Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Leviticus 21:16
And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,
16 24. Physical disqualifications for a priest He was not treated as an outcast, but enjoyed his privileges as a son of Aaron, except in regard to active duties. Lev 21:20 A dwarf – One who is small and wasted, either short, as in the text, or slender, as in the margin. It is hardly likely that dwarfishness would be overlooked in this enumeration. So most critical authorities. Scurry or scabbed – These words most probably include all affected with any skin disease. Lev 21:22 See Lev 2:3 note; Lev 6:25 note. Lev 21:23 Sanctuaries – The places especially holy, including the most holy place, the holy place, and the altar. This law is of course to be regarded as one development of the great principle that all which is devoted to the service of God should be as perfect as possible of its kind. 16-24. Whosoever he be . . . hathany blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his GodAsvisible things exert a strong influence on the minds of men, anyphysical infirmity or malformation of body in the ministers ofreligion, which disturbs the associations or excites ridicule, tendsto detract from the weight and authority of the sacred office.Priests laboring under any personal defect were not allowed toofficiate in the public service; they might be employed in someinferior duties about the sanctuary but could not perform any sacredoffice. In all these regulations for preserving the unsullied purityof the sacred character and office, there was a typical reference tothe priesthood of Christ (Heb7:26). And the Lord spake unto Moses,…. After he had spoken to him of the holiness of the priests, that they should not defile themselves, neither with the dead nor with impure marriages, he proceeded to add some things concerning blemishes in their bodies, which rendered them unfit for the service:
saying; as follows.
Directions for the sons (descendants) of Aaron who were afflicted with bodily imperfections. As the spiritual nature of a man is reflected in his bodily form, only a faultless condition of body could correspond to the holiness of the priest; just as the Greeks and Romans required, for the very same reason, that the priests should be , integri corporis ( Plato de legg. 6, 759; Seneca excerpt. controv. 4, 2; Plutarch quaest. rom. 73). Consequently none of the descendants of Aaron, “according to their generations,” i.e., in all future generations (see Exo 12:14), who had any blemish ( mum , , bodily fault) were to approach the vail, i.e., enter the holy place, or draw near to the altar (in the court) to offer the food of Jehovah, viz., the sacrifices. No blind man, or lame man, or charum , (from and ), naso mutilus (lxx), i.e., one who had sustained any mutilation, especially in the face, on the nose, ears, lips, or eyes, not merely one who had a flat or stunted nose; or , lit., stretched out, i.e., one who had anything beyond what was normal, an ill-formed bodily member therefore; so that a man who had more than ten fingers and ten toes might be so regarded (2Sa 21:20).
16 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 17 Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God. 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, or any thing superfluous, 19 Or a man that is brokenfooted, or brokenhanded, 20 Or crookbackt, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken; 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. 22 He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy. 23 Only he shall not go in unto the vail, nor come nigh unto the altar, because he hath a blemish; that he profane not my sanctuaries: for I the LORD do sanctify them. 24 And Moses told it unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel. The priesthood being confined to one particular family, and entailed upon all the male issue of that family throughout their generations, it was very likely that some or other in after-ages that were born to the priesthood would have natural blemishes and deformities: the honour of the priesthood would not secure them from any of those calamities which are common to men. Divers blemishes are here specified; some that were ordinarily for life, as blindness; others that might be for a time, as a scurf or scab, and, when they were gone, the disability ceased. Now, I. The law concerning priests that had blemishes was, 1. That they might live upon the altar (v. 22): He shall eat of the sacrifices with the other priests, even the most holy things, such as the show-bread and the sin-offerings, as well as the holy things, such as the tithes and first-fruits, and the priests’ share of the peace-offerings. The blemishes were such as they could not help, and therefore, though they might not work, they must not starve. Note, None must be abused for their natural infirmities. Even the deformed child in the family must have its child’s part. 2. Yet they must not serve at the altar, at either of the altars, nor be admitted to attend or assist the other priests in offering sacrifice or burning incense, Lev 21:17; Lev 21:21; Lev 21:23. Great men choose to have such servants about them as are sightly, and it was fit that the great God should have such in his house then, when he was pleased to manifest his glory in external indications of it. But it was especially requisite that comely men should be chosen to minister about holy things, for the sake of the people, who were apt to judge according to outward appearance, and to think meanly of the service, how honourable soever it was made by the divine institution, of those that performed it looked despicably or went about it awkwardly. This provision God made for the preserving of the reputation of his altar, that it might not at any time fall under contempt. It was for the credit of the sanctuary that none should appear there who were any way disfigured, either by nature or accident. II. Under the gospel, 1. Those that labour under any such blemishes as these have reason to thank God that they are not thereby excluded from offering spiritual sacrifices to God; nor, if otherwise qualified for it, from the office of the ministry. There is many a healthful beautiful soul lodged in a crazy deformed body. Yet, 2. We ought to infer hence how incapable those are to serve God acceptably whose minds are blemished and deformed by any reigning vice. Those are unworthy to be called Christians, and unfit to be employed as ministers, that are spiritually blind, and lame, and crooked, whose sins render them scandalous and deformed, so as that the offerings of the Lord are abhorred for their sakes. The deformities of Hophni and Phinehas were worse than any of the blemishes here mentioned. Let such therefore as are openly vicious be put out of the priesthood as polluted persons; and let all that are made to our God spiritual priests be before him holy and without blemish, and comfort themselves with this, that, though in this imperfect state they have spots that are the spots of God’s children, yet they shall shortly appear before the throne of God without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.
Verses 16-24:
Bodily perfection pictured perfection of the entire man, moral and spiritual. Thus, none could officiate at the Lord’s altar, either in the holy place or the most holy place, who had any bodily defect or blemish, or any wart or other superfluous growth, or who was injured in his testicles. As the descendants of Aaron, any priest who had such a blemish was to be supported as were the other priests, but he was not allowed to officiate at the altars.
“Sanctuaries” refers to the tabernacle courtyard, the holy place, and the holy of holies. The blemished priest could not officiate in any of these areas, though he could enter them to eat the offerings of the priests, see Le 2:3, 10; 6:17, 25, 29; 1Co 9:26, 27.
PRIESTS WITH BLEMISHES 21:1624 16
And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
17
Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed throughout their generations that hath a blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God.
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, or anything superfluous,
19
or a man that is broken-footed, or broken-handed,
20
or crook-backed, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or is scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken;
21
no man of the seed of Aaron the priest, that hath a blemish, shall come nigh to offer the offerings of Jehovah made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God.
22
He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy:
23
only he shall not go in unto the veil, nor come nigh unto the altar, because he hath a blemish; that he profane not my sanctuaries: for I am Jehovah who sanctifieth them.
24
So Moses spake unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel.
THOUGHT QUESTIONS 21:1624
485.
Why were those who were unfortunate in birth to be shut out from service? (Birth-defects are not moral.)
486.
Name the eleven disfigurements that shut a son of Aaron out of service at the altar. Is there any related moral reason or principle behind this?
487.
Such a Levite could serve in a limited sense. What was it?
PARAPHRASE 21:1624
And the Lord said to Moses, Tell Aaron that any of his descendants from generation to generation who have any bodily defect may not offer the sacrifices to God. For instance, if a man is blind or lame, or has a broken nose or any extra fingers or toes, or has a broken foot or hand, or has a humped back, or is a dwarf, or has a defect in his eye, or has pimples or scabby skin, or has imperfect testiclesalthough he is a descendant of Aaronhe is not permitted to offer the fire sacrifices to the Lord because of his physical defect. However, he shall be fed with the food of the priests from the offerings sacrificed to God, both from the holy and most holy offerings. But he shall not go in behind the veil, nor come near the altar, because of the physical defect; this would defile My sanctuary, for it is Jehovah who sanctifies it. So Moses gave these instructions to Aaron and his sons and to all the people of Israel.
COMMENT 21:1624
Lev. 21:16-21 During our research in preparation for the writing of this BIBLE STUDY TEXTBOOK we have found some splendid material in both the PULPIT COMMENTARY under the HOMILIES by Various Authors and in THE BIBLICAL ILLUSTRATOR. We recommend these books to our readers who want to teach and preach from LEVITICUS. Here is an example from THE PULPIT COMMENTARY:
Lev. 21:16-24Unblemished service. We gain three truths from these verses.
