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.

LEVITICUS 22:9KJV
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Leviticus 22:9 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 22:9 mean?

Leviticus 22:9 commands the priests to carefully follow God’s instructions for their duties, warning that if they violate these rules and treat them as ordinary, they will be held guilty and could die as a result, because it is the LORD who sets them apart as holy. This verse stresses the seriousness of respecting God’s commands, especially for those serving in the sanctuary.

In this verse, God is speaking to Moses, giving instructions specifically for the priests of Israel about how they must handle their responsibilities in the tabernacle. The context is about the special rules for priests when dealing with holy offerings. The verse highlights that the priests’ actions have real consequences, and their role is set apart by God’s own authority.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 22:9

  • "Keep" (שָׁמַר, shamar): This word means more than just obeying; it carries the sense of guarding or watching over something carefully, showing the level of attention expected from the priests.
  • "Ordinance" (מִשְׁמֶרֶת, mishmeret): This refers to a charge or duty, emphasizing that the priests’ responsibilities are not just rules but sacred trusts given by God.
  • "Profane" (חָלַל, chalal): This word means to treat something as common or ordinary, which is the opposite of holy. The warning is about not making holy things seem everyday or insignificant.
  • "Sanctify" (קָדַשׁ, qadash): This means to set apart or make holy. God reminds the priests that their special status comes from Him, not from themselves.

Why Leviticus 22:9 matters

  • Leviticus 22:9 clarifies that the priests’ duties are not just rituals but serious responsibilities with life-and-death consequences, underscoring the weight of their role.
  • The verse shows that holiness is not automatic for the priests; it depends on their careful obedience to God’s commands, which God Himself has established.
  • This verse connects to the larger theme in Leviticus of God’s holiness and the need for those who serve Him to reflect that holiness in their actions.

Where else these words appear

“sin” Hebrew H2399 · used in 33 verses

  • Genesis 41:9 Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day:
  • Deuteronomy 21:22 And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:
  • Psalms 103:10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

“ordinance” Hebrew H4931 · used in 69 verses

  • Genesis 26:5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.
  • Numbers 9:19 And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and journeyed not.
  • 1 Chronicles 26:12 Among these were the divisions of the porters, even among the chief men, having wards one against another, to minister in the house of the LORD.

“profane” Hebrew H2490 · used in 131 verses

  • Genesis 4:26 And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.
  • Judges 20:39 And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they said, Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle.
  • Jeremiah 16:18 And first I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double; because they have defiled my land, they have filled mine inheritance with the carcases of their detestable and abominable things.