Leviticus 21:13 · Bible study
Leviticus 21:13 Commentary: High Priest's Virgin Bride
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Study the significance of the high priest marrying a virgin in Leviticus 21:13, its typology of Christ and the church, and its place in Old Testament law.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The high priest must marry a virgin from his own people as a requirement of his holy office.
- Key words: Virgin (bethulah, H1331, “separated”); take (laqach, H3947, “take in marriage”).
- Main debate: Whether the primary significance is literal (ensuring ritual purity) or typological (prefiguring Christ and the church).
- Theological theme: Holiness, separation, and the exclusive covenant between God and his people, culminating in Christ’s relationship with the church.
- Best use: Understanding the Old Testament priesthood as a preparation for the New Covenant bride of Christ.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
The woman he marries must be a virgin.
WEB World English Bible 2000
“‘He shall take a wife in her virginity.
KJV King James Version 1769
And he shall take a wife in her virginity.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And he shall take a wife in her virginity.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`And he taketh a wife in her virginity;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And he shall take a wife in her virginity.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
He shall take a virgin unto his wife.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y tomará él mujer con su virginidad.
E tomará ele mulher com sua virgindade.
Il prendra pour femme une vierge.
Eine Jungfrau soll er zum Weibe nehmen;
Hij zal ook een vrouw in haar maagdom nemen.
Sposerà una vergine.
Tenże pannę w panieństwie jej pojmie.
В жену он должен брать девицу [из народа своего]:
他 要娶 處女 為妻。
And let him take as his wife one who has not had relations with a man.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Leviticus 21:13
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Leviticus 21:13 requires the high priest to marry a virgin. Adam Clarke points out that the Hebrew term bethulah comes from a root meaning “to separate,” describing a woman who has never been united to a man. John Calvin sees in this restriction a “bright type of Christ,” whose bride the church is presented as a pure virgin (2 Corinthians 11:2). Matthew Henry and John Wesley likewise connect the high priest’s virgin wife to the church’s spotless relationship with Christ. Gill adds that rabbinic sources interpreted the rule to forbid polygamy for the high priest and to require marriage before the girl reached full puberty, ensuring her virginity beyond doubt. The Cambridge Bible notes that these regulations are “somewhat stricter” than those for ordinary priests (see Leviticus 21:7). All this points to a shared conviction: the high priest’s marriage was not merely a private matter but a public symbol of the holiness required of Israel’s mediator, and, for Christian readers, a picture of Christ’s exclusive covenant with his people.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Literal purity requirement: The plain context of Leviticus 21 regulates priests’ marriages for ritual holiness; no explicit typology is stated.
- Typological prefiguring: New Testament passages (2 Corinthians 11:2, Revelation 14:4, Ephesians 5:27) and a long tradition of Christian commentators see the high priest’s virgin bride as a type of Christ and his church.
What is clear: The high priest was required to marry a virgin from his own people as part of the holiness code governing his office.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Requirement of virginity for the high priest's wife | It is a literal command in the Mosaic law, aiming at ritual purity and setting the high priest apart. | Whether it applied only to the high priest or also to ordinary priests (Lev 21:7 shows ordinary priests also restricted but less strictly). |
| Typological significance | Many Christian commentators across traditions see this as a type of Christ and the church. | Some (e.g., Calvin, Wesley) read typology as the primary meaning; others see it as a secondary application not explicit in the text. |
| Application for clergy marriage today | The principle of holiness and fidelity in marriage for spiritual leaders remains important. | Whether the specific requirement of virginity applies to Christian pastors today, or only to the Old Testament high priest. |
| Definition and age of 'virgin' (bethulah) | Refers to a woman who has never known a man. | Whether it includes never betrothed, and at what age (Gill cites Talmudic interpretation requiring marriage before full puberty). |
Historical & Cultural Context
Leviticus 21:13 sits within a block of laws governing the holiness of priests, especially the high priest. Verses 10, 12 forbid the high priest to mourn for the dead, even for his own parents. He must not leave the sanctuary. The reason given is “the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him” (v. 12). The high priest’s consecration set him apart from ordinary life. His marriage fell under the same logic: he needed a wife whose purity matched his sacred office.
