Leviticus 21:18
◄  Leviticus 21:18  ►
New International Version (©2011)
No man who has any defect may come near: no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed;

New Living Translation (©2007)
No one who has a defect qualifies, whether he is blind, lame, disfigured, deformed,

English Standard Version (©2001)
For no one who has a blemish shall draw near, a man blind or lame, or one who has a mutilated face or a limb too long,

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
For no one who has a defect shall approach: a blind man, or a lame man, or he who has a disfigured face, or any deformed limb,

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
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,

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
No man who has any defect is to come near: no man who is blind, lame, facially disfigured, or deformed;

International Standard Version (©2012)
Indeed, any person who has a defect is not to approach the Tent of Meeting— the blind, the lame, one who is mutilated in the face or who has a very long limb,

NET Bible (©2006)
Certainly no man who has a physical flaw is to approach: a blind man, or one who is lame, or one with a slit nose, or a limb too long,

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Indeed, no one who has a physical defect may ever come near [the altar]. That means anyone who is blind or lame, who has a disfigured face, a deformity,

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
For whatsoever man he is that has a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or lame, or he that has a marred face, or any limb too long,

American King James Version
For whatever man he be that has a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that has a flat nose, or any thing superfluous,

American Standard 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 anything superfluous,

Douay-Rheims Bible
Neither shall he approach to minister to him: If he be blind, if he be lame, if he have a little, or a great, or a crooked nose,

Darby Bible Translation
for whatever man hath a defect, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or one limb longer than the other,

English Revised 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,

Webster's Bible Translation
For whatever man he may 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,

World English Bible
For whatever man he is that has a blemish, he shall not draw near: a blind man, or a lame, or he who has a flat nose, or any deformity,

Young's Literal Translation
for no man in whom is blemish doth draw near -- a man blind, or lame or dwarfed, or enlarged,

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

21:1-24 Laws concerning the priests. - As these priests were types of Christ, so all ministers must be followers of him, that their example may teach others to imitate the Saviour. Without blemish, and separate from sinners, He executed his priestly office on earth. What manner of persons then should his ministers be! But all are, if Christians, spiritual priests; the minister especially is called to set a good example, that the people may follow it. Our bodily infirmities, blessed be God, cannot now shut us out from his service, from these privileges, or from his heavenly glory. Many a healthful, beautiful soul is lodged in a feeble, deformed body. And those who may not be suited for the work of the ministry, may serve God with comfort in other duties in his church.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish,.... Let him be otherwise ever so well qualified for his office, as with respect to his parentage, against which no objection lies; or, as to his character and abilities, being a man of knowledge and of good manners; and whether these blemishes be, as the Jews (z) call them, fixed, settled ones, which have attended them ever since they were born, and are likely to attend them as long as they live; or are transient ones, only for the present, and perhaps, in a short time, wilt be removed; yet it matters not, while these blemishes are on them:

he shall not approach; to the altar to offer sacrifice, or do any part of the priestly office, for this phrase is expressive of a sacerdotal act: the particular blemishes unfitting a man for such service follow:

a blind man, or a lame; that is blind of one eye, or of both; and is lame of one leg, or of both:

or he that hath a flat nose; which Jarchi explains, whose nose is sunk between his two eyes, whose nose is short, and crooked, or mutilated:

or anything superfluous; more members than usual, as six fingers on an hand, or two gristles in an ear, as Ben Gersom; or whose members are not proportionate, as one eye large and the other small, or one thigh or leg longer than the other, so Jarchi; the Targum of Jonathan is,"whose thigh (or thigh bone) is out of joint;''and so a man draws his foot after him, which is the sense of the Rabbins, as observed by Kimchi (a), and Ben Melech from him; and so such are not fit to be called the priests of the Lord, and much less ministers of his word, who are blind as to the knowledge of divine and spiritual things, and walk not as becomes the Gospel of Christ; or halt between two opinions, or savour not the things of God, and lay not aside all superfluity of naughtiness.

(z) Misn. Zebachim, c. 12. sect 1. & Becorot, c. 7. sect. 1.((a) Sepher Shorash. rad.

Leviticus 21:18 Parallel Commentaries

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Restrictions against Those with Blemishes
18For whatever man he be that has a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that has a flat nose, or any thing superfluous, 19Or a man that is broken footed, or broken handed, 20Or hunch back, or a dwarf, or that has a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or has his stones broken; …

Leviticus 21:19 no man with a crippled foot or hand,
Leviticus 22:19 you must present a male without defect from the cattle, sheep or goats in order that it may be accepted on your behalf.
Leviticus 22:23 You may, however, present as a freewill offering an ox or a sheep that is deformed or stunted, but it will not be accepted in fulfillment of a vow.