ref
H2930a טָמֵא be or become unclean .be or become unclean
. defile oneself, be defiled
. defile
. myself is not pulluted
.—reflexive, defile oneself
. after that she has been defiled
H2930b טָמְאָה uncleanness
2930 tame' taw-may'
a primitive root; to be foul, especially in a ceremial or
moral sense (contaminated):--defile (self), pollute (self), be
(make, make self, pronounce) unclean, X utterly.
טָמֵא (ta.me) — to defile.
1) to be unclean, become unclean, become impure
1a) (Qal) to be or become unclean
1a1) sexually
1a2) religiously
1a3) ceremonially
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to defile oneself, be defiled
1b1a) sexually
1b1b) by idolatry
1b1c) ceremonially
1b2) to be regarded as unclean
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to defile
1c1a) sexually
1c1b) religiously
1c1c) ceremonially
1c2) to pronounce unclean, declare unclean (ceremonially)
1c3) to profane (God's name)
1d) (Pual) to be defiled
1e) (Hithpael) to be unclean
1f) (Hothpael) to be defiled
טָמְאָה (tam.ah) — uncleanness.
uncleanness
V-Hithpael-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Hithpael · imperfect third person masculine singularHVti3ms
See CLEAN.
→ (Ceremonially speaking)
Creatures designated as such Le 11; De 14
→ See UNCLEANNESS
בַּעַל (ba`al) means owner or lord, and can refer to a husband, citizens, or rulers. It is derived from a root meaning 'to own' and is used in various contexts, including relationships and leadership. The term also appears as a divine name, Baal, in the Old Testament.
בַּעַל 166 n.m. owner, lord
owner
husband
citizens, inhabitants
rulers, lords
n. of relation
Esp. lord, specif. as divine name, Baal.
base
H1167 בַּעַל owner, lord . owner
. husband
. citizens, inhabitants
. rulers, lords
. n. of relation
1167 ba`al bah'-al
from 1166; a master; hence, a husband, or (figuratively)
owner (often used with another noun in modifications of this
latter sense):--+ archer, + babbler, + bird, captain, chief
man, + confederate, + have to do, + dreamer, those to whom it
is due, + furious, those that are given to it, great, + hairy,
he that hath it, have, + horseman, husband, lord, man, +
married, master, person, + sworn, they of.
see HEBREW for 01166
בַּעַל (ba.al) — master.
: master/leader
1) owner, husband, lord
1a) owner
1b) a husband
1c) citizens, inhabitants
1d) rulers, lords
1e) (noun of relationship used to characterise-ie, master of dreams)
בַּעַל (ba.al) — master: husband.
: husband/groom
1) owner, husband, lord
1a) owner
1b) a husband
1c) citizens, inhabitants
1d) rulers, lords
1e) (noun of relationship used to characterise-ie, master of dreams)
בַּעַל (ba.al) — master: men.
: men/comrades
1) owner, husband, lord
1a) owner
1b) a husband
1c) citizens, inhabitants
1d) rulers, lords
1e) (noun of relationship used to characterise-ie, master of dreams)
בַּעַל (ba.al) — master: owning.
: owning/having
1) owner, husband, lord
1a) owner
1b) a husband
1c) citizens, inhabitants
1d) rulers, lords
1e) (noun of relationship used to characterise-ie, master of dreams)
בַּעַל (ba.al) — master: [master of].
: [master_of](DESCRIPTOR)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
huz'-band ('ish; aner): In the Hebrew household the husband and father was the chief personage of an institution which was regarded as more than a social organism, inasmuch as the family in primitive Semitic society had a distinctively religious character and significance. It was through it that the cult of the household and tribal deities was practiced and perpetuated. The house-father, by virtue of being the family head, was priest of the household, and as such, responsible for the religious life of the family and the maintenance of the family altar. As priest he offered sacrifices to the family gods, as at first, before the centralization of worship, he did to Yahweh as the tribal or national Deity. We see this reflected in the stories of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and in the Book of Job. This goes far to explain such records as we have in
Husband
I.e., the “house-band,” connecting and keeping together the whole family. A man when betrothed was esteemed from that time a husband (Matt. 1:16, 20; Luke 2:5). A recently married man was exempt from going to war for “one year” (Deut. 20:7; 24:5).
