Lev 21:1 | Clarke | STEP | The priests shall not mourn for the dead, except for near relatives, such as mother, father, son, daughter, and sister if a virgin, . They shall not shave their heads nor beards, nor make any cuttings in the flesh, because they are holy unto God, , . A priest shall not marry a woman who is a whore, profane, or divorced from her husband, , . Of the priest's daughter who profanes herself, . The high priest shall not uncover his head, or rend his clothes, ; nor go in unto a dead body, ; nor go out of the sanctuary, . Of his marriage and off-spring, . No person shall be made a priest that has any blemish nor shall any person with any of the blemishes mentioned here be permitted to officiate in the worship of God, . Verse 1 There shall none be defiled for the dead - No priest shall assist in laying out a dead body, or preparing it for interment. Any contact with the dead was supposed to be of a defiling nature, probably because putrefaction had then taken place; and animal putrefaction was ever held in detestation by all men.

‏ Leviticus 21:1

Introduction

The priests shall not mourn for the dead, except for near relatives, such as mother, father, son, daughter, and sister if a virgin, Lev 21:1-4. They shall not shave their heads nor beards, nor make any cuttings in the flesh, because they are holy unto God, Lev 21:5, Lev 21:6. A priest shall not marry a woman who is a whore, profane, or divorced from her husband, Lev 21:7, Lev 21:8. Of the priest's daughter who profanes herself, Lev 21:9. The high priest shall not uncover his head, or rend his clothes, Lev 21:10; nor go in unto a dead body, Lev 21:11; nor go out of the sanctuary, Lev 21:12. Of his marriage and off-spring, Lev 21:13-15. No person shall be made a priest that has any blemish nor shall any person with any of the blemishes mentioned here be permitted to officiate in the worship of God, Lev 21:16-24.

Verse 1

There shall none be defiled for the dead - No priest shall assist in laying out a dead body, or preparing it for interment. Any contact with the dead was supposed to be of a defiling nature, probably because putrefaction had then taken place; and animal putrefaction was ever held in detestation by all men.