Restrictions against Those with Blemishes
The LORD tells Moses that no descendant of Aaron with a physical defect may approach to offer God’s food. A detailed list follows to define the kinds of defects that bar approach.
T16hen the LORD said to Moses, 17“Say to Aaron, ‘For the generations to come, none of your descendants who has a physical defect may approach to offer the food of his God. 18No man who has any defect may approach — no man who is blind, lame, disfigured, or deformed; 19no man who has a broken foot or hand, 20or who is a hunchback or dwarf, or who has an eye defect, a festering rash, scabs, or a crushed testicle.
The rule is repeated and clarified: a priest with a defect may not come near to offer or enter the sanctuary’s inner spaces, yet he may still eat the holy food. Moses then delivers these instructions to Aaron, his sons, and Israel.
21No descendant of Aaron the priest who has a defect shall approach to present the food offerings to the LORD. Since he has a defect, he is not to come near to offer the food of his God. 22He may eat the most holy food of his God as well as the holy food, 23but because he has a defect, he must not go near the veil or approach the altar, so as not to desecrate My sanctuaries. For I am the LORD who sanctifies them.’” 24Moses told this to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites.