The Meaning of Leviticus 21:6 Explained

Leviticus 21:6

KJV: They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of their God: for the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and the bread of their God, they do offer: therefore they shall be holy.

YLT: they are holy to their God, and they pollute not the name of their God, for the fire-offerings of Jehovah, bread of their God, they are bringing near, and have been holy.

Darby: They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of their God; for they present Jehovah's offerings by fire, the bread of their God; therefore shall they be holy.

ASV: They 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

They shall be holy  unto their God,  and not profane  the name  of their God:  for the offerings  of the LORD  made by fire,  [and] the bread  of their God,  they do offer:  therefore they shall be holy. 

What does Leviticus 21:6 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Leviticus 21

1  Of the priests' mourning
6  Of their holiness
7  Of their marriages
8  Of their estimation
9  Of the high priest's holiness
10  Of his marriage
13  The priests that have blemishes must not minister in the sanctuary

What do the individual words in Leviticus 21:6 mean?

Holy they shall be to their God and not profane the name of their God For - the offerings made by fire of Yahweh [and] the bread of their God they offer therefore they shall be holy
קְדֹשִׁ֤ים יִהְיוּ֙ לֵאלֹ֣הֵיהֶ֔ם וְלֹ֣א יְחַלְּל֔וּ שֵׁ֖ם אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם כִּי֩ אֶת־ אִשֵּׁ֨י יְהוָ֜ה לֶ֧חֶם אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֛ם הֵ֥ם מַקְרִיבִ֖ם וְהָ֥יוּ קֹֽדֶשׁ

קְדֹשִׁ֤ים  Holy 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: קָדֹושׁ  
Sense: sacred, holy, Holy One, saint, set apart.
יִהְיוּ֙  they  shall  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לֵאלֹ֣הֵיהֶ֔ם  to  their  God 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
וְלֹ֣א  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יְחַלְּל֔וּ  profane 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: חָלַל 
Sense: to profane, defile, pollute, desecrate, begin.
שֵׁ֖ם  the  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם  of  their  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אִשֵּׁ֨י  the  offerings  made  by  fire 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אִשֶּׁה  
Sense: burnt-offering, offering made by fire, fire offering.
יְהוָ֜ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לֶ֧חֶם  [and]  the  bread 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: לֶחֶם  
Sense: bread, food, grain.
אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֛ם  of  their  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
מַקְרִיבִ֖ם  offer 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine plural
Root: קָרַב  
Sense: to come near, approach, enter into, draw near.
וְהָ֥יוּ  therefore  they  shall  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
קֹֽדֶשׁ  holy 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness.