Leviticus 22:9

They shall therefore keep mine ordinance, lest they bear sin for it, and die therefore, if they profane it: I the LORD do sanctify them.

They shall therefore keep {H8104} mine ordinance {H4931}, lest they bear {H5375} sin {H2399} for it, and die {H4191} therefore, if they profane {H2490} it: I the LORD {H3068} do sanctify {H6942} them.

The cohanim must observe this charge of mine; otherwise, if they profane it, they will bear the consequences of their sin for doing so and die in it; I am ADONAI, who makes them holy.

The priests must keep My charge, lest they bear the guilt and die because they profane it. I am the LORD who sanctifies them.

They shall therefore keep my charge, lest they bear sin for it, and die therein, if they profane it: I am Jehovah who sanctifieth them.

Commentary

Context

Leviticus 22:9 is part of a larger section (Leviticus 21-22) that details the laws concerning the purity and conduct of the priests (Aaron and his sons) and the offerings they handled. Specifically, chapter 22 outlines strict regulations about who may eat the holy things offered to the Lord, emphasizing that only those who are ceremonially clean and belong to the priestly family are permitted. This verse serves as a solemn warning, underscoring the severe consequences for priests who disregard these divine statutes, thereby "profaning" what God has declared holy.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Holiness and Authority: The verse powerfully communicates God's absolute holiness and the seriousness with which He regards His commands. His ordinances are not suggestions but binding laws, reflecting His perfect nature.
  • Responsibility of the Priesthood: The priests, being set apart for sacred service, bore immense responsibility. Their actions directly impacted the sanctity of God's worship, and any negligence or disrespect was a grave offense.
  • Gravity of Profaning Holy Things: To "profane" means to treat something sacred as common or defiled. This verse highlights that such an act is not merely a ceremonial error but a sin with life-threatening consequences, demonstrating God's intolerance for irreverence towards His holiness.
  • Consequences of Disobedience: The phrase "bear sin for it, and die therefore" reveals the immediate and dire judgment for violating God's ordinances. It serves as a stark reminder of the Old Testament principle that sin, particularly against God's holiness, brings death. This is vividly illustrated by the tragic example of Nadab and Abihu.
  • God as the Sanctifier: The concluding declaration, "I the LORD do sanctify them," is crucial. It asserts that holiness originates solely from God. He is the one who sets apart (sanctifies) both the priests for their office and the offerings for their sacred purpose. The priests' role was to maintain that holiness, not to create it. God's declaration of sanctification for the tabernacle and its ministers underpins this principle.

Linguistic Insights

  • The Hebrew word for "ordinance" (חֻקָּה - chukka) refers to an established statute or prescribed rule, emphasizing its fixed and binding nature, often given by divine authority.
  • To "profane" (חָלַל - chalal) means to defile, pollute, or treat as common. It stands in direct opposition to "sanctify" (קָדַשׁ - qadash), which means to set apart, consecrate, or make holy. The contrast underscores the sacred-common distinction that was central to Israelite worship.

Practical Application

While the specific priestly regulations of Leviticus are no longer binding in the same way for New Covenant believers, the underlying principles of reverence, holiness, and the seriousness of sin remain profoundly relevant.

  • Reverence for God: This verse calls all believers to approach God and spiritual matters with profound reverence and respect. We are reminded that God is holy, and He expects holiness from His people.
  • Spiritual Responsibility: As a "royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:9) in Christ, Christians have a spiritual responsibility to live lives set apart for God. Our attitudes towards worship, Scripture, prayer, and ministry should reflect the sacredness of these things.
  • Consequences of Spiritual Negligence: Just as the Old Testament priests faced severe consequences for profaning holy things, believers today are warned against treating God's grace or spiritual gifts lightly. While salvation is by grace, there are still consequences for disobedience and a lack of reverence.
  • God as the Source of Holiness: Ultimately, our ability to live holy lives comes from God, who sanctifies us through Christ. Our role is to "keep His ordinance" by walking in obedience to the Spirit, reflecting His holiness in our daily lives, as encouraged in 1 Peter 1:16: "Be ye holy; for I am holy."
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Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Exodus 28:43 (5 votes)

    And they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they come in unto the tabernacle of the congregation, or when they come near unto the altar to minister in the holy [place]; that they bear not iniquity, and die: [it shall be] a statute for ever unto him and his seed after him.

  • Numbers 18:22 (3 votes)

    Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die.

  • Numbers 18:32 (3 votes)

    And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it, when ye have heaved from it the best of it: neither shall ye pollute the holy things of the children of Israel, lest ye die.

  • Leviticus 10:1 (2 votes)

    ¶ And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.

  • Leviticus 10:2 (2 votes)

    And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.

  • Leviticus 22:16 (2 votes)

    Or suffer them to bear the iniquity of trespass, when they eat their holy things: for I the LORD do sanctify them.

  • Leviticus 16:2 (2 votes)

    And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy [place] within the vail before the mercy seat, which [is] upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.