Leviticus 22:10

Leviticus 22:10 in Multiple Translations

Berean Standard Bible BSB

No one outside a priest’s family may eat the sacred offering, nor may the guest of a priest or his hired hand eat it.

King James Version KJV

There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest, or an hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing.

American Standard Version ASV

There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest’s, or a hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing.

Bible in Basic English BBE

No outside person may take of the holy food, or one living as a guest in the priest's house, or a servant working for payment.

Free Bible Version FBV

Anyone who isn't part of a priest's family is not allowed to eat the holy offerings. This also applies to a priest's guest or his paid worker.

Geneva Bible 1599 GNV

There shall no stranger also eate of the holie thing, neither the ghest of the Priest, neither shall an hired seruant eat of the holie thing:

Young's Literal Translation YLT

'And no stranger doth eat of the holy thing; a settler of a priest and an hireling doth not eat of the holy thing;

World English Bible WEB

“‘No stranger shall eat of the holy thing: a foreigner living with the priests, or a hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing.

Noah Webster Bible WBS

There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest, or a hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing.

Douay-Rheims 1899 DRV

No stranger shall eat of the sanctified things: a sojourner of the priests, or a hired servant, shall not eat of them.

Translation for Translators T4T

“Anyone who is not a member of a priest’s family is not permitted to eat any of a sacred offering, and no one who is visiting the priest or whom the priest has hired is permitted to eat it.

Study Highlights

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Berean Amplified Bible — Leviticus 22:10

BAB

Word Study

Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.

Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.

Leviticus 22:10 Interlinear (Deep Study)

BIB

HEB וְ/כָל זָ֖ר לֹא יֹ֣אכַל קֹ֑דֶשׁ תּוֹשַׁ֥ב כֹּהֵ֛ן וְ/שָׂכִ֖יר לֹא יֹ֥אכַל קֹֽדֶשׁ

וְ/כָל kôl H3605 all Conj | N-ms

זָ֖ר zûwr H2114 be a stranger Adj

לֹא lôʼ H3808 not Part

יֹ֣אכַל ʼâkal H398 to eat V-Qal-Imperf-3ms

קֹ֑דֶשׁ qôdesh H6944 Holy Place N-ms

תּוֹשַׁ֥ב tôwshâb H8453 sojourner N-ms

כֹּהֵ֛ן kôhên H3548 priest N-ms

וְ/שָׂכִ֖יר sâkîyr H7916 hired Conj | N-ms

לֹא lôʼ H3808 not Part

יֹ֥אכַל ʼâkal H398 to eat V-Qal-Imperf-3ms

קֹֽדֶשׁ qôdesh H6944 Holy Place N-ms

Hebrew Word Study

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Hebrew Word Reference — Leviticus 22:10

וְ/כָל kôl H3605 "all" Conj | N-ms

The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.

Definition: 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

Usage: Occurs in 4242 OT verses. KJV: (in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever). See also: Genesis 1:21; Genesis 17:10; Genesis 41:40.

זָ֖ר zûwr H2114 "be a stranger" Adj

This word has several meanings, including being a stranger or foreigner, like when Abraham lived in Egypt as a foreigner. It can also mean to commit adultery, highlighting the idea of turning aside from what is right and proper, as warned against in Proverbs 5.

Definition: 1) to be strange, be a stranger 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to become estranged 1a2) strange, another, stranger, foreigner, an enemy (participle) 1a3) strange woman, prostitute, harlot (meton) 1b) (Niphal) to be estranged 1c) (Hophal) to be a stranger, be one alienated

Usage: Occurs in 76 OT verses. KJV: (come from) another (man, place), fanner, go away, (e-) strange(-r, thing, woman). See also: Exodus 29:33; Proverbs 11:15; Psalms 44:21.

לֹא lôʼ H3808 "not" Part

The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.

Definition: 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Usage: Occurs in 3967 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. See also: Genesis 2:5; Genesis 31:15; Exodus 4:9.

