Leviticus 21:1

With the Hebrew beneath

Leviticus 21:1, word by word

YHWHיְהוָהyehva

YHWH

The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.

Where else “yehva” appears

saidיֹּאמֶרyomer

say

To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.

Where else “yomer” appears

to Mosesמֹשֶׁהmoshe

Moses

Moses, the man God called to bring Israel out of Egypt and through whom he gave the Law. His name sounds like "draw out" (Exodus 2:10).

Where else “moshe” appears

the priestsכֹּהֲנִיםkohanim

priest

One who serves in the sanctuary and offers for the people.

Where else “kohanim” appears

the sonsבְּנֵיbene

son

The male born of a father and mother; in the plural, also sons and daughters.

Where else “bene” appears

of Aaronאַהֲרֹןaharon

Aaron

Aaron, the older brother of Moses, his spokesman before Pharaoh and the first high priest of Israel.

Where else “aharon” appears

No one shall make himself uncleanיִטַּמָּאyitama

be unclean

To become unclean, for example by touching the dead.

Where else “yitama” appears

for a dead personנֶפֶשׁnefesh

person

Someone as a whole; "my soul" can simply mean me.

Where else “nefesh” appears

among his peopleעַמָּיamay

kin

Relatives: "gathered to his people" at death.

Where else “amay” appears

Translation note

Touching a dead person made one unclean for seven days (Numbers 19:11), and an unclean priest could not approach the holy things (22:3). It can be understood that this is why his mourning is limited to his closest family.

The context