1And Jehovah said unto Moses , Speak unto the priests , the sons of Aaron, and say unto them , There shall none defile himself for the dead among his people ; 2except for his kin , that is near unto him , for his mother, and for his father , and for his son , and for his daughter , and for his brother, 3and for his sister a virgin , that is near unto him , that hath had no husband; for her may he defile himself . 4He shall not defile himself , being a chief man among his people , to profane himself . 5They shall not make baldness upon their head , neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard , nor make any cuttings in their flesh . 6They shall be holy unto their God , and not profane the name of their God ; for the offerings of Jehovah made by fire, the bread of their God , they do offer : therefore they shall be holy . 7They shall not take a woman that is a harlot , or profane ; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God . 8Thou shalt sanctify him therefore ; for he offereth the bread of thy God : he shall be holy unto thee; for I Jehovah , who sanctify you , am holy . 9And the daughter of any priest , if she profane herself by playing the harlot , she profaneth her father: she shall be burnt with fire.
The High Priest's Unique Responsibilities
10And he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil is poured , and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not let the hair of his head go loose , nor rend his clothes ; 11neither shall he go in to any dead body , nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother; 12neither shall he go out of the sanctuary , nor profane the sanctuary of his God ; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him : I am Jehovah . 13And he shall take a wife in her virginity . 14A widow, or one divorced , or a profane woman , a harlot , these shall he not take : but a virgin of his own people shall he take to wife. 15And he shall not profane his seed among his people : for I am Jehovah who sanctifieth him .
Physical Qualifications for Priests
16And Jehovah spake unto Moses , saying , 17Speak unto Aaron, saying , Whosoever he be of thy seed throughout their generations that hath a blemish , let him not approach to offer the bread of his God . 18For 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 , 19or a man that is broken-footed, or broken-handed, 20or crook-backed, or a dwarf , or that hath a blemish in his eye , or is scurvy , or scabbed , or hath his stones broken ; 21no man of the seed of Aaron the priest , that hath a blemish , shall come nigh to offer the offerings of Jehovah made by fire: he hath a blemish ; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God . 22He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy , and of the holy : 23only he shall not go in unto the veil , nor come nigh unto the altar , because he hath a blemish ; that he profane not my sanctuaries : for I am Jehovah who sanctifieth them . 24So Moses spake unto Aaron, and to his sons , and unto all the children of Israel .