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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

Leviticus 21:7-8

LEVITICUS—NOTE ON Leviticus 21:7 The wife of a priest must be a woman of high moral character. She may not be a prostitute, because that is a defiling profession. She must not have been divorced. Even though divorce is allowed in the OT (see note on Deut. 24:1–4), a broken marriage falls short of the creation ideal, which the priests are to embody (compare Malachi 2:1).

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See also Leviticus 21:7-8 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Leviticus 21:7. THAT IS _A WHORE_] A prostitute, though even reclaimed. _PROFANE_] A heathen, or one who is not a cordial believer in the true God. _PUT AWAY FROM HER HUSBAND_] Because this ve...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    PROFANE - A woman who has been seduced, or one of illegitimate birth. A somewhat stricter rule for the priests’ marriages was revealed to the prophet in later times, Ezekiel 44:22....

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    4. LAWS FOR THE PRIESTS CHAPTER 21 _ 1. Laws concerning the person of the priests (Leviticus 21:1)_ 2. Laws concerning their family (Leviticus 21:7) 3. Laws concerning the high priest (Levi

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    RESTRICTIONS FOR THE PRIESTS. To approach a corpse was to suffer defilement (_cf._ Numbers 5:2 * Numbers 19*, Tob_2:8 ff., Sir_34:25); this is, therefore, forbidden to the priest, except in the case o...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _profane_ guilty of immorality....

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    TEXT 21:7-9 7 They shall not take a woman that is a harlot, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God, 8 Thou shalt sanctify him therefore;...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _THEY SHALL NOT TAKE A WIFE THAT IS A WHORE, OR PROFANE; NEITHER SHALL THEY TAKE A WOMAN PUT AWAY FROM HER HUSBAND: FOR HE IS HOLY UNTO HIS GOD._ They shall not take a wife. Private individuals might...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    LAWS RELATING TO THE PRIESTHOOD AND SACRIFICE The principle laid down in this and the following chapter is the far reaching one, that whatever comes near or is presented to God must be perfect of its...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    PROFANE] having lost her chastity....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    LEVITICUS *WORSHIP THE *LORD IN THE BEAUTY OF *HOLINESS LEVITICUS _GORDON CHURCHYARD_ This commentary HAS BEEN through Advanced Checking. Words in boxes are from the Bible, except for the words i...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    NOT TAKE A WIFE. — From the defilement arising through contact with the dead, the lawgiver passes to’ regulation about the priest’s alliances with the living, which might be fraught with still more se...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    אִשָּׁ֨ה זֹנָ֤ה וַ חֲלָלָה֙ לֹ֣א יִקָּ֔חוּ וְ

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    THE LAW OF PRIESTLY HOLINESS Leviticus 21:1; Leviticus 22:1 THE conception of Israel as a kingdom of priests, a holy nation, was concretely represented in a threefold division of the people, -the con...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The absolute necessity for the strictest of separation of the priest from all possibility of defilement is vividly set forth in the laws here enunciated. Standing as he ever did in a place of special...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    They shall not take a wife [that is] a whore, or (d) profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he [is] holy unto his God. (d) Which has an evil name or is defamed....

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Vile, (ver. 14,) defiled, ( sordidam). Hebrew chalala, "a profane woman," (Pagnin) or one of ill-fame; as captives, inn-keepers, are generally esteemed. Zone, means a common prostitute. (Josephus, [A...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Doth not the Reader discern somewhat in these which point to JESUS? Surely in all these appointments respecting ceremonial uncleanness among the priests, the peculiarity of the law for them only, plai...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    We have seen the various forms of the work of Christ, of His offering of Himself to God, whether in all the perfectness of His life, or in His death as the means of our acceptance. We have seen furthe...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    7._They shall not take a wife. _The third kind of purity is in marriage itself, that the priests’ home may be chaste and free from all dishonor. At this time also God commands by the mouth of Paul, th...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 21 AND 22. Chapter 21 specially presents what becomes the priests as set apart for Jehovah: this more intimate nearness supposed a conduct corresponding with...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    THEY SHALL NOT TAKE A WIFE [THAT IS] A WHORE, OR PROFANE,.... By the former is meant a common whore, that prostitutes herself to any one through lust or for gain; and by the latter one whose chastity...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    They shall not take a wife [that is] a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he [is] holy unto his God. Ver. 7. _They shall not take a wife._] Lest their f...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Profane_ Or _defiled_, or _deflowered_, though it were done secretly, or by force; because the priest must take care that all the members of his family be free not only from gross wickedness, but fro...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Of the Priests mourning. 6 Of their holinesse. 8 Of their estimation. 7.13 Of their Mariages. 16 The Priests that haue blemishes must not minister in the Sanctuarie. 1 AND the LORD said vnto Mos...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    They shall not take a wife that is a whore, a public prostitute, or profane, a fallen woman, or one of illegitimate birth; NEITHER SHALL THEY TAKE A WOMAN PUT AWAY FROM HER HUSBAND, a divorced woman;...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Their Outward Appearance and Relations....

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF PRIESTS (VV. 1-15) Since the priests were given the sacred privilege of drawing near to God on behalf of the people, they were therefore more responsible as regards their c...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    OR PROFANE, or _defiled_, or _defloured_, though it were done secretly, or by accident, or by force; because the priest must take care that all the members of his family be free not only from gross wi...

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    LEVITICUS 22:1-33. These Chapter s unfold, with great minuteness of detail, the divine requirements in reference to those who were privileged to draw near as priests to "offer the bread of their God....

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Leviticus 21:7 take H3947 (H8799) wife H802 harlot H2181 (H8802) defiled H2491 take H3947 (H8799) woman...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE PRIESTS MUST NOT DEFILE THEMSELVES UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. The priesthood was the essential link between Yahweh and His people. They were therefore to be especially careful in the maintenanc...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Relationship and walk of the priests. CHARACTERS: God, Moses, Aaron and sons. CONCLUSION: Those whose office it is to instruct in God's truth must do it by example as well as precept. KEY...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Leviticus 21:4. _A chief man._ In some versions the Hebrew word _baal_ is rendered king, lord, and husband; and the LXX read, he shall not “lightly” defile himself. Leviticus 21:7. _He shall not take...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron._ SACRED RELATIONSHIP DEMANDS SANCTITY OF LIFE If there is one fact more notably emphasised than another in this address to priests, it is this: their-- I....

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    Purity of the Priesthood SUGGESTIVE READINGS Leviticus 21:1.—Speak unto the priests … there shall none be defiled. If it was important that the whole community of Israel should maintain ceremonial an...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    PART III. SECTION IV. THE UNCLEANNESS AND DISQUALIFICATION OF PRIESTS. EXPOSITION The two remaining chapters of this division of the book (Leviticus 21:1,...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Shall we turn now to Leviticus, chapter twenty-one? As we have often told you, a priest had a two-fold function. First he was to stand before God representing the people, bringing their offerings befo...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Timothy 3:11; Deuteronomy 24:1; Ezekiel 44:22; Isaiah 50:1;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Profane — Or defiled, or deflowered, though it were done secretly, or by force: because the priest must take care that all the members of his family be free not only from gross wickedness, but from al...

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