The Meaning of Leviticus 21:1 Explained

Leviticus 21:1

KJV: 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:

YLT: And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Speak unto the priests, sons of Aaron, and thou hast said unto them, For any person a priest is not defiled among his people,

Darby: And Jehovah said to Moses, Speak unto the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say unto them, There shall none make himself unclean for a dead person among his peoples,

ASV: And Jehovah said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say unto them, There shall none defile himself for the dead among his people;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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: 

What does Leviticus 21:1 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Leviticus 21

1  Of the priests' mourning
6  Of their holiness
7  Of their marriages
8  Of their estimation
9  Of the high priest's holiness
10  Of his marriage
13  The priests that have blemishes must not minister in the sanctuary

What do the individual words in Leviticus 21:1 mean?

And said Yahweh to Moses speak the priests the sons of Aaron and say to them for the dead none shall defile himself among his people
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־ מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֱמֹ֥ר הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים בְּנֵ֣י אַהֲרֹ֑ן וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם לְנֶ֥פֶשׁ לֹֽא־ יִטַּמָּ֖א בְּעַמָּֽיו

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מֹשֶׁ֔ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
אֱמֹ֥ר  speak 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים  the  priests 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
בְּנֵ֣י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
אַהֲרֹ֑ן  of  Aaron 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַהֲרֹון  
Sense: brother of Moses, a Levite and the first high priest.
וְאָמַרְתָּ֣  and  say 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֲלֵהֶ֔ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
לְנֶ֥פֶשׁ  for  the  dead 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
לֹֽא־  none 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִטַּמָּ֖א  shall  defile  himself 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: טָמֵא 
Sense: to be unclean, become unclean, become impure.
בְּעַמָּֽיו  among  his  people 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.