Leviticus 21: Holy Priests

God gives special rules for the priests, Aaron's sons, because they offer the bread of God. They must keep themselves from defilement, marry carefully, and be holy. The high priest has even stricter rules. A priest with a physical defect may not offer at the altar, but he may still eat the holy food.

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Read Leviticus 21

World English Bible · 24 verses

¹ 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,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
² except for his relatives that are near to him: for his mother, for his father, for his son, for his daughter, for his brother,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³ and for his virgin sister who is near to him, who has had no husband; for her he may defile himself.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁴ He shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁵ “‘They shall not shave their heads or shave off the corners of their beards or make any cuttings in their flesh.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁶ They shall be holy to their God, and not profane the name of their God, for they offer the offerings of Yahweh made by fire, the bread of their God. Therefore they shall be holy.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁷ “‘They shall not marry a woman who is a prostitute, or profane. A priest shall not marry a woman divorced from her husband; for he is holy to his God.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁸ Therefore you shall sanctify him, for he offers the bread of your God. He shall be holy to you, for I Yahweh, who sanctify you, am holy.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁹ “‘The daughter of any priest, if she profanes herself by playing the prostitute, she profanes her father. She shall be burned with fire.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁰ “‘He who is the high priest among his brothers, upon whose head the anointing oil is poured, and who is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not let the hair of his head hang loose, or tear his clothes.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹¹ He must not go in to any dead body, or defile himself for his father or for his mother.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹² He shall not 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 Yahweh.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹³ “‘He shall take a wife in her virginity.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁴ He shall not marry a widow, or one divorced, or a woman who has been defiled, or a prostitute. He shall take a virgin of his own people as a wife.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁵ He shall not profane his offspring among his people, for I am Yahweh who sanctifies him.’”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁶ Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁷ “Say to Aaron, ‘None of your offspring throughout their generations who has a defect may approach to offer the bread of his God.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁸ For whatever man he is that has a defect, he shall not draw near: a blind man, or a lame, or he who has a flat nose, or any deformity,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁹ or a man who has an injured foot, or an injured hand,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁰ or hunchbacked, or a dwarf, or one who has a defect in his eye, or an itching disease, or scabs, or who has damaged testicles.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²¹ No man of the offspring of Aaron the priest who has a defect shall come near to offer the offerings of Yahweh made by fire. Since he has a defect, he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²² He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²³ He shall not come near to the veil, nor come near to the altar, because he has a defect; that he may not profane my sanctuaries, for I am Yahweh who sanctifies them.’”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁴ So Moses spoke to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the children of Israel.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org

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Leviticus 21 · Preschool

Bread for the Priests

Name Date

Color the priest and the bread! God gave good things to His priests.

Can you find these in the picture? Circle each one!

Bible Verse

“He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy.”

Leviticus 21:22 (WEB)

Prayer

Thank You, God, for making me!

Take It Home

Read the verse aloud. Say: God gave holy bread to all His priests. Every priest's family shared in God's good gifts.

Open Grade 4 on its own page

Leviticus 21 · Grade 4

A Holy Priesthood

Name Date

Read and Think

Leviticus 21 sets out rules for the priests. Because they offered the bread of their God, they must be holy to their God. They avoided touching the dead, except for close relatives. They married with care, so their families would honor God.

The high priest had even stricter rules. He was not to go near any dead body, not even his father or mother, because the crown of the anointing oil of his God was on him. He represented the people before God in a special way.

A priest with a physical defect could not offer at the altar, because the altar service pointed to a perfect Priest. Yet such a priest could still eat the most holy food. He belonged to God's priestly family. Hebrews teaches that Jesus is our perfect High Priest, and 1 Peter 2 calls all believers a royal priesthood.

Show What You Know

Why must the priests be holy?
Why could the high priest not go near any dead body?
What could a priest with a physical defect still do?
What does 1 Peter 2 call all believers?

Word Bank Fill-In

Use the word bank to fill in each blank.

oilholypriestGod

Because they offered the bread of their God, they must be to their God.
They married with care, so their families would honor .
The high had even stricter rules.
He was not to go near any dead body, not even his father or mother, because the crown of the anointing of his God was on him.

Think About It

If believers are a royal priesthood, how might you serve God and others this week?
How does knowing Jesus is the perfect High Priest give you hope?

Memory Verse

“They shall be holy to their God, and not profane the name of their God, for they offer the offerings of Yahweh made by fire, the bread of their God. Therefore they shall be holy.”

Leviticus 21:6 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for people who serve You. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

Who at your church serves quietly, and how could you honor them?
In the New Testament, how can you help others come close to God?

Open Grade 5 on its own page

Leviticus 21 · Grade 5

Priests Who Draw Near

Name Date

Read and Think

Leviticus 21 turns to those who served closest to God's presence. The priests, Aaron's sons, offered the offerings of Yahweh made by fire, the bread of their God. Therefore they shall be holy to their God. Their mourning practices, their marriages, and their families were all to reflect the holiness of their calling. Israel was to treat them as holy, for I Yahweh, who sanctify you, am holy.

The high priest stood under even stricter rules. He could not uncover his head, tear his clothes, or go near any dead body, even for his father or mother, and he was not to leave the sanctuary in mourning. The crown of the anointing oil was on him. He was to marry an Israelite virgin, so that his offspring would not be profaned.

Verses 17 to 23 state that no descendant of Aaron with a physical defect could approach the altar to offer. This did not mean such a man was less valuable; the altar service was a visual picture of the perfect holiness required to approach God. Verse 22 is gracious: He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy. He remained in the priestly family and shared its food. In Christ, the perfect High Priest without blemish (Hebrews 7:26), all who believe are welcomed, and Jesus healed the blind and lame who came to Him in the temple (Matthew 21:14).

Show What You Know

Why were the priests to be holy?
Name two strict rules for the high priest.
Why could a priest with a defect not approach the altar?
What did verse 22 allow such priests?
How does Hebrews 7:26 describe Jesus?

Crossword

Across

Aaron's sons served as ____s.
They offered the ____ of God.
Our perfect High Priest (Hebrews 7:26).

Down

The high priest was anointed with ____.
What priests did at the tabernacle.

Think About It

How does Jesus healing the blind and lame in the temple show God's heart?
What does it mean for you that Jesus, the perfect High Priest, welcomes you?

Memory Verse

“Therefore you shall sanctify him, for he offers the bread of your God. He shall be holy to you, for I Yahweh, who sanctify you, am holy.”

Leviticus 21:8 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for people who serve You. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

How should God's care for every priest shape the way we value people?
How can you serve God with a holy life?
What is one way you could live out this chapter this week?

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Leviticus 21: Holy Priests

Read Leviticus 21

Worksheets

Bread for the Priests

Prayer

Take It Home

Holy Priests

Trace the Words

Match the Pictures

Mini Maze

Draw It

Prayer

Take It Home

Chosen to Serve

Trace the Words

Match the Pictures

Rules for Priests

Prayer

Take It Home

Rules for Priests

Read the Story

Show What You Know

Word Search

Prayer

Take It Home

Holy to You

Read the Story

Answer the Questions

Rules for Priests

Word Search

Prayer

Take It Home

A Holy Priesthood

Read and Think

Show What You Know

Word Bank Fill-In

Think About It

Copy It

Prayer

Take It Home

Priests Who Draw Near

Read and Think

Show What You Know

Crossword

Think About It

Copy It

Prayer

Take It Home

More print options