In ancient Israel, marriage was the norm for religious leaders. Unlike some later traditions, the Old Testament never required celibacy for priests. What it did require was that the high priest’s household reflect the holiness he represented. A virgin wife (Hebrew bethulah, from a root meaning “separated”) symbolized undefiled devotion. She had not been given to another man. Her body and her history were wholly reserved for her husband. This made her a living sign of the exclusivity required in Israel’s covenant with God.
The surrounding verses show why this mattered. Verse 15 says the high priest must not “profane his offspring among his people.” If his wife were a widow, a divorcee, or a prostitute, the children’s status could be questioned. Lineage and ritual purity were intertwined. The high priest’s bloodline must be without stain because he stood before God on behalf of the entire nation.
Cross-references like Ezekiel 44:22 extend similar rules to all priests in the restored temple. This confirms that the principle of marital purity for priests was not a one-time rule but part of Israel’s ongoing vision of holy leadership. The high priest, as the most visible symbol of God’s presence among his people, carried the heaviest burden of representation.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Leviticus 21:13. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts. The verse follows seamlessly from the surrounding regulations.
Reception History
Jewish tradition, reflected in the Talmud and Maimonides, focused on the literal application of this law. It forbade the high priest from marrying a widow, divorcee, or prostitute and, according to Gill’s citations, also prohibited polygamy and required marriage to a girl before puberty to ensure virginity. Christian interpreters from the early church onward read the verse typologically. Matthew Henry and John Wesley explicitly connect the high priest’s virgin wife to the church as Christ’s pure bride, a reading Calvin also develops. The Cambridge Bible notes the “somewhat stricter character” of the regulations for the high priest. In the Reformation period, Geneva Bible notes summarize the requirement simply as “he shall take a maid unto his wife,” while later commentators continue to see in this law a pattern of holiness pointing to Christ.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Holiness on display. The high priest’s marriage was not private. His wife’s virginity publicly signaled the purity required of Israel’s mediator. This calls us to consider how our own lives, especially our closest relationships, reflect the holiness of God.
- A picture of Christ and the church. From early Christian interpreters to the Reformers, many have seen in this verse a type of Christ’s exclusive love for his bride. Just as the high priest took only a virgin, Christ presents the church as a pure virgin (2 Corinthians 11:2).
- Leadership and standards. The stricter requirements for the high priest remind us that leaders bear greater responsibility. While this law is not binding today, the principle of integrity in pastoral marriage remains important across Christian traditions.
Five-point outline
- The high priest’s unique position. He alone entered the Holy of Holies. His marriage had to match his exalted calling.
- Virginity as undefiled devotion. The Hebrew root of bethulah means “separated.” The wife’s body and history were kept for one husband.
- Prohibitions as boundaries. Widows, divorcees, and prostitutes were excluded (v. 14). These categories all involved prior sexual union. The high priest could not receive what had been given to another.
- Typology in Christian reading. Paul, Wesley, Calvin, and many others have drawn the line from this verse to Christ’s wedding with the church. The church is the pure virgin awaiting her bridegroom.
- Application for spiritual leaders today. While the letter of the law has passed, the spirit remains: those who lead God’s people are called to model faithfulness and purity in their homes.
Illustration hooks
- The wedding dress. A bride’s white dress is not mainly about tradition. It signals that she is giving herself exclusively to one person. The high priest’s wife was dressed in that same kind of exclusivity.
- The untouched canvas. An artist receives a fresh canvas, free of any previous strokes. The high priest’s marriage was like that, a start wholly reserved for the sacred purpose.
- Leadership scrutiny. In any organization, the CEO’s family life gets more attention. The high priest was Israel’s highest leader; his home life had to match his public office.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this mean a pastor today must marry a virgin? If not, how does the principle apply?
- Why did God care so much about whom the high priest married? What does that say about how God views marriage?
- How does this Old Testament law connect to the New Testament picture of Christ and the church?
Leading a Discussion
This small group session invites you to explore Leviticus 21:13 in its Old Testament context and its echoes in the New Testament. Begin by reading the passage aloud twice. Then discuss the questions below, moving from what the text says to what it means for us today.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What does Leviticus 21:13 say about whom the high priest may marry? Look at the surrounding verses (21:7, 10, 15) for broader context.
- Observation: The Hebrew word for virgin is bethulah. Clarke traces it to a root meaning “to separate.” Why might that meaning matter for understanding this command?
- Interpretation: Why are the regulations stricter for the high priest than for ordinary priests (compare 21:7 with 21:13)? What does this reveal about his role?
- Interpretation: Read 2 Corinthians 11:2 and Revelation 14:4. How do these New Testament passages use the image of virginity to describe the church?
- Interpretation: Calvin and Matthew Henry both see the high priest’s virgin bride as a type of Christ and the church. What do you think they base this on? Does the text itself point to this connection?
- Application: What does the high priest’s requirement teach us about God’s desire for exclusive devotion? How might this shape the way we think about our own relationship with God?
- Application: While the specific rule about virginity is not carried into the New Testament for pastors, what principles about leadership and marriage remain important? How can churches support their leaders in maintaining these principles?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Leviticus 21:7 | “‘They shall not marry a woman who is a prostitute, or profane. A priest shall not marry a woman divorced from her husband; for he is holy to his God. |
| Ezekiel 44:22 | They shall not take for their wives a widow, or her who is put away; but they shall take virgins of the offspring of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest. |
| II Corinthians 11:2 | For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I promised you in marriage to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ. |
| Revelation of John 14:4 | These are those who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are those who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed by Jesus from among men, the first fruits to God and to the Lamb. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke draws attention to the Hebrew word "bethulah" for virgin, tracing it to the root "bathal," meaning to separate. His distinctive point is that the term emphasizes a woman's separate state, one who has never been united with a man. This etymological connection, he argues, provides the full biblical meaning of virginity.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin insists the high priest required greater holiness than other priests because he was the clearest type of Christ. This made it fitting that he marry only a virgin from his own people, not a widow or a woman from another tribe, so his marriage would reflect the purity of Christ's union with His church.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator observes that the rules for the high priest are stricter than those for other priests, requiring a higher standard of holiness for his office. This distinction highlights the greater responsibility and purity demanded of the one who ministers directly before God.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Also he shall take a maide vnto his wife:
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that the high priest could marry only one wife, not multiple like other Israelites, and she had to be a pure virgin taken within her early twelfth year before full puberty. He sees this strict command as a type of Christ’s exclusive, pure relationship with his church, the chaste virgin bride of 2 Corinthians 11:2.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch clarifies that the priest could marry only a virgin from his own people, not a widow, divorced woman, or any sexually defiled woman. They note the Hebrew text equates a "fallen girl" with a prostitute, showing how seriously such unions were forbidden.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange highlights a clear gradation in priestly holiness, with stricter rules for the high priest than for common priests, forming a symbolic center of sanctity. He distinguishes between unavoidable, passive defilement from a death in the house and the active, forbidden defilement of mourning rites and contact with the dead. These laws foreshadow the Christian view of death, pointing beyond mere ceremonial purity to the perfect holiness of Christ.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry emphasizes that the high priest's anointing set him apart with stricter duties than ordinary priests, including a total refusal to mourn even his closest relatives. This detachment from natural affection was not coldness but a sign that his sacred office and compassion for God's household must override every earthly tie.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley sees the high priest's wife being a virgin as a dual point: she is a type of the church as a virgin bride, and the rule also provides practical assurance of her purity. He notes that these same restrictions apply to all priests, but the high priest is especially bound by them.