Leviticus 21:7 “A priest must not marry a woman defiled by prostitution or divorced by…”

Leviticus 21:7

A priest must not marry a woman defiled by prostitution or divorced by her husband, for the priest is holy to his God.

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God.

World English Bible

“‘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.

American Standard Version

They shall not take a woman that is a harlot, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God.

Geneva Bible 1599

They shall not take to wife an whore, or one polluted, neither shall they marrie a woman diuorced from her husband: for such one is holy vnto his God.

Darby Translation

They shall not take as wife a whore, or a dishonoured woman; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband; for he is holy unto his God.

Young's Literal Translation

'A woman, a harlot, or polluted, they do not take, and a woman cast out from her husband they do not take, for he [is] holy to his God;

Bible in Basic English

They may not take as wife a loose or common woman, or one who has been put away by her husband: for the priest is holy to his God.

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Cross references

“that is a whore”

Ezekiel 44:22 Leviticus 21:8 1 Timothy 3:11

Ezekiel 44:22 · BSB

And they shall not marry a widow or a divorced woman, but must marry a virgin of the descendants of the house of Israel, or a widow of a priest.

Leviticus 21:8 · BSB

You are to regard him as holy, since he presents the food of your God. He shall be holy to you, because I the LORD am holy—I who set you apart.

1 Timothy 3:11 · BSB

In the same way, the women must be dignified, not slanderers, but temperate and faithful in all things.

“put away”

Deuteronomy 24:1–4 Isaiah 50:1

Deuteronomy 24:1–4 · BSB

If a man marries a woman, but she becomes displeasing to him because he finds some indecency in her, he may write her a certificate of divorce, hand it to her, and send her away from his house.

Isaiah 50:1 · BSB

This is what the LORD says: “Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce with which I sent her away? Or to which of My creditors did I sell you? Look, you were sold for your iniquities, and for your transgressions your…

Also

Leviticus 21:13–14

Leviticus 21:13–14 · BSB

The woman he marries must be a virgin.

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

6They must be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God. Because they present to the LORD the food offerings, the food of their God, they must be holy.

8You are to regard him as holy, since he presents the food of your God. He shall be holy to you, because I the LORD am holy—I who set you apart.

Read Leviticus 21