[MARRIAGE]
→ General scriptures concerning Ge 2:23,24; Nu 5:11-31; De 22:13-21; 24:5; Pr 5:15-19; Ec 9:9; Mal 2:14-16; Mt 19:5; Mr 10:7; 1Co 7:3,5,14,16,33; 11:3; Eph 5:22-33; Col 3:18,19; 1Ti 5:8; 1Pe 3:7
עַם (am) primarily means 'people' or 'nation,' referring to a collective group, often in the context of tribes such as those of Israel. It can also denote kinsmen or compatriots. The term appears in various contexts, including military and familial references. There is a mention of a specific individual named Ammi in Song of Solomon 6:12.
עַם, עָם 1810 n.m. people
a people, nation
= smaller units
= common people
people in gen., persons
phrases
base
[עַם] n.[m.] kinsman (on father's side)
base
H5971a עַם, עָם people H5971b עַם kinsman (on father's side)
5971 `am am
from 6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a
tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or
attendants; figuratively, a flock:--folk, men, nation,
people.
see HEBREW for 06004
עַם (am) — people.
: people/nation
1) nation, people
1a) people, nation
1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
עַם (am) — kinsman.
kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — Ammi.
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at Sng.6.12
§ kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — People's (Gate).
§ kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — (Ibleam)-am.
Combined with yiv.le.am (יִבְלְעָם "Ibleam" H2991)
§ kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — Amaw.
This name means nation, people
עַם (am) — people: soldiers.
: soldiers/army
1) nation, people
1a) people, nation
1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
עַם (am) — people: creatures.
: creatures
1) nation, people
1a) people, nation
1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
HR/Ncmpc/Sp3ms — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHR/Ncmpc/Sp3ms
The Hebrew word חָלַל (*chalal*) is built from a primitive root meaning to bore or pierce, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to wound, to play the flute, and to profane or defile. It can refer to both physical actions, like piercing, and moral or ritual violations, such as polluting oneself or breaking a covenant. The lexicons note various grammatical forms and uses, but do not indicate significant disagreement.
חָלַל vb. bore, pierce
Qal my heart is pierced (wounded) within me
Pi. in the hand of the ones wounding thee
Pu. pierced by the sword
Po‛el his hand pierced the fleeing serpent
Po‛al pierced, wounded because of our transgressions
base
[חלל] vb. denom. play the pipe, pipe
Qal as well the singers as the pipe-players
Polel dancers
Pi. and the people piped with pipes
base
[חָלַל] vb. pollute, defile, profane
Niph.
reflex. pollute, defile oneself
Pass., be polluted, defiled
Pi.
defile, pollute
violate the honour of, dishonour
violate a covenant
treat a vineyard as common
Pu. my great name which is profaned among the nations
Hiph.
I will not let my holy name be profaned any more.
he shall not violate his word
begin
Hoph. then it was begun (= men began) to call on the name of י׳
base
H2490a חָלַל bore, pierce H2490b חלל vb. denom. play the pipe, pipe H2490c חָלַל pollute, defile, profane
2490 chalal khaw-lal'
a primitive root (compare 2470); properly, to bore, i.e. (by
implication) to wound, to dissolve; figuratively, to profane
(a person, place or thing), to break (one's word), to begin
(as if by an "opening wedge"); denom. (from 2485) to play (the
flute):--begin (X men began), defile, X break, defile, X eat
(as common things), X first, X gather the grape thereof, X
take inheritance, pipe, player on instruments, pollute, (cast
as) profane (self), prostitute, slay (slain), sorrow, stain,
wound.
see HEBREW for 02470
see HEBREW for 02485
חָלַל (cha.lal) — to bore.
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
חָלַל (cha.lal) — to play flute.
(Piel) to play the flute or pipe
חָלַל (cha.lal) — to profane/begin: begin.
: begin
1) to profane, defile, pollute, desecrate, begin
1a) (Niphal)
1a1) to profane oneself, defile oneself, pollute oneself
1a1a) ritually
1a1b) sexually
1a2) to be polluted, be defiled
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to profane, make common, defile, pollute
1b2) to violate the honour of, dishonour
1b3) to violate (a covenant)
1b4) to treat as common
1c) (Pual) to be profaned (of name of God)
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to let be profaned
1d2) to begin
1e) (Hophal) to be begun
חָלַל (cha.lal) — to profane/begin: profane.
: profane
1) to profane, defile, pollute, desecrate, begin
1a) (Niphal)
Prep | V-Niphal-Inf-a | Suff — Preposition · verb niphal infinitive construct common · suffixHR/VNcc/Sp3ms