The Meaning of Leviticus 21:12 Explained

Leviticus 21:12

KJV: Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the LORD.

YLT: nor from the sanctuary doth he go out, nor doth he pollute the sanctuary of his God, for the separation of the anointing oil of his God is on him; I am Jehovah.

Darby: neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am Jehovah.

ASV: neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am Jehovah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Neither shall he go out  of the sanctuary,  nor profane  the sanctuary  of his God;  for the crown  of the anointing  oil  of his God  [is] upon him: I [am] the LORD. 

What does Leviticus 21:12 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 21:12 mean?

And of the sanctuary nor shall he go out nor profane - the sanctuary of his God for the consecration of the oil of anointing [is] his God upon him I [am] Yahweh
וּמִן־ הַמִּקְדָּשׁ֙ לֹ֣א יֵצֵ֔א וְלֹ֣א יְחַלֵּ֔ל אֵ֖ת מִקְדַּ֣שׁ אֱלֹהָ֑יו כִּ֡י נֵ֠זֶר שֶׁ֣מֶן מִשְׁחַ֧ת אֱלֹהָ֛יו עָלָ֖יו אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה

הַמִּקְדָּשׁ֙  of  the  sanctuary 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִקְדָּשׁ  
Sense: sacred place, sanctuary, holy place.
לֹ֣א  nor 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יֵצֵ֔א  shall  he  go  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
וְלֹ֣א  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יְחַלֵּ֔ל  profane 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָלַל 
Sense: to profane, defile, pollute, desecrate, begin.
אֵ֖ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מִקְדַּ֣שׁ  the  sanctuary 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מִקְדָּשׁ  
Sense: sacred place, sanctuary, holy place.
אֱלֹהָ֑יו  of  his  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
נֵ֠זֶר  the  consecration 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: נֵזֶר  
Sense: consecration, crown, separation, Nazariteship.
שֶׁ֣מֶן  of  the  oil 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֶׁמֶן  
Sense: fat, oil.
מִשְׁחַ֧ת  of  anointing  [is] 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: מִשְׁחָה 
Sense: consecrated portion, anointing oil, portion, ointment, anointing portion.
אֱלֹהָ֛יו  his  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
עָלָ֖יו  upon  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
יְהוָֽה  [am]  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.