Ezekiel 44:25-27

Regulations for their necessary contact with the dead. They shall approach the dead bodies only of their nearest relatives, father, mother, son, daughter, brother and unmarried sister. From the defilement caused by this contact they must purify themselves before resuming their service in the inner court. It is curious that no reference is made to the priest's wife among the relatives with whose dead bodies they may defile themselves. The same omission occurs Leviticus 21:1-3. In Ezekiel 24:15 it is understood that he would naturally shew tokens of mourning for his wife. The two things, however, are not identical, and Ezek. was not an acting priest. According to Leviticus 21:11 the high-priest was not to defile himself by going near any dead body whatever. How defilement was contracted is explained Numbers 19:14.