1. The Lord said to Moses, “Tell these things to Aaron’s sons, the priests: ‘A priest must not make himself unclean by touching a dead person.
2. But if the dead person was one of his close relatives, he may touch him. The priest may make himself unclean if the dead person is his mother or father, son or daughter, brother or
3. unmarried sister. This sister is close to him because she has no husband. So the priest may make himself unclean for her if she dies.
4. But a priest must not make himself unclean if the dead person was only related to him by marriage.
5. “‘Priests must not shave their heads. They must not shave off the edges of their beards. They must not cut their bodies.
6. Priests must be holy to their God. They must show respect for God’s name. This is because they present the offerings made by fire to the Lord. This is the food of their God. So they must be holy.
7. “‘A priest serves God in a special way. So he must not marry an unclean prostitute or a divorced woman.