Leviticus 22:3

KJV

Say unto them, Whosoever [he be] of all your seed among your generations, that goeth unto the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence: I [am] the LORD.

KJV (with Strong's)

Say {H559} unto them, Whosoever {H376} he be of all your seed {H2233} among your generations {H1755}, that goeth {H7126} unto the holy things {H6944}, which the children {H1121} of Israel {H3478} hallow {H6942} unto the LORD {H3068}, having his uncleanness {H2932} upon him, that soul {H5315} shall be cut off {H3772} from my presence {H6440}: I am the LORD {H3068}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Tell them, 'Any descendant of yours through all your generations who approaches the holy things that the people of Isra'el consecrate to ADONAI and is unclean will be cut off from before me; I am ADONAI.

Berean Standard Bible

Tell them that for the generations to come, if any of their descendants in a state of uncleanness approaches the sacred offerings that the Israelites consecrate to the LORD, that person must be cut off from My presence. I am the LORD.

American Standard Version

Say unto them, Whosoever he be of all your seed throughout your generations, that approacheth unto the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow unto Jehovah, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from before me: I am Jehovah.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Leviticus 22:3 delivers a solemn divine mandate to the Aaronic priesthood and their descendants, unequivocally stating that any individual from their lineage who approaches or handles "holy things"—objects or offerings consecrated to the LORD by the Israelites—while in a state of ritual uncleanness, "shall be cut off from my presence." This declaration underscores God's absolute and unyielding holiness, establishing the non-negotiable prerequisite of purity for all who minister in His service, and highlighting the severe consequences of profaning sacred objects or spaces through ritual defilement, thereby demanding profound reverence for the divine presence.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Leviticus 22 is a continuation of the detailed instructions concerning the holiness required of the priests and the proper handling of sacred offerings within the Tabernacle system. Building upon the general laws of ritual purity established in earlier chapters (e.g., concerning clean and unclean animals in [Leviticus 11](/leviticus/11 "Leviticus 11 - Clean and Unclean Animals"), childbirth in [Leviticus 12](/leviticus/12 "Leviticus 12 - Laws Concerning Childbirth"), and skin diseases in [Leviticus 13-14](/leviticus/13 "Leviticus 13-14 - Laws Concerning Skin Diseases")), this chapter specifically applies these principles to the priestly class. It opens with a direct command to Aaron and his sons to "separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that they profane not my holy name" ([Leviticus 22:2](/leviticus/22-2 "Leviticus 22:2 - Priestly Separation from Holy Things")). Verse 3 serves as the foundational principle for the subsequent regulations in [Leviticus 22](/leviticus/22 "Leviticus 22 - Holiness of Priests and Offerings"), which detail various scenarios that would render a priest unclean and thus ineligible to partake of holy offerings or minister in the sanctuary, such as contact with a dead body ([Leviticus 22:4](/leviticus/22-4 "Leviticus 22:4 - Priestly Uncleanness from Bodily Discharges or Dead Things")) or certain bodily discharges. The verse establishes the strict boundary between ritual purity and impurity, particularly for those divinely appointed to mediate between God and His people.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In ancient Israel, the Tabernacle, and later the Temple, was understood as the earthly dwelling place of Yahweh's glorious presence. This sacred space, along with all its furnishings, vessels, and offerings, was considered supremely holy, utterly distinct from the common or profane. The priesthood, specifically the male descendants of Aaron, was divinely consecrated to minister within this holy sphere, facilitating worship, offering sacrifices, and mediating atonement for the people. Ritual purity was not merely a matter of hygiene but a profound theological necessity, reflecting the perfect, unblemished, and transcendent nature of God. Various conditions and activities—such as contact with a corpse, certain skin diseases, or bodily emissions—rendered an individual ritually unclean, temporarily disqualifying them from participating in sacred rites or approaching the Tabernacle. This intricate system reinforced the absolute purity of God and the imperative for His people, especially His priests, to maintain a state of ceremonial readiness to approach Him. The severe consequence of being "cut off" (Hebrew: _kareth_) from the community was a grave social, spiritual, and sometimes physical penalty, signifying exclusion from the covenant blessings and protection, often implying direct divine judgment, as also seen in cases of deliberate sin against the covenant ([Numbers 15:30-31](/numbers/15-30-31 "Numbers 15:30-31 - Presumptuous Sins and Being Cut Off")).
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within Leviticus and the Pentateuch. Foremost is the theme of **God's Absolute Holiness**, emphasizing His transcendent purity and His intolerance for anything defiled in His presence. This holiness demands **Purity and Consecration** from those who serve Him, especially the priests, who are called to a higher standard of ceremonial and moral integrity. The concept of **Separation** (between the holy and the common, clean and unclean) is also central, underscoring the distinct nature of God and His consecrated people. Furthermore, the verse highlights the **Gravity of Disobedience** and the **Divine Judgment** that follows the violation of God's sacred commands. The "cutting off" penalty serves as a stark reminder of the covenant's stipulations and the serious implications of profaning God's name or His holy things, a principle reiterated throughout the Mosaic Law, for example, in laws concerning the Passover ([Exodus 12:15](/exodus/12-15 "Exodus 12:15 - Removing Leaven for Passover")) or Sabbath breaking ([Exodus 31:14](/exodus/31-14 "Exodus 31:14 - Sabbath Breaking and Death")).

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Holy things (Hebrew, _qôdesh'_):** This term (H6944) denotes something "set apart" or "consecrated" exclusively to God. In this context, it refers to the sacred offerings, tithes, and other consecrated items that the Israelites presented to the LORD, which were then handled or consumed by the priests. These "holy things" were not to be treated as common or mundane; their sanctity derived from their dedication to the divine, demanding utmost reverence and purity from those who interacted with them.
* **Uncleanness (Hebrew, _ṭumʼâh'_):** This term (H2932) signifies a state of "religious impurity" or "filthiness." It refers to a ceremonial defilement that could arise from various sources such as bodily discharges, skin diseases, or contact with a corpse, as extensively detailed in [Leviticus 11-15](/leviticus/11 "Leviticus 11-15 - Laws of Purity"). While not necessarily a moral sin, it was a ceremonial state that rendered an individual temporarily unfit to participate in sacred rituals or enter the holy precincts until a prescribed purification process was completed. The presence of _ṭumʼâh_ was antithetical to the _qôdesh_ of God.
* **Cut off (Hebrew, _kârath'_):** This primitive root (H3772) means "to cut (off, down or asunder)," and by implication, "to destroy or consume." In the context of divine judgment, it signifies a severe penalty of excommunication from the covenant community, a loss of divine favor, and often, though not always, premature physical death. To be "cut off" from God's presence (referencing H6440, _pânîym_, the "face" or "presence") meant to be alienated from His protective care, His blessings, and the very life of the covenant people, underscoring the gravity of violating God's commands regarding holiness and purity.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Say unto them, Whosoever [he be] of all your seed among your generations":** This opening phrase underscores the divine origin and authority of the command ("Say unto them"), indicating it is a direct revelation from God. The instruction is specifically addressed to the priestly lineage—the descendants of Aaron ("all your seed among your generations")—emphasizing that the responsibility for maintaining purity in handling sacred things was hereditary, perpetual, and applied to every individual priest throughout Israel's history.
* **"that goeth unto the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow unto the LORD":** This clause specifies the prohibited action and the objects involved. "Going unto the holy things" implies approaching, touching, consuming, or otherwise interacting with sacred offerings, tithes, or consecrated items. These "holy things" are explicitly identified as those "hallowed unto the LORD" by the Israelites, highlighting their sacred status and divine ownership, demanding utmost reverence.
* **"having his uncleanness upon him":** This is the critical condition that triggers the severe consequence. It refers to any state of ritual impurity, as defined by the extensive Levitical law, that a priest might be in. The presence of this "uncleanness" defiles the sacred, making the priest unfit for service and polluting the holy sphere. It is a state incompatible with the purity demanded by God's presence.
* **"that soul shall be cut off from my presence":** This is the dire and non-negotiable consequence for violating the command. The "soul" (Hebrew: _nephesh_) refers to the individual person. To be "cut off from my presence" signifies a severe divine judgment, implying excommunication from the covenant community, loss of divine favor, and potentially direct divine wrath or premature death. It emphasizes God's absolute intolerance for defilement in His holy sphere and the profound alienation resulting from such transgression.
* **"I [am] the LORD":** This concluding divine self-attestation serves as a powerful affirmation of God's authority, sovereignty, and unchanging nature. It reminds the priests and all Israel that these commands are not arbitrary human decrees but issue from the very character of the Holy God, Yahweh, who is the ultimate source of all holiness, justice, and covenant fidelity. It seals the command with divine weight and finality.

#### Literary Devices
Leviticus 22:3 is rich in literary devices that amplify its solemn message. The verse begins with a direct **Divine Command**, signaled by "Say unto them," immediately establishing the absolute authority and non-negotiable nature of the instruction, which emanates directly from God to His priests. This is powerfully reinforced by the **Covenant Formula** "I am the LORD" at the verse's conclusion, which underscores God's identity as the covenant-making and covenant-keeping God, whose commands are binding and whose inherent holiness demands purity from His people. The verse also functions as a stark **Warning/Threat**, explicitly stating the severe consequence ("that soul shall be cut off from my presence") for disobedience. This dire outcome highlights the gravity of defiling the sacred and serves as a potent deterrent. Furthermore, the precise and conditional language ("Whosoever... that goeth... having his uncleanness... that soul shall be cut off") creates a clear **Legal Statute**, leaving no ambiguity about the requirements and repercussions, a characteristic feature of the legal portions of the Pentateuch.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Leviticus 22:3 profoundly illustrates the foundational biblical truth of God's absolute holiness and His unyielding demand for purity from those who approach Him or handle His sacred things. It reinforces the radical distinction between the holy and the common, emphasizing that God's presence cannot tolerate defilement. This verse highlights that ritual purity in the Old Covenant was not merely about outward cleanliness but symbolized an inward state of reverence and separation unto God, a necessary precondition for acceptable worship and service. The severe penalty of being "cut off" underscores the gravity of violating divine standards and the dire consequences of treating God's holiness lightly, revealing His righteous judgment against all that is impure or profane in His sight. This principle of divine separation and the need for human purity reverberates throughout Scripture, culminating in the New Testament's call for spiritual holiness.

* [Leviticus 10:1-2](/leviticus/10-1-2 "Leviticus 10:1-2 - Nadab and Abihu's Unauthorized Fire"): Nadab and Abihu were consumed by fire for offering "strange fire" before the LORD, demonstrating the immediate and fatal consequences of disregarding God's specific instructions for worship and the handling of holy things.
* [Hebrews 10:22](/hebrews/10-22 "Hebrews 10:22 - Draw Near with a True Heart"): Encourages New Covenant believers to "draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water," reflecting the emphasis on spiritual purity and confident access to God through Christ's atoning work.
* [1 Peter 2:5](/1_peter/2-5 "1 Peter 2:5 - A Holy Priesthood"): Calls all believers a "holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ," underscoring that while ceremonial laws are fulfilled, the principle of spiritual purity and consecrated service remains for all God's people.

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
While the specific ceremonial laws of Leviticus no longer apply to New Covenant believers in the same literal way, the timeless principles embedded in Leviticus 22:3 remain profoundly relevant for our spiritual lives. This verse serves as a powerful reminder that God is eternally holy, and our approach to Him, whether in prayer, worship, or service, must always be marked by profound reverence, awe, and a sincere desire for spiritual purity. It compels us to examine our hearts and lives, recognizing that casualness or indifference toward God's presence or His Word can have serious spiritual repercussions. Just as the priests were to be ritually clean to handle the holy things, we, as believers, are called to live lives of spiritual integrity, continually confessing our sins and seeking cleansing through Christ's blood, so that our worship and service may be truly acceptable to Him. This passage challenges us to cultivate a deep respect for all that God has consecrated—His Word, His Church, His sacraments, our own bodies as His temple—and to approach Him with the humility and holiness His character demands, striving to live lives worthy of our calling as His holy people.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does the absolute holiness of God, as revealed in Leviticus 22:3, impact my personal approach to worship and prayer?**
* **What "uncleanness" in my life (e.g., unconfessed sin, worldly distractions, unholy attitudes) might be hindering my spiritual access to God or my effectiveness in His service?**
* **In what ways do I treat God's "holy things" (His Word, the sacraments, the fellowship of believers, my own body as His temple) with the reverence and purity they deserve?**

### FAQ
**Was ritual uncleanness considered a moral sin in ancient Israel?**

Answer: Not necessarily. Ritual uncleanness (Hebrew: _ṭumʼâh_) was a ceremonial state, not inherently a moral sin (Hebrew: _chatta't_). It could be incurred through natural processes like childbirth or contact with a dead body, which were not morally wrong but rendered a person temporarily unfit to participate in sacred activities or enter the Tabernacle/Temple. However, *willfully* disregarding the purification requirements or *presumptuously* approaching holy things while unclean, as implied in [Leviticus 22:3](/leviticus/22-3 "Leviticus 22:3 - Priestly Purity"), *was* a moral offense because it demonstrated contempt for God's holiness and His commands. The distinction is crucial: the state of uncleanness was a temporary disqualification, but deliberate transgression of the purity laws was a sin that incurred divine judgment.

**What does "cut off from my presence" truly mean, and how was it enforced?**

Answer: "Cut off from my presence" (Hebrew: _v'nikhreta hannefesh hahi mil'fanai_) is a severe phrase indicating divine judgment. It primarily means exclusion from the covenant community of Israel, losing the benefits and protection of that covenant. This could manifest in several ways: social ostracism, excommunication from religious life (e.g., inability to partake in sacrifices or festivals), and potentially premature physical death directly from God's hand, as tragically seen in cases like Nadab and Abihu in [Leviticus 10:1-2](/leviticus/10-1-2 "Leviticus 10:1-2 - Nadab and Abihu's Unauthorized Fire"). It signifies being alienated from God's favor and presence, a spiritual death even if physical death did not immediately occur. Enforcement could be through community action (e.g., exclusion from the camp) or direct divine intervention (e.g., plague, sudden death), underscoring the gravity of violating God's holy standards.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Leviticus 22:3, with its stringent demands for priestly purity and severe consequences for defilement, finds its ultimate and glorious fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The Old Covenant system, with its temporary sacrifices and a priesthood constantly needing purification for themselves and the people, pointed forward to a greater reality. Jesus, as our [Great High Priest](/hebrews/4-14 "Hebrews 4:14 - Jesus, Our Great High Priest"), did not need to offer sacrifices for His own sins, for He was inherently [holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners](/hebrews/7-26 "Hebrews 7:26 - Christ's Perfect Priesthood"). He perfectly embodied the purity required to approach God, not through ritual cleansing, but through His inherent sinlessness. Furthermore, He became the ultimate "holy thing"—the perfect sacrifice, the [Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"). Through His once-for-all atoning death on the cross, Jesus cleansed us from all spiritual uncleanness, making us righteous in God's sight. Now, through faith in Him, believers are granted direct, confident access to God's presence, not based on our own ritual purity, but on the [spotless purity of Christ](/hebrews/10-19-22 "Hebrews 10:19-22 - Access to God through Christ's Blood"). We are no longer "cut off" but are brought near, adopted as children, and empowered to serve as a [royal priesthood](/1_peter/2-9 "1 Peter 2:9 - A Royal Priesthood"), offering spiritual sacrifices of praise and good works, eternally cleansed and made acceptable by His precious blood.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Leviticus 7:20

But the soul that eateth [of] the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, that [pertain] unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.

Leviticus 7:21

Moreover the soul that shall touch any unclean [thing, as] the uncleanness of man, or [any] unclean beast, or any abominable unclean [thing], and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which [pertain] unto the LORD, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.

2 Thessalonians 1:9

Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

Psalms 16:11

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence [is] fulness of joy; at thy right hand [there are] pleasures for evermore.

Matthew 25:41

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

Psalms 51:11

Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

Numbers 19:13

Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness [is] yet upon him.