Leviticus 21:1

CHAPTER XXI

The priests shall not mourn for the dead, except for near

relatives, such as mother, father, son, daughter, and sister

if a virgin, 1-4.

They shall not shave their heads nor beards, nor make any

cuttings in the flesh, because they are holy unto God, 5, 6.

A priest shall not marry a woman who is a whore, profane, or

divorced from her husband, 7, 8.

Of the priest's daughter who profanes herself, 9.

The high priest shall not uncover his head, or rend his clothes,

10;

nor go in unto a dead body, 11;

nor go out of the sanctuary, 12.

Of his marriage and off-spring, 13-15.

No person shall be made a priest that has any blemish nor

shall any person with any of the blemishes mentioned here be

permitted to officiate in the worship of God, 16-24.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXI

Verse Leviticus 21:1. There shall none be defiled for the dead] No priest shall assist in laying out a dead body, or preparing it for interment. Any contact with the dead was supposed to be of a defiling nature, probably because putrefaction had then taken place; and animal putrefaction was ever held in detestation by all men.