Leviticus 21:1-6

Leviticus 21:1-6

[1] And the LORD  said  unto Moses,  Speak  unto the priests  the sons  of Aaron,  and say  unto them, There shall none be defiled  for the dead  among his people:  [2] But for his kin,  that is near  unto him, that is, for his mother,  and for his father,  and for his son,  and for his daughter,  and for his brother,  [3] And for his sister  a virgin,  that is nigh  unto him, which hath had no husband;  for her may he be defiled.  [4] But he shall not defile  himself, being a chief man  among his people,  to profane  [5] They shall not make  baldness  upon their head,  neither shall they shave off  the corner  of their beard,  nor make  any cuttings  in their flesh.  [6] They shall be holy  unto their God,  and not profane  the name  of their God:  of the LORD  made by fire,  and the bread  of their God,  they do offer:  therefore they shall be holy. 

What does Leviticus 21:1-6 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The priest was not to defile himself ceremonially by touching a corpse, except in the case of his nearest relatives. Shaving the head, probably above the forehead ( Deuteronomy 14:1), shaving the edges of the beard, and self-mutilation were practices of pagan priests who demonstrated mourning in these ways (cf. 1 Kings 18:28). [1]
"As in other parts of the ancient Near East [2] priests" heads were normally shaved and no beard was worn." [3]
Defacing the human body was unacceptable because physical perfection symbolized holiness. The priests of Israel were neither to appear nor to behave as pagan priests.