I. THE PRIMARY TRUTH, INTENDED FOR THE HEBREW NATION. The special instruction contained in this passage is that the altar of God was to be honoured in every possible way; therefore to be preserved from everything that would bring it into disregard; and therefore to be unapproached by any priest who had a bodily blemish. It was impossible for the people to dissociate the altar itself from those who ministered thereat; if, therefore, any physical disfigurement had been allowed, and those who were uncomely or misshapen had been permitted to officiate, the sacred ordinances of God would have suffered, in some degree, from the association in thought of the man with the thing. The priest with a blemish might not come nigh unto the altar,. . . that he profane not my sanctuaries (Lev. 21:23). We may learn, in passing, that it is almost impossible to overestimate, the influence for good or ill which is unconsciously exerted by those who minister, in any function, in the Church or Christ on the popular estimate of their office.
II. THE SECONDARY TRUTH, APPLICABLE TO us ALL. In a typical system it is necessary that the body should frequently represent the soul, the organs of the one picturing the faculties of the other. The requirement of a perfect bodily frame on the part of those who approached to offer the bread of their God (Lev. 21:17), intimated to them, and now indicates to us, the essential and eternal truth that the best is to be brought to the service of God: not that with which we can most easily part, but the very best that we can bring. 1. Not the unattractive service (flat nose, scabbed, etc.), but that which is as beautiful and inviting in its form as we can make it. 2. Not unacquaintance with our subject (a blind man), but the fullest possible acquisition and understanding. 3. Not an example which is defective, a walking which is irregular (a lame man, crookbacked), but an upright, honourable demeanour, walking in the commandments of the Lord blameless. 4. Not a feeble and faltering delivery (brokenhanded), but a facile, skilful handling of the Word of God. We may note, before we pass, that the God whom we serve is expectant, but is not inconsiderate. He who refuses to allow a priest with any blemish to approach to offer the bread of his God, expressly desired that such priest should eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy (Lev. 21:22); he might not serve, but he should not suffer, on account of a bodily misfortune. God requires of us that, in approaching him, we should bring not our exhaustion but our freshness, not our hurried but our patient preparation, not our remnants but our substance, not our worthless belongings but our worthiest self; at the same time, he makes every allowance for our weakness, our infirmity, our human feebleness and frailty: he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.
III. A FURTHER TRUTH, RELATING TO THE FUTURE LIFE. We dare not hope to render to God any absolutely unblemished service here. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves (1Jn. 1:8). Here our holiest services are marred by spiritual imperfection. It should be our aim, our prayer, our endeavour, to make our worship, our work, and our life as little blemished as may be; to make all our service as elevated in spirit and motive as may be; and doing this, we may look confidently and joyously onward to the time when his servants shall serve him in the very fulness of their strength and joy, and when their service shall be not only undimmed by any gathering tear, but unstained with any rising thought of sin.
FACT QUESTIONS 21:1624
499.
In what way was the altar of God honored by a priest without a bodily blemish?
500.
How is the altar and the priest inseparably associated?
501.
Show four analogous comparisons of the thought that the best must be brought to the service of God.
502.
After having done all we are yet unprofitable servants. We cannot after all offer to God any truly unblemished service. What application was made in this point?
(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.
No Blemished Person May Be A Fully Officiating Priest ( Lev 21:16-24 ).
The reason for this requirement is to bring out that only what is ‘perfect’ may directly enter the sanctuary of Yahweh, or serve in it, demonstrating the perfection of the sanctuary. The relationship to God of the blemished priests is not affected, only the particular service for God in the sanctuary. The centre of the circle of holiness must be seen to be supremely ‘holy’, a place of total perfection, in order to bring out visually that Yahweh is ‘perfect’.
We must recognise here that what was physically so, what could be seen, was considered in those days to be extremely important. They had no solely spiritual conception of things. Thus what God was, was seen as depicted by what surrounded Him, and that had therefore to be ‘perfect’ (as perfect as possible) in order to demonstrate His perfection.
Lev 21:16
‘And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,’
God continually speaks to Moses. In spite of Aaron’s supreme position he was not God’s spokesman. That privilege rested with Moses. And when there was a word for Aaron and his sons it came through Moses, except for the special admonition in Lev 10:8. This careful usage is against seeing the headings as merely a formality, or even ‘a pious hoax’.
Lev 21:17
“Speak to Aaron, saying, Whoever of your seed throughout their generations has a blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God.”
No one obviously blemished must approach God to offer the offerings as priests, to offer the ‘food of God’ which would come as a pleasing odour to Yahweh and of which the priests might eat. ‘Bread’ (lechem) refers to the staple food of a people. It can refer to such diverse things as honey (1Sa 14:24) and goat’s milk (Pro 27:27). Compare Lev 21:22 where the priests eat the bread of their God. It is therefore a general expression for sacrificial offerings through which God receives worship and tribute from His people and makes food available for His priests.
