The Meaning of Leviticus 21:18 Explained

Leviticus 21:18

KJV: For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous,

YLT: for no man in whom is blemish doth draw near -- a man blind, or lame or dwarfed, or enlarged,

Darby: for whatever man hath a defect, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or one limb longer than the other,

ASV: For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or anything superfluous,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For whatsoever man  [he be] that hath a blemish,  he shall not approach:  a blind  man,  or a lame,  or he that hath a flat nose,  or any thing superfluous, 

What does Leviticus 21:18 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 21:18 mean?

For any man who in him has a defect not shall approach a man blind or lame disfigured deformed
כִּ֥י כָל־ אִ֛ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־ בּ֥וֹ מ֖וּם לֹ֣א יִקְרָ֑ב אִ֤ישׁ עִוֵּר֙ א֣וֹ פִסֵּ֔חַ חָרֻ֖ם שָׂרֽוּעַ

כָל־  any 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
אִ֛ישׁ  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
בּ֥וֹ  in  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
מ֖וּם  has  a  defect 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מְאוּם 
Sense: blemish, spot, defect.
יִקְרָ֑ב  shall  approach 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרַב  
Sense: to come near, approach, enter into, draw near.
אִ֤ישׁ  a  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
עִוֵּר֙  blind 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: עִוֵּר  
Sense: blind.
פִסֵּ֔חַ  lame 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: פִּסֵּחַ  
Sense: lame.
חָרֻ֖ם  disfigured 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: חָרַם 
Sense: to ban, devote, destroy utterly, completely destroy, dedicate for destruction, exterminate.
שָׂרֽוּעַ  deformed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: שָׂרַע  
Sense: to extend, stretch out.