Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Leviticus 21:18
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,
18. a flat nose ] slit, as R.V. mg., rather than ‘flat.’ The Heb. word does not occur elsewhere in O.T. But the cognate root in Arabic, having the sense perforate, pierce, admits of the sense of perforation of the lip, or the lobe of the ear, as well as a slit in the partition between the nostrils.
any thing superfluous ] The rendering of the EVV is too vague. The Heb. root denotes extension, and is applied to an extended (i.e. abnormally long) limb or other member, in this case of a man, in its only other occurrence (Lev 22:23) of a beast. The LXX. , having the ear split, following the Aram. rendering mutilated, is wrong.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 18. A blind man] That is, in one eye; for he that was utterly blind could not possibly be employed in such a service. A flat nose, like that of an ape; so the best versions. Any thing superfluous, such as six fingers, six toes, &c.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
He shall not approach unto God, or to serve him in his sanctuary.
A flat nose: most restrain this word to the nose and to some great deformity relating to it, either the want of it wholly or in part, or the shortness, flatness, or crookedness of it. But according to others, it signifies more generally a person that wants some member or members, because the next word, to which it is opposed, signifies one that hath more members than he should.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
For whatsoever man [he be] that hath a blemish,…. Let him be otherwise ever so well qualified for his office, as with respect to his parentage, against which no objection lies; or, as to his character and abilities, being a man of knowledge and of good manners; and whether these blemishes be, as the Jews z call them, fixed, settled ones, which have attended them ever since they were born, and are likely to attend them as long as they live; or are transient ones, only for the present, and perhaps, in a short time, wilt be removed; yet it matters not, while these blemishes are on them,
he shall not approach; to the altar to offer sacrifice, or do any part of the priestly office, for this phrase is expressive of a sacerdotal act: the particular blemishes unfitting a man for such service follow:
a blind man, or a lame; that is blind of one eye, or of both; and is lame of one leg, or of both:
or he that hath a flat nose; which Jarchi explains, whose nose is sunk between his two eyes, whose nose is short, and crooked, or mutilated:
or anything superfluous; more members than usual, as six fingers on an hand, or two gristles in an ear, as Ben Gersom; or whose members are not proportionate, as one eye large and the other small, or one thigh or leg longer than the other, so Jarchi; the Targum of Jonathan is,
“whose thigh (or thigh bone) is out of joint;”
and so a man draws his foot after him, which is the sense of the Rabbins, as observed by Kimchi a, and Ben Melech from him; and so such are not fit to be called the priests of the Lord, and much less ministers of his word, who are blind as to the knowledge of divine and spiritual things, and walk not as becomes the Gospel of Christ; or halt between two opinions, or savour not the things of God, and lay not aside all superfluity of naughtiness.
z Misn. Zebachim, c. 12. sect 1. & Becorot, c. 7. sect. 1. a Sepher Shorash. rad. .
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(18) For whatsoever man . . . This part of the verse is simply an emphatic repetition of the same declaration at the end of the last verse to introduce the examples of the bodily blemishes which disqualified the priests for the service at the altar. A similar law obtained among the Greeks and Romans, that a priest should be perfect in all his parts; and according to the Hindoo law, Brahmins born with a bodily defect, or who received one before their sixteenth year, are excluded from the rites of consecration.
A blind man.During the second Temple, this was not only interpreted to be partial blindness on both eyes, or on one eye, but was taken to include any blemish in the eye or in the eyelid, of which the administrators of the Law enumerate twenty-six cases, nineteen in the eye and seven in the eyelid.
Or a lame.This was understood during the second Temple to refer to any imperfection in the gait of the priest, which might show itself in twenty different ways.
Or he that hath a flat nose.Of the nasal deformity no less than nine different illustrations are given.
Or any thing superfluous.That is, one member of the body more stretched out or longer than the others, or out of proportion, as an eye, shoulder, thigh, leg, &c.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
18. Blemish The blemishes may be classified as 1.) essential physical defects, rendering the adequate performance of the service impossible, and 2.) aesthetical defects, where the powers may be unimpaired but the appearance is repulsive. Of the former are the blind, the lame, and various kinds of maimed.
A flat nose Furst, following the Seventy, renders it snub-nosed. The Vulgate has three nasal blemishes, si parvo, vel grandi, vel torto naso, “if he has a small, or a huge, or a twisted nose.”
Superfluous The original occurs elsewhere only in Lev 22:23, and Isa 28:20, and seems to signify limbs disproportioned in length. The Vulgate limits it to the nose. The Seventy translates it “with the ears cropped or slit.” The Targum of Palestine says, “mutilated in the thigh.”
Keil inclines to our English rendering any thing superfluous, as more than ten fingers or toes, or any thing beyond what is normal, such as an ill-formed bodily member.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Lev 21:18 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,
Ver. 18. He shall not approach. ] Lest his ministry be slighted for his personal defects and deformities: how much more for his ignorance, envy, indirect aims, uneven walking, injudiciousness, unheavenly mindedness, &c., purported by these bodily imperfections?
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
flat = any deformity (of the nose).
any thing superfluous = any thing over long or excessive. Compare Lev 22:23.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
a blind man: Isa 56:10, Mat 23:16, Mat 23:17, Mat 23:19, 1Ti 3:2, 1Ti 3:3, 1Ti 3:7, Tit 1:7, Tit 1:10
superfluous: Lev 22:23
Reciprocal: Lev 22:22 – Blind Dan 1:4 – in whom
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Lev 21:18. A flat nose Most restrain this word to the nose, and to some great deformity relating to it. But according to others it signifies, more generally, a person that wants some member or members, because the next word, to which it is opposed, signifies one that hath more members than he should.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
21:18 For whatsoever man [he be] that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath {m} a flat nose, or any {n} thing superfluous,
(m) Which is deformed or bruised.
(n) As not of equal proportion, or having in number more or less.