Leviticus 21:1

KJV1611 – Modern English

And the LORD said to Moses, Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them, None shall defile himself for the dead among his people:

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֱמֹ֥ר אֶל־הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים בְּנֵ֣י אַהֲרֹ֑ן וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם לְנֶ֥פֶשׁ לֹֽא־יִטַּמָּ֖א בְּעַמָּֽיו׃

Transliteration

And wayyōʾmer YHWH to-Mōšeh, ʾĕmōr to-the-kōhănîm bənê ʾAhărōn and-wəʾāmartā to-them, for-nepeš not-yiṭṭammāʾ among-ʿammāyw.

Grammar Details

• *wayyōʾmer*: qal imperfect consecutive 3rd masculine singular - and he said
• *YHWH*: proper noun - divine name
• *Mōšeh*: proper noun - Moses
• *ʾĕmōr*: qal imperative masculine singular - speak/say
• *kōhănîm*: masculine plural noun - priests
• *bənê*: masculine plural construct - sons of
• *ʾAhărōn*: proper noun - Aaron
• *wəʾāmartā*: qal perfect 2nd masculine singular with waw consecutive - and you shall say
• *nepeš*: feminine singular noun - soul/dead person/corpse
• *yiṭṭammāʾ*: hitpael imperfect 3rd masculine singular - he shall defile himself
• *ʿammāyw*: masculine plural noun with 3rd masculine singular suffix - his peoples/relatives

Word Meanings

• *nepeš*: soul/dead body/corpse/person
• *yiṭṭammāʾ*: defile himself/become unclean
• *ʿammāyw*: his people/his relatives/his kinsmen

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  The LORD said to Moses, 'Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and tell them: A priest shall not defile himself by coming into contact with a dead person among his people.

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto them, There shall none be defid for the dead among his peop:

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  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;

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  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:

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  And the Lorde sayde vnto Moses: speake vnto the preastes the sonnes of Aaron and saye vnto them. A preast shall defile him selfe at the deth of none of his people,

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And the LORDE sayde vnto Moses: Speake to ye prestes ye sonnes of Aaron, & saye vnto the: A prest shal defyle him self vpo no soule of his people,

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And the Lorde said vnto Moses, Speake vnto the Priestes the sonnes of Aaron, and say vnto them, Let none be defiled by the dead among his people,

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And the Lorde sayde vnto Moyses, Speake vnto the priestes the sonnes of Aaron, & say vnto them: Let none be defiled by a corse among his people:

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  ¶ 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:

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Yahweh said to Moses, "Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them, 'A priest shall not defile himself for the dead among his people;

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  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,

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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;

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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;

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And the Lord said to Moses, Say to the priests, the sons of Aaron, Let no man make himself unclean for the dead among his people;

• World English Bible (2000)

  Yahweh said to Moses, "Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them, 'A priest shall not defile himself for the dead among his people;

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Rules for the Priests The LORD said to Moses:“Say to the priests, the sons of Aaron– say to them,‘For a dead person no priest is to defile himself among his people,

Referenced Verses

• Ezek 44:25 : 25 And they shall not go near a dead person to defile themselves; but for a father, or for a mother, or for a son, or for a daughter, for a brother, or for a sister who has had no husband, they may defile themselves.
• Lev 10:6-7 : 6 And Moses said to Aaron and to Eleazar and Ithamar, his sons, 'Do not uncover your heads nor tear your clothes, lest you die and wrath come upon all the people. But let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, mourn the burning which the Lord has kindled. 7 You shall not go out from the entrance of the tabernacle of meeting, lest you die; for the anointing oil of the Lord is upon you.' And they did according to the word of Moses.
• Lev 21:11 : 11 Neither shall he go near any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother;
• Num 19:14 : 14 This is the law when a man dies in a tent: all who come into the tent, and all who are in the tent, shall be unclean seven days.
• Num 19:16 : 16 And whoever touches someone who is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.
• Lev 19:28 : 28 You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the LORD.
• Hos 5:1 : 1 Listen to this, O priests; and pay attention, O house of Israel; and give ear, O house of the king; for judgment is toward you, because you have been a snare at Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor.
• Mal 2:1 : 1 And now, O you priests, this commandment is for you.
• Mal 2:4 : 4 And you shall know that I have sent this commandment to you, that my covenant might be with Levi, says the LORD of hosts.