Neither shall they take for their wives a widow, nor her that is put away: but they shall take maidens of the seed of the house of Israel, or a widow that had a priest before.
Parallel translations
- WEB Neither shall they take for their wives a widow, nor her who is put away; but they shall take virgins of the offspring of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest.
- BSB And they shall not marry a widow or a divorced woman, but must marry a virgin of the descendants of the house of Israel, or a widow of a priest.
- NKJV They shall not take as wife a widow or a divorced woman, but take virgins of the descendants of the house of Israel, or widows of priests.
- NASB And they shall not marry a widow or a divorced woman, but shall take virgins from the descendants of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest.
- NLT They may choose their wives only from among the virgins of Israel or the widows of the priests. They may not marry other widows or divorced women.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Priests may marry only Israelite virgins or the widows of priests, not divorced women or ordinary widows.
Overview
Marriage restrictions guarded the purity and example of the priestly line, reflecting their consecrated role. These rules upheld the holiness expected of those who minister before God. While such ceremonial regulations belonged to Israel's worship, they point to the higher call for God's servants to model holiness and faithfulness in all relationships.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Lev 21:7They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God.
- Lev 21:13–14And he shall take a wife in her virginity.
- 1 Tim 3:4–5One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
- Deut 24:1–4When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.
- 1 Tim 3:11–12Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
- 1 Tim 3:2A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
- Titus 1:6If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
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Original language
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