Leviticus 22:3

Tell them that for the generations to come, if any of their descendants in a state of uncleanness approaches the sacred offerings that the Israelites consecrate to the LORD, that person must be cut off from My presence. I am the LORD.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God commands Moses to instruct Aaron and his sons regarding the sacred offerings consecrated by the Israelites. This directive establishes a permanent boundary for all future generations approaching holy things.

The words — אֱמֹ֣ר ('e.Mor) = say; יִקְרַ֣ב (yik.Rav) = he will draw near. These terms frame the command as a direct instruction about the physical and ritual act of approaching the sacred.

The thread — The penalty of exclusion appears in Leviticus 7:20 and Numbers 19:13, where unclean individuals face being cut off from the community for violating purity laws.

Why it lands — The text requires readers to maintain ritual purity when approaching consecrated things, treating the boundary as a fixed standard rather than a temporary rule.

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

אֱמֹ֣ר'e.Morsay אֲלֵהֶ֗ם'a.le./Hemto/ them לְדֹרֹ֨תֵיכֶ֜םle./do.Ro.tei./Khemto/ generations/ your כָּל־kol-every אִ֣ישׁ׀'ishman אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-who יִקְרַ֣בyik.Ravhe will draw near מִכָּל־mi./kolfrom/ all זַרְעֲכֶ֗םzar.'a./Khemoffspring/ your אֶל־'el-to הַקֳּדָשִׁים֙ha./ko.da.Shimthe/ holy things אֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.Sherwhich יַקְדִּ֤ישׁוּyak.Di.shuthey will set apart as holy בְנֵֽי־ve.nei-[the] people of יִשְׂרָאֵל֙Yis.ra.'ElIsrael לַֽיהוָ֔הla./Yah.wehto/ Yahweh וְטֻמְאָת֖וֹve./tum.'a.T/oand/ uncleanness/ his עָלָ֑יו'a.La/v[is] on/ him וְנִכְרְתָ֞הve./nikh.re.Tahand/ it will be cut off הַנֶּ֧פֶשׁha./Ne.feshthe/ person הַהִ֛ואha./Hiv'<the>/ that מִלְּפָנַ֖יmi./le./fa.Na/ifrom/ to/ before/ me אֲנִ֥י'a.NiI יְהוָֽה׃Yah.weh[am] Yahweh

King James Version

Say unto them, Whosoever he be of all your seed among your generations, that goeth unto the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow unto the Lord, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence: I am the Lord.

Cross-references

Leviticus 7:20 But if anyone who is unclean eats meat from the peace offering that belongs to the LORD, that person must be cut off from his people.
Exodus 33:14 And the LORD answered, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
Numbers 19:13 Anyone who touches a human corpse and fails to purify himself defiles the tabernacle of the LORD. That person must be cut off from Israel. He remains unclean, because the water of purification has not been sprinkled on him, and his uncleanness is still on him.
Psalms 16:11 You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.
Psalms 51:11 Cast me not away from Your presence; take not Your Holy Spirit from me.
Matthew 25:41 Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
2 Thessalonians 1:9 They will suffer the penalty of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His might,