Leviticus 21:13-15
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While it seems straightforward, this instruction isn't just about sexual purity, but about the state of being "set apart" and untouched, mirroring the high priest's own distinct calling. This emphasizes how the high priest's life, even in his marriage, was meant to reflect a unique dedication to God, setting him apart just as his chosen wife was set apart.
And he shall take a wife in her virginity. A widow, or a divorced woman, or a woman who has been defiled, or a prostitute, these he shall not marry. But he shall take as his wife a virgin of his own people, that he may not profane his offspring among his people, for I am the LORD who sanctifies him.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage focuses specifically on the high priest, outlining stricter requirements for his marriage than for ordinary priests. It follows the laws about priests not mourning for the dead or defiling themselves, emphasizing the high priest's unique need for purity and holiness in representing God to the people. The verse then addresses the type of woman he must marry to maintain this sacred status.
The Bible speaks of a special kind of separation for the high priest's wife. What does this 'separateness' truly signify, and why was it so crucial?
The instruction for the high priest to marry a virgin, using the Hebrew term 'bethulah' which comes from a root meaning 'to separate,' emphasizes a state of being set apart. This wasn't just about physical purity, but a symbolic representation of wholeness and undivided devotion.
Setting Apart for Service
The high priest, as a type of Christ, represented the ultimate mediator between God and humanity. His wife, therefore, was also meant to symbolize something sacred: the church, which is called to be pure and devoted solely to Christ.
This concept of separation calls us to consider what 'setting apart' means in our own lives. Are there areas where we need to be more devoted and undivided in our commitment to God?
This rule seems straightforward, but the ancient interpreters saw deeper layers. What else did this instruction signify for the high priest and the people he represented?
The requirement for the high priest to marry a virgin went beyond simply ensuring a past free of sexual relations. It was about guaranteeing a wife who was completely undefiled and assuring the people of her purity.
Assurance and Trust
For the high priest, who held a position of immense sacred trust, his household needed to reflect that same standard of purity. This helped maintain the integrity of his office and the sanctity of the worship he led.
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This emphasis on purity and assurance speaks to the importance of integrity in all our relationships and callings. God calls us to live lives that are above reproach, reflecting His own holiness.
Understand the original words
betulim · Hebrew Noun
Specifically one who has not had sexual relations. In the context of priestly marriage laws, it signifies a standard of absolute purity and exclusivity for the lineage of the high priest.
chalal · Hebrew Adjective/Participle
To be rendered ritually or morally impure, often through illicit sexual activity or contact with things forbidden by the Law. It implies a stain that disqualifies one from holy duties.
zanah · Hebrew Noun
One who engages in sexual relations outside of marriage or in a cultic context. It represents a corruption of the marital union that God instituted.
zera' · Hebrew Noun
The biological descendants of a person. In this context, it refers to the importance of maintaining the integrity of the priesthood through righteous and pure ancestral lines.
qadash · Hebrew Verb
To set apart, make holy, or dedicate to God. It is both a declaration of a person's status before God and the process by which God transforms a person into a state that is acceptable for His presence.
This passage directly parallels the imagery, calling the church a 'chaste virgin' espoused to Christ, mirroring the high priest's marriage to a virgin as a representation of this divine union.
Revelation 14:4The imagery of 'virgins' who 'follow the Lamb wherever he goes' echoes the purity and devotion required, reinforcing the symbolic significance of virginity in representing a dedicated people set apart for God.
1 Timothy 3:2This New Testament instruction for overseers to be the 'husband of one wife' draws a conceptual link to the high priest's stricter marriage requirements, highlighting the principle of singular devotion and integrity in leadership.
Matthew 1:18-19Joseph's decision to divorce Mary quietly when he discovered she was pregnant before they came together illustrates a similar concern for purity and avoiding public shame, even in a difficult situation, reflecting a respect for the sanctity of relationships.
clarkeLeviticus 21:13: "And he shall take a wife in her virginity."
He shall take a wife in her virginity - בתוליה bethuleyha. This is a full proof that בתולה bethulah is the proper Hebrew term for a virgin; from the emphatic root בתל bathal, to separate; because such a person was in her separate state, and had never been in any way united to man.
pooleLeviticus 21:13: "And he shall take a wife in her virginity."
Or, a virgin, partly for the decency of the type, because as he was a type of Christ, so his wife was a type of the church, which is compared to a virgin, 2 Corinthians 11:2 Revelation 14:4 ; and partly for greater caution and assurance that his wife was not a defiled or defloured person. This and the following rule belong not to all the priests, for then this were a gross tautology, these same things, or most of them, being expressl…
While it seems straightforward, this instruction isn't just about sexual purity, but about the state of being "set apart" and untouched, mirroring the high priest's own distinct calling. This emphasizes how the high priest's life, even in his marriage, was meant to reflect a unique dedication to God, setting him apart just as his chosen wife was set apart.
This passage focuses specifically on the high priest, outlining stricter requirements for his marriage than for ordinary priests. It follows the laws about priests not mourning for the dead or defiling themselves, emphasizing the high priest's unique need for purity and holiness in representing God to the people. The verse then addresses the type of woman he must marry to maintain this sacred status.
This passage focuses specifically on the high priest, outlining stricter requirements for his marriage than for ordinary priests. It follows the laws about priests not mourning for the dead or defiling themselves, emphasizing the high priest's unique need for purity and holiness in representing God to the people. The verse then addresses the type of woman he must marry to maintain this sacred status.
"And he shall take a wife in her virginity. A widow, or a divorced woman, or a woman who has been defiled, or a prostitute, these he shall not marry. But he shall take as his wife a virgin of his own people, that he may not profane his offs…" — While it seems straightforward, this instruction isn't just about sexual purity, but about the state of being "set apart" and untouched, mirroring the high priest's own distinct calling. This empha…
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Last reviewed October 2026