Lev 21:18-21
“For whatever man he is who has a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he who has a flat nose, or an overlong limb, or a man who is broken-footed, or broken-handed, or crook-backed (or possibly ‘misshapen-browed’), or a dwarf (or ‘consumptive’ – the word is used of the lean cows in Gen 41:3), or who has a blemish in his eye, or is scurvied, or scabbed, or has his stones broken; no man of the seed of Aaron the priest, who has a blemish, shall come near to offer the offerings of Yahweh made by fire. He has a blemish. He shall not come near to offer the bread of his God.”
A list of possible blemishes is now given. We are not sure in a number of cases of the correct translation or the state described, but the general principle is clear. Whoever was looked on as blemished was to be excluded. It was no reflection on the individuals, it was how people saw it that mattered. It was they on whom the impression of holiness was to be made.
Lev 21:22-23
“He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy, only he shall not go in unto the veil, nor come near to the altar, because he has a blemish; that he profane not my sanctuaries. For I am Yahweh who sanctifies them.”
They were not excluded from the privileges of priesthood, only from the carrying out of its ministry in the sanctuary. Thus they could partake of the priestly offerings, even those which were most holy of which only the priests could partake. But they were excluded from the Holy Place, from approaching the veil, and from approaching the altar to minister on it. They could, however, presumably carry out the teaching and judicial functions which were incumbent on the priests.
“My sanctuaries.” The sanctuary and the outer sanctuary containing the altar, that is, the tabernacle court.
“For I am Yahweh who sanctifies them.” Again we are reminded that they are the sanctified of Yahweh, those totally set apart by Him in His service, and for His purposes. And He could only sanctify for the sanctuary what was outwardly ‘perfect’. This stress continues throughout the section.
Lev 21:24
‘So Moses spoke to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the children of Israel.’
The importance of these restrictions with regard to the priesthood is such that they end with this confirmatory statement. This then especially is what Moses spoke to Aaron and his sons and to all Israel. The purity of the priesthood was vital.
Thankfully for us it is not blemishes like this which will in our case prevent our full approach to God. Rather are we restricted by the blemishes in our hearts. Spiritual crookedness, blindness, deafness, dumbness, smallness, distortedness, are all things which prevent us from being heard by God and from serving Him.
Here again nothing can be more clear and expressive than that these things were all intended to represent him and his priesthood, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, (and as the apostle speaks) a lamb without blemish and without spot. As in every ministration of the priests, both their persons and their services became accepted only in his person and righteousness, whom they represented, the LORD was pleased to appoint that nothing blemished should be qualified to this service. Under the gospel dispensation the same precept holds equally binding, in our spiritual ministry. Hence that sweet precept of the apostle, Rom 12:1 . In this ministry all believers in JESUS are included. See 1Pe 2:91Pe 2:9 .
spake. See note on Lev 5:14.
Lev 21:16-24. List of Bodily Defects which prevent a priest from actually joining in the priestly rites, though he is still supported by the dues. The presence of a deformed or mutilated priest at the altar would destroy the holiness with which Yahweh has dowered it. Blemish in a priest, as in a victim, may have been regarded originally as the sign of the presence of a demon; but the sthetic repulsion is very deep-seated. Ritual mutilations were allowed and encouraged in other cults; cf. especially the worship of the Phrygian Cybele (Frazers Adonis, Attis, Osiris).
2. The second list of regulations for priests 21:16-24
"This list is introduced by the expression ’And the LORD spoke to Moses saying, Speak to Aaron’ (Lev 21:16), and is concluded by the expression ’And Moses spoke to Aaron’ (Lev 21:24). There are fourteen (7 x 2) laws in the list." [Note: Sailhamer, p. 355.]
Certain restrictions applied to priests who were physically defective. They could not enter the holy place or offer sacrifices at the altar of burnt offerings. Physically inferior priests were not necessarily inferior spiritually, but the priest’s duties and office required completeness since the priest stood between God and people.
". . . the priests can be most effective in God’s service only when they are in ordinary health and free from physical imperfections." [Note: Harrison, p. 211.]
The priests’ physical condition also had to display the perfection of God’s creation, just like the animal sacrifices. Physical wholeness symbolized spiritual holiness.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
TEXT 21:1624
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)