Bible Strands
Leviticus 21:6
They 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.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The passage addresses priests responsible for presenting food offerings, following immediate instructions on physical mourning practices and marriage restrictions.
The words — קְדֹשִׁים (ke.do.shim) means holy, and יְחַלְּלוּ (ye.cha.le.lu) means they will profane.
The thread — The prohibition against profaning God’s name appears in Leviticus 18:21 regarding child sacrifice, while the duty to present food offerings connects to Leviticus 3:11, and the holy priesthood identity reappears in 1 Peter 2:9.
Why it lands — The text demands priests maintain ritual and moral separation from defilement while handling sacred offerings, reflecting a life set apart for God.
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
They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of their God: for the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and the bread of their God, they do offer: therefore they shall be holy.
Cross-references
- Leviticus 3:11 Then the priest is to burn them on the altar as food, a food offering to the LORD.
- Leviticus 18:21 You must not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.
- 1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
- Exodus 28:36 You are to make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal: HOLY TO THE LORD.
- Exodus 29:44 So I will consecrate the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and I will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve Me as priests.
- Leviticus 10:3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD meant when He said: ‘To those who come near Me I will show My holiness, and in the sight of all the people I will reveal My glory.’” But Aaron remained silent.
- Leviticus 19:12 You must not swear falsely by My name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.
- Leviticus 21:8 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.
- Ezra 8:28 Then I told them, “You are holy to the LORD, and these articles are holy. The silver and gold are a freewill offering to the LORD, the God of your fathers.
- Isaiah 52:11 Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing; come out from it, purify yourselves, you who carry the vessels of the LORD.