Bible Strands
Leviticus 21:18
No man who has any defect may approach—no man who is blind, lame, disfigured, or deformed;
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Moses delivers this directive to Aaron and his priestly lineage, specifying who is permitted to approach the altar to offer sacrifices.
The words — The Hebrew מוּם (mum) denotes a physical blemish or defect, and יִקְרָב (yikrav) means he will draw near or approach the sacred space.
The thread — This physical requirement appears in Leviticus 22:19 for unblemished sacrificial animals, parallels the moral standard in 1 Timothy 3:2 that an overseer be above reproach, and contrasts with Isaiah 56:10’s depiction of blind watchmen.
Why it lands — The text explicitly bars individuals with physical defects from approaching the sanctuary, establishing a strict boundary for ritual access.
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
For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous,
Cross-references
- 1 Timothy 3:2 An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
- Leviticus 22:19 must offer an unblemished male from the cattle, sheep, or goats in order for it to be accepted on your behalf.
- Isaiah 56:10 Israel’s watchmen are blind, they are all oblivious; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they are dreamers lying around, loving to slumber.
- Matthew 23:16 Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’
- Matthew 23:19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes it sacred?
- 1 Timothy 3:7 Furthermore, he must have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the snare of the devil.
- Titus 1:7 As God’s steward, an overseer must be above reproach—not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not greedy for money.
- Titus 1:10 For many are rebellious and full of empty talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision,