Negative Commandment #169 of 613
The high priest must not marry a widow
Commandment #169 — a prohibition from Leviticus 21:14, classified under Levites & Priests in the 613 commandments of the Torah.
Scripture
“'A widow, or a divorced woman, or one who is profaned by harlotry, these he may not take; but rather he is to marry a virgin of his own people,”
— Leviticus 21:14
Hebrew
יד אַלְמָנָה וּגְרוּשָׁה וַחֲלָלָה זֹנָה, אֶת-אֵלֶּה לֹא יִקָּח: כִּי אִם-בְּתוּלָה מֵעַמָּיו, יִקַּח אִשָּׁה.
Greek (Septuagint)
14 χήραν δὲ καὶ ἐκβεβλημένην καὶ βεβηλωμένην καὶ πόρνην, ταύτας οὐ λήμψεται, ἀλλ᾿ ἢ παρθένον ἐκ τοῦ γένους αὐτοῦ λήμψεται γυναῖκα·
Classification
- Type
- Negative (Thou Shalt Not)
- Category
- Levites & Priests
- Book
- leviticus
- Chapter
- 21
Scholarly References
- Parashah
- Emor
- Sefer HaChinuch
- #273
- Mishneh Torah
- HolinessForbidden Sexual Relations
Related Commandments in “Levites & Priests”
#78: The priests must bless the Israelite nation daily
Numbers 6:23
#170: The high priest must not have sexual relations with a widow even outside of marriage
Leviticus 21:15
#171: The high priest must marry a virgin maiden
Leviticus 21:13
#172: A priest must not marry a divorcee
Leviticus 21:7
#173: A priest must not marry a woman who has had a forbidden sexual relationship
Leviticus 21:7
#174: A priest must not marry a desecrated woman
Leviticus 21:7
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