Leviticus 21:16
New International Version
The LORD said to Moses,

New Living Translation
Then the LORD said to Moses,

English Standard Version
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

Berean Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses,

King James Bible
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

New King James Version
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

New American Standard Bible
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

NASB 1995
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

NASB 1977
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

Amplified Bible
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

Christian Standard Bible
The LORD spoke to Moses:

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The LORD spoke to Moses: “

American Standard Version
And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,

Contemporary English Version
The LORD told Moses

English Revised Version
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The LORD spoke to Moses,

Good News Translation
The LORD commanded Moses

International Standard Version
The LORD told Moses,

Majority Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses,

NET Bible
The LORD spoke to Moses:

New Heart English Bible
The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

Webster's Bible Translation
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

World English Bible
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And YHWH speaks to Moses, saying,

Young's Literal Translation
And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,

Smith's Literal Translation
And Jehovah will speak to Moses, saying,
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

New American Bible
The LORD said to Moses:

New Revised Standard Version
The LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And LORD JEHOVAH spoke with Moshe and said to him,
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying:

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Restrictions Against Those with Blemishes
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
Exodus 4:11
And the LORD said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Or who makes the mute or the deaf, the sighted or the blind? Is it not I, the LORD?

Deuteronomy 15:21
But if an animal has a defect, is lame or blind, or has any serious flaw, you must not sacrifice it to the LORD your God.

Malachi 1:8
When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is it not wrong? And when you present the lame and sick ones, is it not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you or show you favor?” asks the LORD of Hosts.

2 Samuel 5:8
On that day he said, “Whoever attacks the Jebusites must use the water shaft to reach the lame and blind who are despised by David.” That is why it is said, “The blind and the lame will never enter the palace.”

Isaiah 56:3-5
Let no foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, “The LORD will utterly exclude me from His people.” And let the eunuch not say, “I am but a dry tree.” / For this is what the LORD says: “To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, who choose what pleases Me and hold fast to My covenant— / I will give them, in My house and within My walls, a memorial and a name better than that of sons and daughters. I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off.

Numbers 18:19-22
All the holy offerings that the Israelites present to the LORD I give to you and to your sons and daughters as a permanent statute. It is a permanent covenant of salt before the LORD for you and your offspring.” / Then the LORD said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites. / Behold, I have given to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work they do, the service of the Tent of Meeting. ...

Ezekiel 44:10-16
Surely the Levites who wandered away from Me when Israel went astray, and who wandered away from Me after their idols, will bear the consequences of their iniquity. / Yet they shall be ministers in My sanctuary, having charge of the gates of the temple and ministering there. They shall slaughter the burnt offerings and other sacrifices for the people and stand before them to minister to them. / Because they ministered before their idols and became a stumbling block of iniquity to the house of Israel, therefore I swore with an uplifted hand concerning them that they would bear the consequences of their iniquity, declares the Lord GOD. ...

1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Hebrews 7:26-28
Such a high priest truly befits us—One who is holy, innocent, undefiled, set apart from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. / Unlike the other high priests, He does not need to offer daily sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people; He sacrificed for sin once for all when He offered up Himself. / For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.

Matthew 5:48
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

1 Corinthians 1:27-29
But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. / He chose the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are, / so that no one may boast in His presence.

Romans 12:1
Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

1 Timothy 3:2
An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,

1 Timothy 6:14
Keep this commandment without stain or reproach until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Ephesians 5:27
and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless.


Treasury of Scripture

And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

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Moses Speaketh
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Moses Speaketh
Leviticus 21
1. Of the priests' mourning
6. Of their holiness
7. Of their marriages
8. Of their estimation
9. Of the high priest's holiness
10. Of his marriage
13. The priests that have blemishes must not minister in the sanctuary














Then the LORD
The phrase "Then the LORD" signifies a direct communication from God, emphasizing His authority and the divine origin of the instructions that follow. In Hebrew, "LORD" is represented by the tetragrammaton YHWH, which is the sacred and personal name of God. This name is deeply rooted in the covenant relationship between God and Israel, highlighting His eternal presence and faithfulness. The use of "LORD" here underscores the seriousness and sanctity of the message being delivered.

said
The Hebrew word for "said" is "אָמַר" (amar), which is often used in the context of divine speech. This word indicates not just a casual conversation but a formal declaration or command. In the context of Leviticus, it reflects the authoritative nature of God's communication with Moses, serving as a reminder that the laws and instructions given are not merely human traditions but divinely ordained mandates.

to Moses
Moses is a central figure in the Pentateuch, serving as the mediator between God and the Israelites. His role as a prophet and leader is crucial, as he is chosen by God to deliver His laws and guide His people. The mention of Moses here reinforces his unique position and responsibility in receiving and transmitting God's commandments. Historically, Moses is seen as the lawgiver, and his interactions with God on Mount Sinai are foundational to the covenant relationship between God and Israel. Moses' faithfulness and obedience are exemplary, serving as a model for leadership and devotion to God's will.

(16) And the Lord spake unto Moses.--In the preceding part of this chapter the priests were forbidden voluntarily to disfigure themselves, or to disqualify themselves and their descendants for their sacred office by illegal alliances. The legislator, therefore, now passes on to other blemishes, which, though not voluntarily contracted, likewise disqualify the priests for performing sacerdotal duties in the sanctuary.

Verses 16-24. - Perfection of the body being typical of perfection of the mind and of the whole man, and symbolical perfection being required of the priest of God, none may be admitted to the priesthood with bodily defects, or excrescences, or grievous blemishes. The translation dwarf, in verse 20, is better than the marginal rendering "too slender," or withered. Being the descendants of Aaron, these priests, blemished as they were, were to be supported as the other priests were supported. He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy; that is, the priests' portions of the meat offerings (Leviticus 2:3, 10; Leviticus 6:17), of the sin offerings (Leviticus 6:29), of the trespass offerings (Leviticus 7:1), of the shewbread (Leviticus 24:9), which were most holy, and of the heave offerings, wave offerings, firstfruit offerings, firstlings, and things devoted (Numbers 11:11-19), which were holy. They were also apparently employed in the less formal and conspicuous duties of the priests, such as examining lepers, and any other functions which did not bring them nigh unto the altar. But they were not to profane God's sanctuaries, by which is meant the holy of holies, the holy place, and the court in which the altar stood. To none of these is the blemished priest to be admitted for the purpose of officiating, though he might enter the court and probably the holy place for other purposes, and might eat the offerings of the priests in the accustomed place.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then the LORD
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

said
וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר (way·ḏab·bêr)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Moses,
מֹשֶׁ֥ה (mō·šeh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4872: Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver


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OT Law: Leviticus 21:16 Yahweh spoke to Moses saying (Le Lv Lev.)
Leviticus 21:15
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