Bible Strands
Leviticus 21:22
He may eat the most holy food of his God as well as the holy food,
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — God speaks to Moses, who relays the directive to Aaron and his priestly descendants regarding the conduct of physically defective priests. The instruction occurs within a legal section regulating sanctuary access and priestly purity boundaries.
The words — The text highlights מִקָּדְשֵׁי (miq.qad.shei, "from the holy things") and הַקֳּדָשִׁים (ha.qo.da.shim, "the holy things"), which the BSB renders as the distinction between the most holy and holy food. These terms mark the specific categories of consecrated provisions that remain permissible for a disqualified priest to consume.
The thread — This distinction between holy and most holy provisions appears in Leviticus 2:3, Leviticus 2:10, and Leviticus 6:16, where grain offering remnants are assigned to Aaron and his sons. Leviticus 6:16 specifies that the priestly portion must be eaten without leaven in a holy place, while Leviticus 2:3 and Leviticus 2:10 only identify the remainder as belonging to the priests.
Why it lands — The text requires readers to recognize that physical disqualification restricts certain priestly duties while preserving others. It establishes that sanctuary privileges are tiered according to ritual status, demanding precise compliance with divine boundaries.
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
He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy.
Cross-references
- Leviticus 2:3 The remainder of the grain offering shall belong to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the food offerings to the LORD.
- Leviticus 2:10 But the remainder of the grain offering shall belong to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the food offerings to the LORD.
- Leviticus 6:16 Aaron and his sons are to eat the remainder. It must be eaten without leaven in a holy place; they are to eat it in the courtyard of the Tent of Meeting.
- Leviticus 7:1 “Now this is the law of the guilt offering, which is most holy:
- Leviticus 22:10 No one outside a priest’s family may eat the sacred offering, nor may the guest of a priest or his hired hand eat it.
- Leviticus 24:8 Every Sabbath day the bread is to be set out before the LORD on behalf of the Israelites as a permanent covenant.
- Numbers 18:9 A portion of the most holy offerings reserved from the fire will be yours. From all the offerings they render to Me as most holy offerings, whether grain offerings or sin offerings or guilt offerings, that part belongs to you and your sons.
- Numbers 18:19 All the holy offerings that the Israelites present to the LORD I give to you and to your sons and daughters as a permanent statute. It is a permanent covenant of salt before the LORD for you and your offspring.”
- 1 Corinthians 9:13 Do you not know that those who work in the temple eat of its food, and those who serve at the altar partake of its offerings?
- Leviticus 6:29 Any male among the priests may eat it; it is most holy.