Lev 21-22 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Lev 21:1-22:33: 21:1–22:33 This section, which covers priestly regulations, is punctuated six times with the phrase I am the Lord who makes ... holy (21:15 , 23 ; 22:9 , 16 , 32 ; cp. 21:8 ). The words reaffirm the necessary connection between the holiness of God and the holiness expected of the priesthood, and by extension, of all Israel (see 8:10 ; 11:44-45 ; 19:2 ). Priests are specifically addressed in 21:1–22:16 , while both clergy and laity are included in 22:17-33 . Summary for Lev 21:1-4: 21:1-4 Touching a dead body rendered a person unclean for seven days. Because a priest had to be prepared to deal with holy things at all times, he was not allowed to handle a dead body, even of a relative, or else he could be unfit to minister when needed. The only exceptions were his closest relatives because there might not be anyone else who could bury the bodies.

Summary for Lev 21:1-22:33: 21:1–22:33 ^a This section, which covers priestly regulations, is punctuated six times with the phrase I am the Lord who makes ... holy (21:15 ^b, 23 ^c; 22:9 ^d, 16 ^e, 32 ^f; cp. 21:8 ^g). The words reaffirm the necessary connection between the holiness of God and the holiness expected of the priesthood, and by extension, of all Israel (see 8:10 ^h; 11:44-45 ⁱ; 19:2 ^j). Priests are specifically addressed in 21:1–22:16 ^k, while both clergy and laity are included in 22:17-33 ^l.
Summary for Lev 21:1-4: 21:1-4 ^m Touching a dead body rendered a person unclean for seven days. Because a priest had to be prepared to deal with holy things at all times, he was not allowed to handle a dead body, even of a relative, or else he could be unfit to minister when needed. The only exceptions were his closest relatives because there might not be anyone else who could bury the bodies.
21:5 ⁿ shave ... trim: See study notes on 10:6; 19:27.

• cut their bodies: See study note on 19:28. Self-mutilation was a pagan custom. Just as defects of any kind precluded most animals as offerings (22:19-25 ^o), a defect similarly precluded a priest from officiating (see 21:17-23 ^p). For example, a eunuch could not serve as a priest (Deut 23:1 ^q) because he was not an adequate representative of the people. However, his priestly lineage was recognized as qualifying him to eat his priestly share (see Lev 21:22 ^r). On the other hand, uncleanness disqualified any priest from ministry and from eating the priest’s share as long as the condition persisted (22:2-8 ^s).
21:6 ^t A priest should never bring shame by profaning God’s name.
21:7 ^u The priest, to lead Israel in worship, had to model the highest standard of conduct for the people both in his personal life and in leadership of his family. He could have no ties to pagan culture (prostitution, 21:9 ^v), nor could the legitimacy of his family be questioned (divorce). Similar standards applied to leaders of the early church (1 Tim 3:1-13 ^w).
Summary for Lev 21:10-15: 21:10-15 ^x The restrictions made on the common priests (21:1-4 ^y) applied even more stringently to the high priest because he had to represent all Israel, including the other priests.

• The priest must never leave his hair uncombed or tear his clothing in mourning, so that he would always be fit to minister. Although the common priest was permitted to marry a widow, the high priest was allowed to marry only a virgin. This made certain that the future high priest and the common priests descended from that union would have an unquestioned lineage (21:15 ^z).
21:22 ^aa he may eat: Although a mutilation or defect (see 21:18-20 ^ab) disqualified a descendant of Aaron from representing the people, it did not compromise his priestly lineage. He was eligible to eat the priest’s share of the offerings (see 2:3 ^ac, 10 ^ad; 6:17-18 ^ae).

‏ Leviticus 22

Summary for Lev 22:2-6: 22:2-6 ^af The priest’s portions of the sacred offerings were regarded as “most holy” (see 2:3 ^ag) and were not to come into contact with anything unclean (11:1–15:33 ^ah). Accordingly, any descendant of Aaron who was unclean was forbidden to eat this food.
22:5 ^ai In Leviticus, the Hebrew word sherets always denotes an unclean small animal that swarms on land or in water (5:2 ^aj; 11:10 ^ak, 20-21 ^al, 23 ^am, 29 ^an, 31 ^ao, 41-44 ^ap).
22:9 ^aq will die for violating my instructions: As in 10:1-3 ^ar. The temptation to offer improper offerings persisted throughout Israel’s history until after the Exile (Mal 1:6-9 ^as).
22:11 ^at The only male outside the priest’s family who could eat the priest’s share was the priest’s slave. He would have no other food if this provision were denied him.
Summary for Lev 22:14-16: 22:14-16 ^au Similar to provisions for the guilt offering, a common person who accidentally ate the priestly portion had to repay 120 percent (see 5:14-16 ^av). However, the offering of a ram was not required in this case.
22:15 ^aw An Israelite who ate the “most holy” priestly portion as if it were common food would defile it.
22:18 ^ax Apparently individuals could present a whole burnt offering instead of a peace offering if they desired (see 1:3 ^ay).
22:21 ^az A peace offering could function in several ways: as a thanksgiving offering, an offering to fulfill a vow, or a voluntary offering (see 3:1-17 ^ba).
22:23 ^bb The requirements for the voluntary offering were more lenient, allowing the use of a deformed animal. Fulfilling a vow, however, still required an animal that was not maimed or diseased. In no case would God accept a sacrifice that could not be eaten by a person or that was not a whole animal.
22:27 ^bc Leaving a newborn animal with its mother for seven days allowed time to determine the animal’s health (see Exod 22:30 ^bd).
22:28 ^be on the same day: There are several possible explanations for this command, although none is certain: (1) Senseless slaughtering would leave nothing of the herd; (2) it would be inhumane to slaughter the young and the mother at the same time; or (3) it would be too similar to pagan worship rites, where the newborn animal was cooked in the milk of its slain mother (see Exod 23:19 ^bf).