The Meaning of Leviticus 21:17 Explained

Leviticus 21:17

KJV: Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God.

YLT: 'Speak unto Aaron, saying, No man of thy seed to their generations in whom there is blemish doth draw near to bring near the bread of his God,

Darby: Speak unto Aaron, saying, Any of thy seed throughout their generations that hath any defect, shall not approach to present the bread of his God;

ASV: Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed throughout their generations that hath a blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Speak  unto Aaron,  saying,  Whosoever  [he be] of thy seed  in their generations  that hath [any] blemish,  let him not approach  to offer  the bread  of his God. 

What does Leviticus 21:17 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 21:17 mean?

speak to Aaron saying A man of your descendants in [succeeding] generations who has in him [any] defect not may approach to offer the bread of his God
דַּבֵּ֥ר אֶֽל־ אַהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹ֑ר אִ֣ישׁ מִֽזַּרְעֲךָ֞ לְדֹרֹתָ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִהְיֶ֥ה בוֹ֙ מ֔וּם לֹ֣א יִקְרַ֔ב לְהַקְרִ֖יב לֶ֥חֶם אֱלֹהָֽיו

דַּבֵּ֥ר  speak 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
אַהֲרֹ֖ן  Aaron 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַהֲרֹון  
Sense: brother of Moses, a Levite and the first high priest.
לֵאמֹ֑ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אִ֣ישׁ  A  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
מִֽזַּרְעֲךָ֞  of  your  descendants 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: זֶרַע  
Sense: seed, sowing, offspring.
לְדֹרֹתָ֗ם  in  [succeeding]  generations 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: דֹּור 
Sense: period, generation, habitation, dwelling.
בוֹ֙  in  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
מ֔וּם  [any]  defect 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מְאוּם 
Sense: blemish, spot, defect.
יִקְרַ֔ב  may  approach 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרַב  
Sense: to come near, approach, enter into, draw near.
לְהַקְרִ֖יב  to  offer 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: קָרַב  
Sense: to come near, approach, enter into, draw near.
לֶ֥חֶם  the  bread 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: לֶחֶם  
Sense: bread, food, grain.
אֱלֹהָֽיו  of  his  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).