his mother, father,
The inclusion of both parents underscores the respect and honor due to one's parents, a principle enshrined in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:12). In ancient Israel, the family was patriarchal, but the mention of the mother alongside the father indicates her significant role within the family structure. This respect for parents is echoed in the New Testament, where honoring one's parents is reiterated (Ephesians 6:2).

son, daughter,
The mention of children highlights the continuation of the family line and the importance of offspring in Israelite culture. Sons and daughters were seen as blessings from God (Psalm 127:3-5). The priest's allowance to mourn for his children reflects the deep emotional bonds and responsibilities within the family. This familial care is mirrored in the New Testament, where Jesus shows compassion for children (Mark 10:14).

or brother,
The inclusion of a brother in the list of immediate family members for whom a priest could mourn indicates the strong fraternal bonds in Israelite society. Brothers often shared inheritance and responsibilities, as seen in the stories of Jacob and Esau or Moses and Aaron. The New Testament also emphasizes brotherly love, as seen in the epistles (1 John 3:16), reflecting the enduring importance of sibling relationships.

The Lord required ordinary priests to avoid ceremonial uncleanness by contact with the dead (Leviticus 21:1), yet He mercifully carved out a narrow exception. Family ties matter to God, and He recognizes the unavoidable obligation to grieve with those bound to us by blood. In this verse He balances two priorities:

• Protecting the priesthood’s holiness (Leviticus 21:6; Ezekiel 44:25).

• Honoring the bond of kinship established in the fifth commandment (Exodus 20:12).

The exemption underscores that holiness is not cold distance but regulated devotion—God does not forbid healthy, compassionate mourning (1 Thessalonians 4:13), only the ritual defilement that would ordinarily interrupt priestly service.

A priest could attend his mother’s burial because maternal care reflects God’s nurturing character (Isaiah 66:13). The law consistently elevates respect for mothers (Proverbs 23:22) alongside fathers. By naming “mother” first, the verse shows that God honors even those whose public standing was less than a male’s in ancient society. Jesus modeled similar honor from the cross when He entrusted Mary to John (John 19:26-27).

Fathers bore primary responsibility for spiritual leadership (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). Allowing a priest to mourn his father preserved the biblical mandate to “honor your father” (Ephesians 6:2). The privilege was not mere sentiment; it affirmed continuity in covenant faith, passing on godly heritage (Malachi 2:5). Neglecting such duty would contradict the very holiness the priest represented.

The death of a son cut off the family line and hope of future inheritance (Genesis 21:12; Ruth 4:10). God permitted the priest to share fully in that loss, echoing the Father’s own grief over Israel’s rebellion (Hosea 11:1-8). By naming “son,” the verse also protects the dignity of children, whom Scripture repeatedly identifies as “a heritage from the LORD” (Psalm 127:3). Even the strictest ceremonial rules bend to parental compassion.

In patriarchal cultures a daughter’s value could be minimized, yet the Lord explicitly includes her. This equality anticipates later affirmations that “there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). Her mention guards against partiality and illustrates that every family member falls under God’s care (Mark 5:41-42, where Jesus raises Jairus’s daughter).

A brother shared both blood and covenant identity (Leviticus 25:48; Proverbs 17:17). Accepting defilement for a brother reinforced fraternal responsibility—“Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9) is answered here with a clear “yes.” New-covenant believers echo this principle by loving fellow Christians sacrificially (1 John 3:16-17; Romans 12:10).

Leviticus 21:2 teaches that priestly holiness does not erase human compassion. God limits defilement so priests may keep serving, yet He graciously allows them to honor and mourn immediate family. The verse affirms the sanctity of family relationships, the priority of obedience to God’s commands, and the balance between ritual purity and heartfelt love—a balance perfectly fulfilled in Christ, our High Priest, who remains “holy, innocent, undefiled” (Hebrews 7:26) while bearing our griefs (Isaiah 53:4).

For his mother, and for his father.--This is the second of the three instances in the Bible where the mother is mentioned before the father (see Leviticus 19:3). The Jewish canonists, who call attention to this unusual phrase, account for it by saying that she is placed first because the son's qualifications for the priesthood depend more upon his having a good mother (see Leviticus 21:7). This will be readily understood when it is borne in mind that the regulations about the woman whom a priest was allowed to marry during the second Temple were of the most stringent nature, and that the slightest infringement of them disqualified the son for performing sacerdotal functions. Thus the daughter of a foreigner or of a released captive was forbidden to the priest, and when a city was besieged and taken by the enemy all the wives of the priests had to be divorced for fear lest they had suffered violence.

Parallel Commentaries ...