“And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto them, There shall none be defiled for the dead among his people:”
By touching the dead, lamenting, or being at their burial.
“And for his sister a virgin, that is nigh unto him, which hath had no husband; for her may he be defiled.”
For being married she seemed to be cut off from his family. Hebrew, he may be defiled.
“But he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself. he: or, being an husband among his people, he shall not defile himself for his wife, etc”
The Priest was permitted to mourn for his next kindred only.
“They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.”
Cross references: : Lev. 19:27
“They 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.”
Which hath an evil name or is defamed.
“Thou shalt sanctify him therefore; for he offereth the bread of thy God: he shall be holy unto thee: for I the LORD, which sanctify you, am holy.”
Thou shalt count them holy and reverence them. The showbread.
“And he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes;”
He shall use no such ceremonies as the mourners observed.
“Neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother;”
Or, to the houses of the dead.
“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 the LORD.”
To go to the dead. For by his anointing he was preferred to the other Priests and therefore could not lament the dead, lest he should have polluted his holy anointing.
“A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, or an harlot, these shall he not take: but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife.”
Not only of his tribe, but of all Israel.
“Neither shall he profane his seed among his people: for I the LORD do sanctify him.”
By marrying any unchaste or defamed woman.
“For 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 any thing superfluous,”
Which is deformed or bruised. As not of equal proportion, or having in number more or less.
“No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God.”
As the showbread, and meat offerings.
“He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy.”
As of the tenths and firstfruits. As of sacrifice for sin.