Leviticus 21:7

My Notes

What Does Leviticus 21:7 Mean?

"They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband." Priests face marriage restrictions that don't apply to ordinary Israelites: no prostitutes, no profaned women, no divorced women. The priest's domestic life must match his sacred role. The holiness of the office extends to the bedroom.

The three categories — whore (zonah), profane (chalalah — one who has been desecrated or defiled), and divorced (gerushah — one who has been driven away) — represent different forms of social and sexual history that the priestly office cannot absorb without contamination of the role.

The reasoning — "for he is holy unto his God" — makes the marriage restriction a direct consequence of consecration. The priest's holiness isn't just personal behavior; it shapes his most intimate relationship. Who he marries reflects who he serves. The domestic life is the holiness code in miniature.

Reflection Questions

• 1.How does your most intimate relationship reflect your spiritual consecration?
• 2.What does holiness extending to the bedroom teach about the scope of consecration?
• 3.How do you read these restrictions with compassion for the restricted categories of women?
• 4.What does 'he is holy unto his God' mean for the non-compartmentalized life?

Devotional

The priest can't marry just anyone. His holiness extends to his marriage — who he takes as a wife must match the consecration he carries as a priest. The domestic life mirrors the sacred role.

The restrictions are specific: no prostitutes (women whose bodies have been used commercially), no profaned women (those who have been desecrated in some way), no divorced women (those whose previous marriage was dissolved). Each category represents a history that, in the Levitical system, conflicts with the priest's consecrated status.

The reasoning is straightforward: 'he is holy unto his God.' The holiness isn't compartmentalized. It doesn't stay at the altar and go home at the end of the day. The holiness follows the priest into his house, into his bedroom, into his most intimate relationship. What you do when nobody's watching — who you love, who you choose — is part of the consecration.

This is challenging for modern readers because the restrictions feel harsh toward the women in the prohibited categories. But the restrictions aren't about the women's worth — they're about the priest's role. The women aren't condemned. The priest's choices are limited because his office requires it.

The New Testament democratizes holiness: every believer is a priest (1 Peter 2:9). The implication is that the marriage-holiness connection isn't just for professionals. If you're a priest — and you are — your most intimate relationship is part of your consecration.

How does your most intimate relationship reflect or contradict your consecration?

Commentary

Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.

Cross References

Related passages throughout Scripture