יֹ֣אכַל ʼâkal H398 "to eat" V-Qal-Imperf-3ms

This word means to eat or devour, and it's used in many stories, including when Jesus fed the 5000 with fish and bread in the book of Matthew. It's about taking in nourishment and being satisfied.

Definition: 1) to eat, devour, burn up, feed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to eat (human subject) 1a2) to eat, devour (of beasts and birds) 1a3) to devour, consume (of fire) 1a4) to devour, slay (of sword) 1a5) to devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subjects - ie, pestilence, drought) 1a6) to devour (of oppression) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be eaten (by men) 1b2) to be devoured, consumed (of fire) 1b3) to be wasted, destroyed (of flesh) 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to cause to eat, feed with 1c2) to cause to devour 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to feed 1d2) to cause to eat 1e) (Piel) 1e1) consume Aramaic equivalent: a.khal (אֲכַל "to devour" H0399)

Usage: Occurs in 703 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, [idiom] freely, [idiom] in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, [idiom] quite. See also: Genesis 2:16; Leviticus 6:9; Numbers 24:8.

קֹ֑דֶשׁ qôdesh H6944 "Holy Place" N-ms

The Holy Place refers to a sacred or set-apart area, like the temple in Jerusalem. It is a place of sanctity and holiness, where God is worshipped. The Bible describes it as a place of reverence and awe.

Definition: This name means apartness, holiness, sacredness Also named: hagion (ἅγιον "Holy Place" G0039)

Usage: Occurs in 380 OT verses. KJV: consecrated (thing), dedicated (thing), hallowed (thing), holiness, ([idiom] most) holy ([idiom] day, portion, thing), saint, sanctuary. See also: Exodus 3:5; Leviticus 23:4; 1 Chronicles 26:26.

תּוֹשַׁ֥ב tôwshâb H8453 "sojourner" N-ms

Tishbe refers to a resident alien or foreigner, as seen in the home of Elijah, who was known as the Tishbite. This term appears in various KJV translations, including foreigner and stranger. It signifies someone living outside their native land.

Definition: sojourner, stranger

Usage: Occurs in 13 OT verses. KJV: foreigner, inhabitant, sojourner, stranger. See also: Genesis 23:4; Leviticus 25:40; Psalms 39:13.

כֹּהֵ֛ן kôhên H3548 "priest" N-ms

In the Bible, a priest is a person who serves God and leads others in worship, like the Levitical priests in Exodus. They were responsible for making sacrifices and following God's laws. This term is also used to describe Jesus as a priest-king.

Definition: 1) priest, principal officer or chief ruler 1a) priest-king (Melchizedek, Messiah) 1b) pagan priests 1c) priests of Jehovah 1d) Levitical priests 1e) Zadokite priests 1f) Aaronic priests 1g) the high priest Aramaic equivalent: ka.hen (כָּהֵן "priest" H3549)

Usage: Occurs in 653 OT verses. KJV: chief ruler, [idiom] own, priest, prince, principal officer. See also: Genesis 14:18; Leviticus 13:33; Numbers 17:2.

וְ/שָׂכִ֖יר sâkîyr H7916 "hired" Conj | N-ms

This Hebrew word describes a hired worker, someone paid by the day or year. In the Bible, hired laborers were common, and the KJV translates this word as hired or hireling.

Definition: 1) hired 1a) hired (of animal) 1b) hireling, hired labourer (subst) 1b1) mercenary

Usage: Occurs in 17 OT verses. KJV: hired (man, servant), hireling. See also: Exodus 12:45; Deuteronomy 15:18; Isaiah 16:14.

לֹא lôʼ H3808 "not" Part

The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.

יֹ֥אכַל ʼâkal H398 "to eat" V-Qal-Imperf-3ms

This word means to eat or devour, and it's used in many stories, including when Jesus fed the 5000 with fish and bread in the book of Matthew. It's about taking in nourishment and being satisfied.

קֹֽדֶשׁ qôdesh H6944 "Holy Place" N-ms

Definition: This name means apartness, holiness, sacredness Also named: hagion (ἅγιον "Holy Place" G0039)

Study Notes — Leviticus 22:10

Show Verse Quote Highlights

Context
Cross References
Leviticus 22:10 Summary
Frequently Asked Questions
Reflection Questions
Gill's Exposition on Leviticus 22:10
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Leviticus 22:10
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Leviticus 22:10
Trapp's Commentary on Leviticus 22:10
Ellicott's Commentary on Leviticus 22:10
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Leviticus 22:10
Cambridge Bible on Leviticus 22:10
Barnes' Notes on Leviticus 22:10
Whedon's Commentary on Leviticus 22:10

Context — Restrictions against the Unclean

8He must not eat anything found dead or torn by wild animals, which would make him unclean. I am the LORD. 9The priests must keep My charge, lest they bear the guilt and die because they profane it. I am the LORD who sanctifies them.

10No one outside a priest’s family may eat the sacred offering, nor may the guest of a priest or his hired hand eat it.

11But if a priest buys a slave with his own money, or if a slave is born in his household, that slave may eat his food. 12If the priest’s daughter is married to a man other than a priest, she is not to eat of the sacred contributions.

Cross References

	Reference	Text (BSB)
1	Matthew 12:4	He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for them to eat, but only for the priests.
2	1 Samuel 21:6	So the priest gave him the consecrated bread, since there was no bread there but the Bread of the Presence, which had been removed from before the LORD and replaced with hot bread on the day it was taken away.
3	Exodus 29:33	They must eat those things by which atonement was made for their ordination and consecration. But no outsider may eat them, because these things are sacred.

Leviticus 22:10 Summary

Leviticus 22:10 teaches us that only the family of a priest could eat the sacred offerings, which were special foods given to God. This shows how important it is to respect and honor the things that belong to God, just like we learn from Exodus 29:33. It reminds us that God wants us to be set apart for Him, which is a theme seen throughout the Bible, including in Leviticus 20:26 and 1 Peter 2:9-10. By understanding this, we can better appreciate the value of dedicating our lives to God and treating His commands with reverence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was allowed to eat the sacred offering according to Leviticus 22:10?

According to Leviticus 22:10, only those within a priest's family were allowed to eat the sacred offering, emphasizing the sacred nature of these offerings as seen in other parts of the Bible like Exodus 29:33.

What is the significance of the priest's family in the context of sacred offerings?

The priest's family held a special role in the handling and consumption of sacred offerings, highlighting their unique position and responsibilities before God, as also mentioned in Ezekiel 44:15-16.

Can anyone else, such as friends or servants of the priest, eat the sacred offering?

Leviticus 22:10 explicitly states that neither the guest of a priest nor his hired hand may eat the sacred offering, underlining the exclusivity of this privilege to the priest's family alone, similar to the instructions given in Numbers 18:10.

How does this verse relate to the broader theme of holiness in the Bible?

This verse contributes to the theme of holiness by distinguishing between the sacred and the common, reflecting God's desire for His people to be set apart, as commanded in Leviticus 20:26 and reiterated in 1 Peter 2:9-10.

Reflection Questions

What does the exclusivity of the sacred offering to the priest's family reveal about God's character and His expectations for those who serve Him?
How can the concept of sacredness versus commonness apply to our lives today, especially in our relationship with God and our service to Him?
In what ways can we, as believers, maintain a sense of reverence and respect for the sacred things of God, even if we are not part of a priestly family?
Reflecting on the role of priests and their families in the Old Testament, how does this relate to our role as 'priests' in the New Covenant, as described in 1 Peter 2:9?

Gill's Exposition on Leviticus 22:10

There shall no stranger eat [of] the holy thing,.... Any one of the holy things, as the heave shoulder, wave breast, c.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Leviticus 22:10

There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest, or an hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing. There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing.

Matthew Poole's Commentary on Leviticus 22:10

No stranger, i.e. of a strange family, who is not a priest, as : compare . But there is an exception to this rule, . A sojourner; one that comes to his house and abides there for a season, and eats at his table. Of the holy things; of those parts of the offerings which fell to the priest’ s share, as the breast and shoulder.

Trapp's Commentary on Leviticus 22:10

Leviticus 22:10 There shall no stranger eat [of] the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest, or an hired servant, shall not eat [of] the holy thing.Ver. 10. There shall no stranger.] The equity of all this was, that ministers should have a comfortable subsistence for them and theirs; and that the things that are appointed to that purpose should not be converted to other uses. It is certainly a sad complaint that Luther makes: Nisi superisset spolium Aegypti quod rapuimus Papae, omnibus ministris verbi fame pereundum esset, &c. Were it not for such spoils of Egypt as we have won from the Pope, God’ s ministers might starve and perish. And if ever it come to that, that they must be maintained by the people’ s benevolence, a miserable maintenance they are like to have of it. That little that we have now, diripitur a magistratu, is got from us by the great ones who rob our churches and schools, as if they meant to make an end of us with hard hunger. Thus he. See Haggai 2:14. All the water in Jordan, and the ceremonies in Leviticus, cannot cleanse a man so long as the polluted thing remains in his hand. Luther, in Gen, xlvii.

Ellicott's Commentary on Leviticus 22:10

(10) There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing.—By “stranger” here is meant a non-Aaronite who was a stranger to the priestly family, though he was an Israelite, or even a Levite. The holy things are the peace offerings. (See Leviticus 7:30.) A sojourner of the priest.—This, during the second Temple, was a Hebrew servant whose ear had been pierced, and who thus became his master’s property till the year of jubile. (See Exodus 21:6.) Or an hired servant.—That is, a Hebrew servant who is hired for several years, and who goes out free after six years. (See Exodus 21:2.) Neither of them was the property of the priest, though his labour and services belonged to him. As these Hebrew servants could not be bought with money like a heathen slave, they were treated like strangers, or non-Aaronites, and hence were not permitted to partake of the holy food.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on Leviticus 22:10

Verse 10. There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing] For the meaning of the word stranger, see the note on "Exodus 12:43". The Jews suppose that stranger here means one who has had his ear pierced, (see the note on "Exodus 21:6",) and that sojourner means a servant who is to go free on the Sabbatical year. Neither of these was permitted to eat of the holy things, because they were not properly members of the priest's family, and might go out and defile themselves even with the abominations of the heathen; but the servant or slave that was bought with money, Leviticus 22:10, might eat of these things, because he was the property of the master for ever. We see that it was lawful, under the Mosaic economy, to have slaves under certain restrictions; but these were taken from among the heathen, and instructed in the true religion: hence we find, as in the above case, that they were reckoned as a part of the priest's own family, and treated as such. They certainly had privileges which did not extend either to sojourners or to hired servants; therefore their situation was incomparably better than the situation of the slaves under different European governments, of whose souls their pitiless possessors in general take no care, while they themselves venture to profess the Christian religion, and quote the Mosaic law in vindication of their system of slavery. How preposterous is such conduct! and how intolerable!

Cambridge Bible on Leviticus 22:10

10. The ‘sojourner,’ and the hired servant, were not considered as members of the family; not so the cases mentioned in Leviticus 22:11.

Barnes' Notes on Leviticus 22:10

Stranger - One of another family. See Exodus 29:33 note.

Whedon's Commentary on Leviticus 22:10

10. No stranger — The non-Levite Hebrew is included in this term. See Numbers 1:51, note. A sojourner of the priest — This excludes the foreigner temporarily residing with the priest and his hired servant of another nation.

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