Leviticus 21 - Introduction

Leviticus 21:1 to Leviticus 22:33. Regulations concerning Priests and Offerings

The general legislation, addressed to the people as a whole in the preceding part of H, is now followed by directions as to the standard of holiness to be maintained by the priests, and the nature of sacrificial offerings. While the peculiar tone of the Holiness section is maintained throughout, the amount of stress laid upon the hortatory element is not so great as in the earlier chs. of the section. Moreover, the revision of these two chs. by R p is evident. While the unusual expressions, -the seed of Aaron" 1 [68] (Leviticus 21:21, cp. 17), and -he that is the high priest among his brethren" (Leviticus 21:10), may well belong to the legislation embodied originally by R p, the stereotyped phraseology of P occurs in superscriptions and subscriptions, such as -the sons of Aaron" (Leviticus 21:1, cp. 24, Leviticus 22:2; Leviticus 22:18). Again, in the superscription to Leviticus 21:1-15, Moses is bidden to address the priests, while in the remainder of that passage (except Leviticus 21:8, where see note) they are spoken of in the 3rd person. On the other hand, the peculiar expression -bread of [their] God" (Leviticus 21:6; Leviticus 21:8; Leviticus 21:17; Leviticus 21:21-22; Leviticus 22:25), and the refrain, -I am the Lord which sanctify (hallow)" (Leviticus 21:8; Leviticus 21:15; Leviticus 21:23; Leviticus 22:9; Leviticus 22:16; Leviticus 22:32) indicate H, as does the conclusion (Leviticus 22:31-33; cp. Leviticus 18:26-30; Leviticus 19:37; Leviticus 20:22-26). Other expressions which are thought to indicate the influence of the Priestly Code, as being favourites with P (though they are by no means wholly confined to that source), are -throughout (their) generations" (Leviticus 21:17; Leviticus 22:3), -veil" (pârôkheth, Leviticus 21:23), -stranger" (zâr, Leviticus 22:10; Leviticus 22:12), -purchase" (ḳinyân, Leviticus 22:11), -to accomplish" (l-Pallç, Leviticus 22:21), -a foreigner" (ben nçchâr, Leviticus 22:25).

[68] But probably this expression was originally - seed of the priests" (so Wellh. and Dr.), itself an unusual phrase, but one which would not involve the view that R h considered the priests to be limited to the family of Aaron, as did P.

The two chs. may be sub-divided under the following five heads:

(1) Restrictions of a ceremonial and domestic character, binding upon (a) Leviticus 21:1-9, priests in general; (b) Leviticus 21:10, the high priest;

(2) Leviticus 21:16, bodily disqualifications for those exercising the priestly office;

(3) Leviticus 22:1-16, membership of a priest's family and ceremonial purity as indispensable for those who share in sacrificial food;

(4) Leviticus 22:17, blemishes that are to be avoided in animals offered in sacrifice;

(5) Leviticus 22:26, three directions of a special character with regard to sacrifices. To this is added (Leviticus 22:31) a concluding exhortation.