Leviticus 21:10

The priest who is highest among his brothers, who has had the anointing oil poured on his head and has been ordained to wear the priestly garments, must not let his hair hang loose or tear his garments.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God issues this directive to Moses concerning the high priest's conduct during his service. The instruction applies specifically to the officeholder who occupies the highest rank among the priestly brothers.

The words — הַגָּדֹל (ha.gadol) literally means "the great" or "the highest," designating the chief priest. יוּצַק (yu'tzak) means "it was poured," referring to the consecration act where anointing oil was applied to his head.

The thread — The ban on disheveled hair and torn garments repeats Moses' command to Aaron's surviving sons in Leviticus 10:6 and aligns with the successor high priest described in Leviticus 16:32. The act of tearing clothes resurfaces in Matthew 26:65 when the high priest responds to a charge of blasphemy.

Why it lands — The text requires the highest priest to preserve visible signs of ordination and to refrain from ritual defilement or uncontrolled mourning. A reader must accept that priestly authority demands strict compliance with physical boundaries rather than personal or emotional display.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

King James Version

And he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes;

Cross-references

Leviticus 10:6 Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not let your hair become disheveled and do not tear your garments, or else you will die, and the LORD will be angry with the whole congregation. But your brothers, the whole house of Israel, may mourn on account of the fire that the LORD has ignited.
Leviticus 16:32 The priest who is anointed and ordained to succeed his father as high priest shall make atonement. He will put on the sacred linen garments
Matthew 26:65 At this, the high priest tore his clothes and declared, “He has blasphemed! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.
Exodus 29:29 The holy garments that belong to Aaron will belong to his sons after him, so they can be anointed and ordained in them.
Leviticus 8:12 He also poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him to consecrate him.
Numbers 35:25 The assembly is to protect the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood. Then the assembly will return him to the city of refuge to which he fled, and he must live there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.
Genesis 37:34 Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days.
Exodus 28:2 Make holy garments for your brother Aaron, to give him glory and splendor.
Leviticus 8:7 He put the tunic on Aaron, tied the sash around him, clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod on him. He tied the woven band of the ephod around him and fastened it to him.
Leviticus 13:45 A diseased person must wear torn clothes and let his hair hang loose, and he must cover his mouth and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean!’