Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Leviticus 21:13
And he shall take a wife in her virginity.
Verse 13. He shall take a wife in her virginity.] bethuleyha. This is a full proof that bethulah is the proper Hebrew term for a virgin; from the emphatic root bathal, to separate; because such a person was in her separate state, and had never been in any way united to man.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Or, a virgin, partly for the decency of the type, because as he was a type of Christ, so his wife was a type of the church, which is compared to a virgin, 2Co 11:2; Rev 14:4; and partly for greater caution and assurance that his wife was not a defiled or defloured person. This and the following rule belong not to all the priests, for then this were a gross tautology, these same things, or most of them, being expressly forbidden to them, Lev 21:7, but only to the high priest, to show that he also, and he especially, is obliged to the same cautions.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And he shall take a wife in her virginity. One, and not two, or more, as Ben Gersom observes; and so Maimonides says q, an high priest might never take two women together; for it is said, “a wife”, or “woman”, one, and not two; and so it is explained in the Talmud r; for though polygamy was practised by the Israelites, and even by the common priests, yet these writers suppose it was by no means allowed to an high priest: among the Egyptians, though they took as many wives as they pleased, their priests, married but one s; and so a minister of the New Testament is to be the husband of one wife, 1Ti 3:2; and this wife the high priest was to take was to be a “virgin”, one that not only had never known a man, but that was never betrothed to any; yea, according to the Talmudists t, who was not quite ripe for marriage, or the time of her puberty not fully completed, which was the age of twelve years; within, or somewhat before that time, the high priest was to marry her, that it might be out of all doubt that she was a pure virgin; since it is said, “in her virginity”, within the time of her puberty, before it was quite up; this, by many, is thought to be an emblem of Christ and his church; as he was typified by the high priest, so the church by the virgin he married, which is espoused to Christ as a chaste virgin, 2Co 11:2.
q Hilchot Issure Biah, c. 17. sect. 13. r T. Bab. Yebamot, fol. 59. 1. s Diodor. Sicul. l. 1. p. 72. t T. Bab. Yebamot, ibid. Maimon. ut supra. (Cele Hamikdash, c. 5. sect. 5, 6.)
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
He was only to marry a woman in her virginity, not a widow, a woman put away, or a fallen woman, a whore ( without a copulative is in apposition to a fallen girl, who was to be the same to him as a whore), but “a virgin of his own people,” that is to say, only an Israelitish woman.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
13. And he shall take a wife in her virginity. More is required in the high priest, viz., that he should not marry a widow, nor a woman of any other tribe than his own. A question may indeed arise as to the latter clause, whether the plural word ought to be restricted to one tribe, (189) whereas it is elsewhere applied to all. But, if we examine it more closely, it is plain that “his peoples” is equivalent to “of his people,” ( populares.) But nothing peculiar will be here required of the priest, if his wife is to be taken only from the children of Abraham. I admit that the chief priests married wives of Other tribes, as Elizabeth, sprung of the tribe of Judah, married Zacharias; but, since the high priest is here distinguished from all others, I do not see how it would follow that a law or privilege referring to him should be observed by the whole posterity of Aaron. On this point, however, I will not contend, if any one thing is otherwise. But assuredly, since he presented the brightest type of Christ, it was right that superior and more perfect holiness should be beheld in him. (190) For this was the tendency of the restriction, that his wife, not having known another man, should manifest the modesty worthy of her station and quality of sacred honor. If any should object that the marriage of, an old priest with a young girl was ridiculous and somewhat indecorous, as well as liable to many inconveniences; I answer, that special regulations should be so expounded as not to interfere with general principles. If a decrepit old man falls in love with a young girl, it is a base and shameful lust; besides he will defraud her if he marries her. Hence, too, will jealousy and wretched anxiety arise; or, by foolishly and dotingly seeking to preserve his wife’s love, he will cast away all regard for gravity. When God forbade the high priest to marry any but a virgin, he did not wish to violate this rule, which is dictated by nature and reason; but, regard being had to age, He desired that modesty and propriety should be maintained in the marriage, so that, if the priest were of advanced years, he should marry a virgin not too far from his own age: but, if he were failing and now but little fitted for marriage on account of his old age, the law that he should marry a virgin was rather an exhortation to celibacy, than that he should expose himself to many troubles and to general ridicule.
(189) Ainsworth’s literal translation is “a virgin of his peoples.” Fr., “ Ailleurs il se prend pour tout le corps de la lignee d’Abraham :” elsewhere it is taken for the whole body of the race of Abraham.
(190) It is surely strange that C., who here seems to draw out the Christology of the ordinances of the Law with unusual fullness and precision, should have omitted to mention “the mystical union which is between Christ and His Church,” as most luminously set forth in this type. Vide Song, passim. Psa 95:0; 2Co 11:2; Eph 5:27; Rev 19:8, etc.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(13) A wife in her virginity.From this verse the administrators of the Law during the second Temple concluded that (1) the high priest must be the husband of one wife, though the ordinary priests might have several; (2) that she must be a virgin, under the age of thirteen; (3) that she must not even have been betrothed to another person; and that (4) she must be the daughter of Jewish parents by race, as it is stated in the next verse, though the ordinary priest was allowed to marry the daughter of proselytes. The first of these enactments is also enjoined by St. Paul on Christian bishops (1Ti. 3:2; Tit. 1:16); whilst the fourth is actually expressed in the Greek version (LXX.), which has at the end of the verse, of his own race.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
1 3, 14 .
A wife in her virginity The high priest’s range of choice is made narrower than the priest’s by the elimination of the widows and non-Israelites. His marriage with a virgin beautifully sets forth the character of the Church of Christ espoused unto her Lord as a “chaste virgin.” See 2Co 11:2. Hindoo priests can marry only virgins. This law was probably borrowed from Judaism. If the Hebrew high priest married outside of the prescribed limits, he profaned his seed, or disqualified his sons for the priesthood. This penalty was sufficient to deter the high priest, or the candidates for this office, from violation of this precept.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Wives of Priests; Blemishes
v. 13. And he shall take a wife in her virginity, v. 14. A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, v. 7. but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife, a daughter of Israel.
v. 15. Neither shall he profane his seed among his people v. 16. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, v. 17. Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations, v. 18. For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, v. 19. or a man that is broken-footed, v. 20. or crookbacked, v. 21. no man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron, the priest, shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the Lord made by fire; he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God, v. 22. He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, v. 23. Only he shall not go in unto the veil, nor come nigh unto the altar, v. 24. And Moses told it unto Aaron and to his sons and unto all the children of Israel;
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Lev 21:13. He shall take a wife in her virginity The inferior priests might marry a widow; see Eze 44:22. But this command is enjoined upon the high-priest, as being a more eminent type of Christ, whose spouse, the church, is frequently represented as a chaste virgin, 2Co 11:2. Rev 14:4.
REFLECTIONS.1. When God’s sanctuary calls for our attendance, the deepest ties which would withdraw us from it, must be broken through. 2. Every believer must be presented to Jesus the great high-priest as a chaste virgin; and he is counted such, when, having washed his soul in the blood of the Lamb, with fervent affection he cleaves to him alone.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Lev 21:13 And he shall take a wife in her virginity.
Ver. 13. In her virginity. ] Such is Christ’s wife, 2Co 11:1-33 : 2Ki 14:4 Mat 25:1-13 not giving her love, or his worship to any other.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Lev 21:7, Eze 44:22, 2Co 11:2, Rev 14:4
Reciprocal: Ezr 10:18 – the sons 1Ti 3:11 – their Heb 13:4 – Marriage
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Lev 21:13. In her virginity Or, a virgin, partly because, as he was a type of Christ, so his wife was a type of the church, which is compared to a virgin; and partly for greater caution and assurance that his wife was not a defiled or deflowered person. Most of these things are forbidden to all the priests; and here to the high-priest, to show that he also, and he especially, is obliged to the same cautions.