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except for his close relative who is near to him[a]—his mother, his father, his son, his daughter, his brother, and his virgin sister who is near to him,[b] who has no husband—he may defile himself for her. He must not defile himself as a husband among his people so as to profane himself.[c]

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Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 21:2 tn Heb “except for his flesh, the one near to him.”
  2. Leviticus 21:3 tn Cf. v. 2a.
  3. Leviticus 21:4 tn Heb “He shall not defile himself a husband in his peoples, to profane himself.” The meaning of the line is disputed, but it appears to prohibit a priest from burying any relative by marriage (as opposed to the blood relatives of vv. 2-3), including his wife (compare B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 142-43 with J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 343, 348).

except for a close relative, such as his mother or father,(A) his son or daughter, his brother, or an unmarried sister who is dependent on him since she has no husband—for her he may make himself unclean.(B) He must not make himself unclean for people related to him by marriage,[a] and so defile himself.

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Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 21:4 Or unclean as a leader among his people