Holiness Required of Priests

1And the Lorde said vnto Moses, Speake vnto the Priestes the sonnes of Aaron, and say vnto them, Let none be defiled by the dead among his people, 2But by his kinseman that is neere vnto him: to wit, by his mother, or by his father, or by his sonne, or by his daughter, or by his brother, 3Or by his sister a maid, that is neere vnto him, which hath not had a husband: for her he may lament. 4He shall not lament for the Prince among his people, to pollute him selfe. 5They shall not make balde partes vpon their head, nor shaue off the locks of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh. 6They shalbe holy vnto their God, and not pollute the name of their God: for the sacrifices of the Lorde made by fire, and the bread of their God they doe offer: therefore they shalbe holie. 7They shall not take to wife an whore, or one polluted, neither shall they marrie a woman diuorced from her husband: for such one is holy vnto his God. 8Thou shalt sanctifie him therefore, for he offereth the bread of thy God: he shall be holy vnto thee: for I the Lorde, which sanctifie you, am holy. 9If a Priestes daughter fall to play the whore, she polluteth her father: therefore shal she be burnt with fire.

10Also ye hie Priest among his brethren, (vpon whose head the anointing oyle was powred, and hath consecrated his hand to put on the garments) shall not vncouer his head, nor rent his clothes, 11Neither shall he goe to any dead bodie, nor make him selfe vncleane by his father or by his mother, 12Neither shall he goe out of the Sanctuarie, nor pollute the holy place of his God: for the crowne of the anoynting oyle of his God is vpon him: I am the Lorde. 13Also he shall take a maide vnto his wife: 14But 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: 15Neyther shall he defile his seede among his people: for I am the Lorde which sanctifie him.

Restrictions against Those with Blemishes

16And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying, 17Speake vnto Aaron, and say, Whosoeuer of thy seede in their generations hath any blemishes, shall not prease to offer the bread of his God:

18For whosoeuer hath any blemish, shall not come neere: as a man blinde or lame, or that hath a flat nose, or that hath any misshapen member, 19Or a man that hath a broken foote, or a broken hande, 20Or is crooke backt, or bleare eyed, or hath a blemish in his eye, or be skiruie, or skabbed, or haue his stones broken. 21None of the seede of Aaron the Priest that hath a blemish, shall come neere to offer the sacrifices of the Lorde made by fire, hauing a blemish: he shall not prease to offer the bread of his God. 22The bread of his God, euen of the most holie, and of the holy shall he eate: 23But he shall not goe in vnto the vaile, nor come neere the altar, because hee hath a blemish, least he pollute my Sanctuaries: for I am the Lord that sanctifie them. 24Thus spake Moses vnto Aaron, and to his sonnes, and to all the children of Israel.