1 Yahweh said to Moses, "Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them, 'A priest shall not defile himself for the dead among his people; 2 except for his relatives that are near to him: for his mother, for his father, for his son, for his daughter, for his brother, 3 and for his virgin sister who is near to him, who has had no husband; for her he may defile himself. 4 He shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself. 5 "'They shall not shave their heads, neither shall they shave off the corners of their beards, nor make any cuttings in their flesh. 6 They shall be holy to their God, and not profane the name of their God; for they offer the offerings of Yahweh made by fire, the bread of their God; therefore they shall be holy. 7 "'They shall not marry a woman who is a prostitute, or profane; neither shall they marry a woman divorced from her husband: for he is holy to his God. 8 You shall sanctify him therefore; for he offers the bread of your God: he shall be holy to you: for I Yahweh, who sanctify you, am holy. 9 "'The daughter of any priest, if she profanes herself by playing the prostitute, she profanes her father: she shall be burned with fire. 10 "'He who is the high priest among his brothers, 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 hang loose, nor tear his clothes; 11 neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother; 12 neither 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 Yahweh. 13 "'He shall take a wife in her virginity. 14 A widow, or one divorced, or a woman who has been defiled, or a prostitute, these he shall not marry: but a virgin of his own people shall he take as a wife. 15 He shall not profane his seed among his people: for I am Yahweh who sanctifies him.'" 16 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 17 "Say to Aaron, 'None of your seed throughout their generations who has a blemish, may approach to offer the bread of his God. 18 For whatever man he is that has a blemish, he shall not draw near: a blind man, or a lame, or he who has a flat nose, or any deformity, 19 or a man who has an injured foot, or an injured hand, 20 or hunchbacked, or a dwarf, or one who has a defect in his eye, or an itching disease, or scabs, or who has damaged testicles; 21 no man of the seed of Aaron the priest who has a blemish, shall come near to offer the offerings of Yahweh made by fire. Since he has a blemish, he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God. 22 He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy. 23 He shall not come near to the veil, nor come near to the altar, because he has a blemish; that he may not profane my sanctuaries, for I am Yahweh who sanctifies them.'" 24 So Moses spoke to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the children of Israel.
The priests shall not mourn for the dead, except for near relatives, such as mother, father, son, daughter, and sister if a virgin, Leviticus 21:1-4. They shall not shave their heads nor beards, nor make any cuttings in the flesh, because they are holy unto God, Leviticus 21:5, Leviticus 21:6. A priest shall not marry a woman who is a whore, profane, or divorced from her husband, Leviticus 21:7, Leviticus 21:8. Of the priest's daughter who profanes herself, Leviticus 21:9. The high priest shall not uncover his head, or rend his clothes, Leviticus 21:10; nor go in unto a dead body, Leviticus 21:11; nor go out of the sanctuary, Leviticus 21:12. Of his marriage and off-spring, Leviticus 21:13-15. No person shall be made a priest that has any blemish nor shall any person with any of the blemishes mentioned here be permitted to officiate in the worship of God, Leviticus 21:16-24.
INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 21
This chapter respects the priests, the sons of Aaron, and forbids their mourning for the dead, unless in some cases, Leviticus 21:1; or their marriage with an whore or a divorced woman, Leviticus 21:7; and the daughters of any of them to commit fornication, which is made punishable with death, Leviticus 21:9; and it contains particular laws for the high priest to observe, who was not to mourn for any, even for his parents, Leviticus 21:10; nor to go out of the sanctuary, Leviticus 21:12; nor to marry any woman but a virgin, Leviticus 21:13; and it also directs, that none of the priests having any blemish in them should be employed in divine service, though they might eat of the holy things, Leviticus 21:16.
Laws concerning the priests.
Holiness of the Priests, of the Holy Gifts, and of Sacrifices - Leviticus 21-22
The Sanctification of the Priests. - As the whole nation was to strive after sanctification in all the duties of life, on account of its calling as a nation of God, the priests, whom Jehovah had chosen out of the whole nation to be the custodians of His sanctuary, and had sanctified to that end, were above all to prove themselves the sanctified servants of the Lord in their domestic life and the duties of their calling. (1) They were not to defile themselves by touching the dead or by signs of mourning (Leviticus 21:1-6 and Leviticus 21:10-12); (2) they were to contract and maintain a spotless marriage (Leviticus 21:7-9 and Leviticus 21:13-15); and (3) those members of the priesthood who had any bodily failings were to keep away from the duties of the priests' office (Leviticus 21:16-24).
*More commentary available by clicking individual verses.