Leviticus 22:13

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Leviticus 22:13 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “But if a priest`s daughter be a widow, or divorced, and have no child, and be returned unto her father`s house, as in her youth, she shall eat of her father`s bread: but there shall no stranger eat thereof.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

But if a priest`s daughter be a widow, or divorced, and have no child, and be returned unto her father`s house, as in her youth, she shall eat of her father`s bread: but there shall no stranger eat thereof.
Leviticus 22:13 — American Standard Version

Context — Leviticus 22

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
13But if a priest`s daughter be a widow, or divorced, and have no child, and be returned unto her father`s house, as in her youth, she shall eat of her father`s bread: but there shall no stranger eat thereof.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“But if the priest’s daughter be a widow or divorced, etc.] If her husband be dead, or if living, and she is put away by him, whether a Levite, or an Israelite: and have no child: by him, as the Targum of Jonathan and Jarchi add, nor is with child by him: and is returned to her father’s house, as in her youth, she shall eat of her father’s meat; not of all, or any part, only of some, of the heave offering, but not of the shoulder or breast, which is the tradition of the wise men, as Maimonides f778 relates. There are two cases in this affair excepted by them, which they suppose are implied in this clause; the one is, if she is detained and reserved for her husband’s brother, according to the…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“there shall no stranger eat thereof--The interdict recorded (Lev 22:10) is repeated to show its stringency. All the Hebrews, even the nearest neighbors of the priest, the members of his family excepted, were considered strangers in this respect, so that they had no right to eat of things offered at the altar.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“returned unto her father's house: A widow in Bengal not unfrequently returns to her father's house on the death of her husband. the union between her and her own family is never so dissolved as among European nations. Gen 38:11 as in her: Lev 10:14; Num 18:11-19 Leviticus 22:14”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification