5. Priests, Levites, Nazarites, and Prophets

This chapter tells you how to make priests. It's quite a procedure. You'll need some holy garments, breastplates, ephods, curious girdles, Urim and the Thummim, blue pomegranates, golden bells, and bonnets for glory and beauty. You'll also need special bowls for washing their hands and feet, some holy anointing oil, and some rams' blood to wipe on the newly ordained priests' right ears, thumbs, and big toes. It's all very complicated.

There are many special rules for priests. They must eat sin offerings in the holy place. They must not touch dead bodies, make any baldness on their heads, shave the corners of their beards, or make cuttings on their flesh. They must not marry whores or divorced women. And they mustn't drink alcohol when they go into the tabernacle (or God will kill them).

In addition to the regular rules for regular priests, a high priest must marry a virgin, can't uncover his head, tear his clothes, or profane his seed among the people. He cannot have any blemish, be a dwarf, or have a flat nose, broken feet, crooked back, blemished eyes, scurvy or scabs. And his testicles must not be broken.

Bishops and deacons must be perfect and have only one wife. And Nararites may not drink alcohol, get near dead bodies, or cut their hair until they decide to retire.

There are conflicting rules about prophets. So refer to the details below before believing anything they say.

Priests
Levites
Nazarites
Prophets and Prophecy

(Numbered P and N links are to the positive and negative commandments on Maimonides's list.)

Priests

Make every male descendant of Aaron a priest.

Take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office. ... It shall be a statute for ever unto him and his seed after him. Exodus 28:1, 43

Make holy garments for the priests.

Thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty. ... These are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office. And they shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen. Exodus 28:2-5

And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cunning work. It shall have the two shoulderpieces thereof joined at the two edges thereof; and so it shall be joined together. Exodus 28:6-7

And the curious girdle of the ephod, which is upon it, shall be of the same, according to the work thereof; even of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen. Exodus 28:8

And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel: Six of their names on one stone, and the other six names of the rest on the other stone, according to their birth. With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones with the names of the children of Israel: thou shalt make them to be set in ouches of gold. And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD upon his two shoulders for a memorial. And thou shalt make ouches of gold; And two chains of pure gold at the ends; of wreathen work shalt thou make them, and fasten the wreathen chains to the ouches. Exodus 28:9-14

And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with cunning work; after the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen, shalt thou make it. Foursquare it shall be being doubled; a span shall be the length thereof, and a span shall be the breadth thereof. And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones: the first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this shall be the first row. And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. And the third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst. And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be set in gold in their inclosings. And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes. And thou shalt make upon the breastplate chains at the ends of wreathen work of pure gold. And thou shalt make upon the breastplate two rings of gold, and shalt put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate. And thou shalt put the two wreathen chains of gold in the two rings which are on the ends of the breastplate. And the other two ends of the two wreathen chains thou shalt fasten in the two ouches, and put them on the shoulderpieces of the ephod before it. And thou shalt make two rings of gold, and thou shalt put them upon the two ends of the breastplate in the border thereof, which is in the side of the ephod inward. And two other rings of gold thou shalt make, and shalt put them on the two sides of the ephod underneath, toward the forepart thereof, over against the other coupling thereof, above the curious girdle of the ephod. And they shall bind the breastplate by the rings thereof unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it may be above the curious girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate be not loosed from the ephod. Exodus 28:15-28

And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually. And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goeth in before the LORD: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually. Exodus 28:29-30

And thou shalt make the robe of the ephod all of blue. And there shall be an hole in the top of it, in the midst thereof: it shall have a binding of woven work round about the hole of it, as it were the hole of an habergeon, that it be not rent. And beneath upon the hem of it thou shalt make pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, round about the hem thereof; and bells of gold between them round about: A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about. And it shall be upon Aaron to minister: and his sound shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holy place before the LORD, and when he cometh out, that he die not. Exodus 28:31-35

And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD. And thou shalt put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the mitre; upon the forefront of the mitre it shall be. And it shall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD. Exodus 28:36-38

And thou shalt embroider the coat of fine linen, and thou shalt make the mitre of fine linen, and thou shalt make the girdle of needlework. Exodus 28:39

And for Aaron's sons thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt make for them girdles, and bonnets shalt thou make for them, for glory and for beauty. And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; and shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office. And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach: And they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they come in unto the tabernacle of the congregation, or when they come near unto the altar to minister in the holy place; that they bear not iniquity, and die. Exodus 28:40-43a
They [the priests] shall be clothed with linen garments ... They shall have linen bonnets upon their heads, and shall have linen breeches upon their loins. Ezekiel 44:17-18

It shall be a statute for ever unto him and his seed after him. Exodus 28:43b

Maimonides: P33: The priestly garments - Ex 28:2; N87: Not to remove the breastplate from the ephod - Ex 28:28; N88: Not to tear the edge of the high priest's robe - Ex 28:32; Punishment for N87 and N88: Whipping

Ordain priests according to the following instructions.

And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them to hallow them, to minister unto me in the priest's office: Take one young bullock, and two rams without blemish, And unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened tempered with oil, and wafers unleavened anointed with oil: of wheaten flour shalt thou make them. And thou shalt put them into one basket, and bring them in the basket, with the bullock and the two rams. Exodus 29:1-3

And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water. And thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron the coat, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastplate, and gird him with the curious girdle of the ephod: And thou shalt put the mitre upon his head, and put the holy crown upon the mitre. Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his head, and anoint him. And thou shalt bring his sons, and put coats upon them. And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put the bonnets on them: and the priest's office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute: and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons. Exodus 29:4-9

And thou shalt cause a bullock to be brought before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the bullock. And thou shalt kill the bullock before the LORD, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock, and put it upon the horns of the altar with thy finger, and pour all the blood beside the bottom of the altar. And thou shalt take all the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul that is above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and burn them upon the altar. But the flesh of the bullock, and his skin, and his dung, shalt thou burn with fire without the camp: it is a sin offering. Exodus 29:10-14

Thou shalt also take one ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram. And thou shalt slay the ram, and thou shalt take his blood, and sprinkle it round about upon the altar. And thou shalt cut the ram in pieces, and wash the inwards of him, and his legs, and put them unto his pieces, and unto his head. And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt offering unto the LORD: it is a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD. Exodus 29:15-18

And thou shalt take the other ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram. Then shalt thou kill the ram, and take of his blood, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and upon the tip of the right ear of his sons, and upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the great toe of their right foot, and sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about. And thou shalt take of the blood that is upon the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon the garments of his sons with him: and he shall be hallowed, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons' garments with him. Exodus 29:19-21

Also thou shalt take of the ram the fat and the rump, and the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and the right shoulder; for it is a ram of consecration: And one loaf of bread, and one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer out of the basket of the unleavened bread that is before the LORD: And thou shalt put all in the hands of Aaron, and in the hands of his sons; and shalt wave them for a wave offering before the LORD. And thou shalt receive them of their hands, and burn them upon the altar for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour before the LORD: it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD. Exodus 29:22-25

And thou shalt take the breast of the ram of Aaron's consecration, and wave it for a wave offering before the LORD: and it shall be thy part. And thou shalt sanctify the breast of the wave offering, and the shoulder of the heave offering, which is waved, and which is heaved up, of the ram of the consecration, even of that which is for Aaron, and of that which is for his sons: And it shall be Aaron's and his sons' by a statute for ever from the children of Israel: for it is an heave offering: and it shall be an heave offering from the children of Israel of the sacrifice of their peace offerings, even their heave offering unto the LORD. Exodus 29:26-28

And the holy garments of Aaron shall be his sons' after him, to be anointed therein, and to be consecrated in them. And that son that is priest in his stead shall put them on seven days, when he cometh into the tabernacle of the congregation to minister in the holy place. Exodus 29:29-30

And thou shalt take the ram of the consecration, and seethe his flesh in the holy place. And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And they shall eat those things wherewith the atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them: but a stranger shall not eat thereof, because they are holy. And if ought of the flesh of the consecrations, or of the bread, remain unto the morning, then thou shalt burn the remainder with fire: it shall not be eaten, because it is holy. Exodus 29:31-34

And thus shalt thou do unto Aaron, and to his sons, according to all things which I have commanded thee: seven days shalt thou consecrate them. And thou shalt offer every day a bullock for a sin offering for atonement: and thou shalt cleanse the altar, when thou hast made an atonement for it, and thou shalt anoint it, to sanctify it. Seven days thou shalt make an atonement for the altar, and sanctify it; and it shall be an altar most holy: whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy. Exodus 29:35-37

This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer unto the LORD in the day when he is anointed; the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meat offering perpetual, half of it in the morning, and half thereof at night. In a pan it shall be made with oil; and when it is baken, thou shalt bring it in: and the baken pieces of the meat offering shalt thou offer for a sweet savour unto the LORD. And the priest of his sons that is anointed in his stead shall offer it: it is a statute for ever unto the LORD; it shall be wholly burnt. For every meat offering for the priest shall be wholly burnt: it shall not be eaten. Leviticus 6:20-23

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and a bullock for the sin offering, and two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread; And gather thou all the congregation together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And Moses did as the Lord commanded him; and the assembly was gathered together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And Moses said unto the congregation, This is the thing which the Lord commanded to be done. And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water. And he put upon him the coat, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded him with the curious girdle of the ephod, and bound it unto him therewith. And he put the breastplate upon him: also he put in the breastplate the Urim and the Thummim. And he put the mitre upon his head; also upon the mitre, even upon his forefront, did he put the golden plate, the holy crown; as the Lord commanded Moses. And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was therein, and sanctified them. And he sprinkled thereof upon the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all his vessels, both the laver and his foot, to sanctify them. And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron's head, and anointed him, to sanctify him. And Moses brought Aaron's sons, and put coats upon them, and girded them with girdles, and put bonnets upon them; as the Lord commanded Moses. And he brought the bullock for the sin offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the bullock for the sin offering. And he slew it; and Moses took the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about with his finger, and purified the altar, and poured the blood at the bottom of the altar, and sanctified it, to make reconciliation upon it. And he took all the fat that was upon the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat, and Moses burned it upon the altar. But the bullock, and his hide, his flesh, and his dung, he burnt with fire without the camp; as the Lord commanded Moses. And he brought the ram for the burnt offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram. And he killed it; and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about. And he cut the ram into pieces; and Moses burnt the head, and the pieces, and the fat. And he washed the inwards and the legs in water; and Moses burnt the whole ram upon the altar: it was a burnt sacrifice for a sweet savour, and an offering made by fire unto the Lord; as the Lord commanded Moses. And he brought the other ram, the ram of consecration: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram. And he slew it; and Moses took of the blood of it, and put it upon the tip of Aaron's right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot. And he brought Aaron's sons, and Moses put of the blood upon the tip of their right ear, and upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the great toes of their right feet: and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about. And he took the fat, and the rump, and all the fat that was upon the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat, and the right shoulder: And out of the basket of unleavened bread, that was before the Lord, he took one unleavened cake, and a cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, and put them on the fat, and upon the right shoulder: And he put all upon Aaron's hands, and upon his sons' hands, and waved them for a wave offering before the Lord. And Moses took them from off their hands, and burnt them on the altar upon the burnt offering: they were consecrations for a sweet savour: it is an offering made by fire unto the Lord. And Moses took the breast, and waved it for a wave offering before the Lord: for of the ram of consecration it was Moses' part; as the Lord commanded Moses. And Moses took of the anointing oil, and of the blood which was upon the altar, and sprinkled it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon his sons' garments with him; and sanctified Aaron, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons' garments with him. And Moses said unto Aaron and to his sons, Boil the flesh at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and there eat it with the bread that is in the basket of consecrations, as I commanded, saying, Aaron and his sons shall eat it. And that which remaineth of the flesh and of the bread shall ye burn with fire. And ye shall not go out of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation in seven days, until the days of your consecration be at an end: for seven days shall he consecrate you. As he hath done this day, so the Lord hath commanded to do, to make an atonement for you. Therefore shall ye abide at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation day and night seven days, and keep the charge of the Lord, that ye die not: for so I am commanded. Leviticus 8:1-35

Maimonides: P89: The priests are to eat the meat of consecrated offerings - Ex 29:33; N149: A zar (non-priest) may not eat the most holy offerings - Ex 29:33; Punishment: Whipping

Make a brass bowl for priests to wash their hands and feet.

Make a brass bowl and put it on a brass stand. Put water in the bowl so that Aaron and his sons (and all future priests) can was their hands and feet before going into the tabernacle.

Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein. For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat. Exodus 30:18-19

Priests must wash their hands and feet before entering the tabernacle.

If they don't wash up before entering, God will kill them. This wash-up-or-die law is a statute forever.

For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat: When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD: So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations. Exodus 30:19-21

Maimonides: P24: Ablutions of the priests - Ex 30:19

Make some holy anointing oil.

Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels, And of cassia five hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive an hin: And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil. ... This shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations. Exodus 30:23-25, 31

Maimonides: P35: The oil of anointment - Ex 30:31, Lev 21:10

Anoint the tabernacle, the ark of the covenant, the table, all of the bowls and candlesticks, the incense-burning altar, the brass bowl with the holy anointing oil.

And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony, And the table and all his vessels, and the candlestick and his vessels, and the altar of incense, And the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot. And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy. Exodus 30:26-29

Anoint priests with the holy anointing oil.

And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office. And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations. Exodus 30:30-31

Don't make any of God's special oil for any other purpose.

This shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations. ... Neither shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it: it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you. Whosoever compoundeth any like it ... shall even be cut off from his people. Exodus 30:30-32

Maimonides: N83: Don't make oil like the oil of anointment - Ex 30:32; Punishment: Death

Don't put this oil on anyone else.

This shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations. ... Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured ... whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people. Exodus 30:30-33

Maimonides: N84: Don't anoint anyone except high priests and kings with the oil of anointment prepared by Moses - Ex 30:32; Punishment: Death

Priests must eat sin offerings in the holy place.

This is the law of the sin offering: In the place where the burnt offering is killed shall the sin offering be killed before the LORD: it is most holy. The priest that offereth it for sin shall eat it: in the holy place shall it be eaten, in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation. Leviticus 6:25-266

Priests must not drink alcohol when they go into the tablernacle.

And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying, Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations. Leviticus 10:8-9
Neither shall any priest drink wine, when they enter into the inner court. Ezekiel 44:21

Maimonides: N73: Don't enter the sanctuary or give a decision on any law of the Torah whilst intoxicated - Lev 10:8-11; Punishment: Death

Priests should be careful when entering the holy place. If a priest comes at the wrong time, God will kill him.

Although the commandment seemed specific to Aaron, Maimonides included it on his list, so I guess it still applies today.

And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died; And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat. Leviticus 16:1-2

Maimonides
N68: The high priest must not enter the sanctuary at any but the prescribed time - Lev 16:2: Punishment: Death (by the hand of Heaven) if he enters the holy of holies; whipping if he enters the sanctuary

A priest shall not defile himself by touching a dead body.

And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto them, There shall none be defiled for the dead among his people. Leviticus 21:1
They [priests] shall come at no dead person to defile themselves. Ezekiel 44:25

Maimonides: N166: A common priest must not defile himself for any dead person except those prescribed in scripture - Lev 21:1; Punishment: Whipping

A priest may defile himself with dead close relatives.

But for his kin, that is near unto him, that is, for his mother, and for his father, and for his son, and for his daughter, and for his brother. And for his sister a virgin, that is nigh unto him, which hath had no husband; for her may he be defiled. Leviticus 21:2-3
But for father, or for mother, or for son, or for daughter, for brother, or for sister that hath had no husband, they may defile themselves. Ezekiel 44:25

Maimonides: P37: Priests may defile themselves for deceased relatives - Lev 21:2-3

Priests must not make any baldness on their heads.

They [priests] shall not make baldness upon their head. Leviticus 21:5a
Neither shall they shave their heads. Ezekiel 44:20

Or shave off the corners of their beards.

Neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard. Leviticus 21:5b

Or make any cuttings on their flesh.

Nor make any cuttings in their flesh. Leviticus 21:5c

A priest must be holy to God.

They shall be holy unto their God ... they shall be holy. Leviticus 21:6a

A priest must not profane God's name.

They shall ... not profane the name of their God: for the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and the bread of their God, they do offer. Leviticus 21:6b

A priest shall not marry a whore.

They [priests] shall not take a wife that is a whore ... for he is holy unto his God. Leviticus 21:7a

Maimonides: N158: A priest must not marry a zonah (a woman who has had a forbidden sexual relationship) - Lev 21:7; Punishment: Whipping

Or a profane woman.

Neither shall they [priests] take a wife that is ... profane. Leviticus 21:7b

Maimonides: N159: A priest must not marry a chalalah - Lev 21:7; (e.g., a priest's daughter from a forbidden relationship); Punishment: Whipping

Or a divorced woman.

Neither shall they [priests] take a wife put away from her husband. Leviticus 21:7c
Neither shall they [priests] take for their wives a widow, nor her that is put away. Ezekiel 44:22

Maimonides: N160: A priest must not marry a divorcee - Lev 21:7

Sanctify priests.

Thou shalt sanctify him therefore; for he offereth the bread of thy God: he shall be holy unto thee: for I the LORD, which sanctify you, am holy. Leviticus 21:8

Maimonides: P32: Honor priests - Lev 21:8

A high priest must not uncover his head.

And he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head. Leviticus 21:10a

Or tear his clothes.

And he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not ... rend his clothes. Leviticus 21:10b

He must marry a virgin from his own people.

The high priest ... shall take a wife in her virginity. Leviticus 21:10-13
He shall take a virgin of his own people to wife. Leviticus 21:14b

Maimonides: P38:The High Priest must only marry a virgin - Lev 21:13

He must not get near any dead bodies, even those of his father or mother.

Neither shall he [the high priest] go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother. Leviticus 21:11

Maimonides: N167: A high priest mmust not be under one roof with a dead body - Lev 21:11; N168: A high priest must not defile himself for any dead person - Lev 21:11; Punishment: Whipping

He shall not go out of the sanctuary.

Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary. Leviticus 21:12a

Or profane the sanctuary.

Nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the LORD. Leviticus 21:12b

A high priest may not marry a widow.

A widow ... shall he [the high priest] not take. Leviticus 21:14a

Maimonides: N161: High Priest may not marry a widow - Lev 21:14; (I'm not sure how having intercourse with a widow equates to "profaning seed among the people," but oh well.); Punishment: Whipping

Or a divorced woman.

A divorced woman ... shall he not take. Leviticus 21:14b

Or a profane woman.

Or profane ... shall he not take. Leviticus 21:14c

Or a harlot.

Or an harlot ... shall he not take. Leviticus 21:14d

He must not profane his seed among the people.

Neither shall he [the high priest] profane his seed among his people: for I the LORD do sanctify him. Leviticus 21:15

Maimonides: N162: The High Priest must not have intercourse with a widow - Lev 21:14; (Maimonides equates having intercourse with a widow to "profaning seed among the people."); Punishment: Whipping

A priest must not approach the altar if he has any blemish.

Whosoever ... hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God. For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous, Or a man that is brokenfooted, or brokenhanded, Or crookbacked, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken; No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God. ... he shall not go in unto the vail, nor come nigh unto the altar, because he hath a blemish; that he profane not my sanctuaries: for I the LORD do sanctify them. Leviticus 21:17-23

Maimonides: N69: A priest with a blemish must not enter any part of the sanctuary - Lev 21:23; N70: A priest with a blemish must not minister in the sanctuary - Lev 21:17; N71: A priest with a temporary blemish must not minister in the sanctuary - Lev 21:18; Punishment: Whipping

If a priest's daughter marries a stranger, she may not eat holy things.

If the priest's daughter also be married unto a stranger, she may not eat of an offering of the holy things. Leviticus 22:12

Maimonides: N137:A chalalah (the daughter of a priest by a woman whom he is forbidden to marry) must not eat holy food - Lev 22:12; Punishment: Whipping

If a priest's daughter returns to her father's house after she is divorced or widowed, she can eat of her father's meat, as long as she didn't have any children while she was married.

But if the priest's daughter be a widow, or divorced, and have no child, and is returned unto her father's house, as in her youth, she shall eat of her father's meat. Leviticus 22:13

All holy donations belong to the priest.

Every offering of all the holy things of the children of Israel, which they bring unto the priest, shall be his. And every man's hallowed things shall be his: whatsoever any man giveth the priest, it shall be his. Numbers 5:9-10

Priests must bless the children of Israel, using these words.

Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. Numbers 6:23-26

Maimonides: P26: Priests must bless Israel - Num 6:23-26

Strangers may not come near a priest.

And a stranger shall not come nigh unto you [the priests]. Numbers 18:4

Maimonides: N74: A zar (person who is not a descendant of Aaron) shall not minister in the sanctuary - Num 18:4; Punishment: Death ("by the hand of Heaven")

Priests are in charge of the heave offerings and other holy things by ordinance forever.

And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Behold, I also have given thee the charge of mine heave offerings of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel; unto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, by an ordinance for ever. Numbers 18:8

The priests must eat the most holy meat offerings, sin offerings, and trespass offerings in the holy place.

This shall be thine of the most holy things, reserved from the fire: every oblation of theirs, every meat offering of theirs, and every sin offering of theirs, and every trespass offering of theirs which they shall render unto me, shall be most holy for thee and for thy sons. In the most holy place shalt thou eat it; every male shall eat it: it shall be holy unto thee. Numbers 18:9-10
They shall eat the meat offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering. Ezekiel 44:29

The priests (and their clean family memembers) get all the best oil, wine, wheat, and first fruits.

All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the firstfruits of them which they shall offer unto the LORD, them have I given thee. And whatsoever is first ripe in the land, which they shall bring unto the LORD, shall be thine; every one that is clean in thine house shall eat of it. Numbers 18:12-13
The first of all the firstfruits of all things, and every oblation of all, of every sort of your oblations, shall be the priest's. Ezekiel 44:30

Every firstborn human and animal belongs to the priests.

Every thing that openeth the matrix in all flesh, which they bring unto the LORD, whether it be of men or beasts, shall be thine [the priests]. Numbers 18:15a

Firstborn sons and unclean beasts can be redeemed (bought back) from the priests by paying 5 shekels after the baby boy or unclean beast is 30 days old.

The firstborn of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem. And those that are to be redeemed from a month old shalt thou redeem, according to thine estimation, for the money of five shekels. Numbers 18:15b-16

Maimonides: P80: Redeem the Firstborn - Num 18:15

The priests get the wave breasts and heave shoulders, .

And the flesh of them shall be thine, as the wave breast and as the right shoulder are thine. All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto the LORD, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: it is a covenant of salt for ever before the LORD unto thee and to thy seed with thee. Numbers 18:18-19

Priests shall have no inheritance.

And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel. ... It shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance. Numbers 18:20-23
The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel ... Therefore shall they have no inheritance among their brethren: the LORD is their inheritance. Deuteronomy 18:1-2
And it shall be unto them for an inheritance: I am their inheritance: and ye shall give them no possession in Israel: I am their possession. Ezekiel 44:28

Maimonides: N169: Levites must not acquire a portion in the land of Israel - Dt 18:1; N170: Levites may not share in the spoil on conquest of the Land - Dt 18:1

If something comes up and you don't know what to do, go to the place where the Lord chooses and ask a priest to tell you what to do. Then do whatever he says.

If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates: then shalt thou arise, and get thee up into the place which the Lord thy God shall choose; And thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and enquire; and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment: And thou shalt do according to the sentence, which they of that place which the Lord shall choose shall shew thee; and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they inform thee: According to the sentence of the law which they shall teach thee, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do: thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall shew thee, to the right hand, nor to the left. Deuteronomy 17:8-11

Maimonides: P174: Obey the Great Court - Dt 17:11; N312: Don't differ from traditional authorities - Dt 17:11

When you sacrifice an ox or sheep, give the priest the shoulder, the two cheeks, and the maw.

This shall be the priest's due from the people, from them that offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep; and they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw. Deuteronomy 18:3

Maimonides: P143: Give the priest his due in the slaughter of every clean animal - Dt 18:3

Give the priest the firstfruits of your corn, wine, and oil.

The firstfruit also of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil ... shalt thou give him. Deuteronomy 18:4a

Maimonides: P126: The great heave offering - Dt 18:4

Also give the priest the first fleece from your sheep.

The first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him. Deuteronomy 18:4b

Maimonides: P144: Give the first of the fleece to the priests - Dt 18:4

Take your basket of first fruits to the priest.

And thou shalt go unto the priest that shall be in those days, and say unto him, I profess this day unto the Lord thy God, that I am come unto the country which the Lord sware unto our fathers for to give us. Deuteronomy 26:3

And the priest shall take the basket out of thine hand, and set it down before the altar of the Lord thy God. Deuteronomy 26:4

A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous: And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage: And when we cried unto the Lord God of our fathers, the Lord heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, and our labour, and our oppression: And the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders: And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and honey. And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which thou, O Lord, hast given me. And thou shalt set it before the Lord thy God, and worship before the Lord thy God: Deuteronomy 26:5-10

Maimonides: P132: Recital on bringing the first fruits - Dt 26:5-10

Only priests and Levites may enter the house of the Lord.

Let none come into the house of the LORD, save the priests, and they that minister of the Levites; they shall go in, for they are holy ... Whosoever else cometh into the house, he shall be put to death. 2 Chronicles 23:6-7
He [Uzziah] transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense. And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men: And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God. Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead ... behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him. And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death. 2 Chronicles 26:16-21

Priests shall not wear clothes that make them sweat.

Priests ... shall not gird themselves with any thing that causeth sweat. Ezekiel 44:15-18

When priests enter the outer court they must take their garments off and put on other garments.

When they [the priests] go forth into the outer court, even into the outer court to the people, they shall put off their garments wherein they ministered, and lay them in the holy chambers, and they shall put on other garments. Ezekiel 44:19a

Priests shall not sanctify the people with their garments.

They [the priests] shall not sanctify the people with their garments. Ezekiel 44:19b

Priests shall not have long hair.

Neither shall they [priests] suffer their locks to grow long; they shall only poll their heads. Ezekiel 44:20

A priest may not marry a widow, unless she was previously married to a priest.

Neither shall they [priests] take for their wives a widow ... but they shall take ... a widow that had a priest before. Ezekiel 44:22a

Priests must marry maidens of the seed of the house of Israel.

They [priests] shall take maidens of the seed of the house of Israel. Ezekiel 44:22b

Priests shall teach people the difference between the holy and the profane, the clean and the unclean.

They [priests] shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. Ezekiel 44:23

Every controversy shall be judged by priests according to God's judgments.

And in controversy they [priests] shall stand in judgment; and they shall judge it according to my judgments. Ezekiel 44:24a

Priests shall keep all of God's laws, statutes, assemblies, and sabbaths.

They [priests] shall keep my laws and my statutes in all mine assemblies; and they shall hallow my sabbaths. Ezekiel 44:24b

After a priest is cleansed, he must wait seven days to make a sin offering.

After he is cleansed, they shall reckon unto him seven days. And in the day that he goeth into the sanctuary, unto the inner court, to minister in the sanctuary, he shall offer his sin offering, saith the Lord GOD. Ezekiel 44:26-27

Every dedicated thing in Israel belongs to the priests.

Every dedicated thing in Israel shall be theirs. Ezekiel 44:29

Give the priest the first of your dough.

Ye shall also give unto the priest the first of your dough, that he may cause the blessing to rest in thine house. Ezekiel 44:30

A priest may not eat any animal that is killed by a predator or dies of natural causes.

The priests shall not eat of any thing that is dead of itself, or torn, whether it be fowl or beast. Ezekiel 44:31

Levites

Do these things to all the Levites in your community.

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them. And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean. Numbers 8:5-7

Then let them take a young bullock with his meat offering, even fine flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin offering. Numbers 8:8

And thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel together: And thou shalt bring the Levites before the Lord: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites: And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the Lord for an offering of the children of Israel, that they may execute the service of the Lord. Numbers 8:9-11

And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks: and thou shalt offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, unto the Lord, to make an atonement for the Levites. .Numbers 8:12

And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for an offering unto the Lord Numbers 8:13

Separate the Levites from everyone else.

Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine. Numbers 8:14

The working age for Levites is 25 to 50.

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, This is it that belongeth unto the Levites: from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: And from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof, and shall serve no more: But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge. Numbers 8:23-26

The Levites must serve the priests.

Thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and minister unto thee. Numbers 18:2

The Levites are in charge of the tabernacle.

Thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father ... shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the tabernacle ... And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service of the tabernacle ... And ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar: that there be no wrath any more upon the children of Israel. Numbers 18:2-5
But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. Numbers 18:23
They [the Levites] shall be ministers in my sanctuary, having charge at the gates of the house, and ministering to the house: they shall slay the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister unto them. Ezekiel 44:11

Maimonides: P22: Guarding the sanctuary - Num 18:4; P23: Levitical services in the sanctuary - Num 18:23; N67: Don't interrupt the watch over the Sanctuary - Num 18:5; N72: Levites and priests may not perform each other's allotted services - Num 18:3; Punishment: Death ("by the hand of Heaven") for a Levite who performs a priest's function; whipping for a priest who performs a Levite's function

Levites may not come near the vessels or the altar.

Only they [the Levites] shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, that neither they, nor ye also, die. Numbers 18:3

The Levites get one-tenth of everything everyone else possesses.

And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. ... But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the LORD, I have given to the Levites to inherit. Numbers 18:21-24

Maimonides: P127: The first tithe - Num 18:21

The Levites must offer God a heave offering worth one-tenth of their tithe.

Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the LORD, even a tenth part of the tithe. Numbers 18:26

Maimonides: P129: The Levites' tithe for the priests - Num 18:26

Give the Levites cities and suburbs.

Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and ye shall give also unto the Levites suburbs for the cities round about them. And the cities shall they have to dwell in; and the suburbs of them shall be for their cattle, and for their goods, and for all their beasts. And the suburbs of the cities, which ye shall give unto the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city and outward a thousand cubits round about. And ye shall measure from without the city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits; and the city shall be in the midst: this shall be to them the suburbs of the cities. And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint for the manslayer, that he may flee thither: and to them ye shall add forty and two cities. So all the cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight cities: them shall ye give with their suburbs. Numbers 35:2-7

Maimonides: P183: Assign cities to the Levites - Num 35:7

Don't forsake the Levites.

Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth. Deuteronomy 12:19
And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him. Deuteronomy 14:27

Maimonides: N229: Don't forsake the Levites - Dt 12:19

If a Levite decides to live in a community, then he must be paid the same as the other Levites that reside there.

If a Levite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel, where he sojourned, and come with all the desire of his mind unto the place which the Lord shall choose; Then he shall minister in the name of the Lord his God, as all his brethren the Levites do, which stand there before the Lord. They shall have like portions to eat, beside that which cometh of the sale of his patrimony. Deuteronomy 18:6-8

Maimonides: P36: The priests must minister in courses - Dt 18:6-8

The Levites shall not be priests or come near God or any holy thing.

They [the Levites] ministered unto them before their idols, and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity; therefore have I lifted up mine hand against them, saith the Lord GOD, and they shall bear their iniquity. And they shall not come near unto me, to do the office of a priest unto me, nor to come near to any of my holy things, in the most holy place: but they shall bear their shame, and their abominations which they have committed. Ezekiel 44:12-13

Nazarites

A Nazarite may not drink any alcoholic beverages.

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the Lord: He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes. Numbers 6:1-3a

Maimonides: N202: A Nazarite may not drink wine - Num 6:3; Punishment: Whipping

Or eat anything that comes from a grapevine.

Nor eat moist grapes, or dried. All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk. Numbers 6:3b-4

Maimonides: N203: A Nazarite may not eat fresh grapes - Num 6:3; N204: A Nazarite may not eat dried grapes - Num 6:3; N205: A Nazarite may not eat the kernels of grapes - Num 6:4; N206: A Nazarite may not eat the husks of grapes - Num 6:4; Punishment: Whipping

He must not cut his hair.

All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the Lord, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow. Numbers 6:5

Maimonides: P92: Nazirite to let his hair grow - Num 6:5; N209: A Nazirite may not shave - Num 6:5; Punishment: Whipping

And he must stay away from dead bodies, including dead family members.

All the days that he separateth himself unto the Lord he shall come at no dead body. He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God is upon his head. Numbers 6:6-7

Maimonides: N207: A Nazarite may not rend himself unclean for the dead - Num 6:7; N208: A Nazarite may not rend himself unclean by entering a house containing a corpse - Num 6:7; Punishment: Whipping

If you are a Nazarite and happen to be nearby when someone dies, you must:

All the days of his separation he is holy unto the Lord. And if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of his consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it. Numbers 6:8-9

And on the eighth day he shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons, to the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make an atonement for him, for that he sinned by the dead, and shall hallow his head that same day. Numbers 6:10-11

And he shall consecrate unto the Lord the days of his separation, and shall bring a lamb of the first year for a trespass offering: but the days that were before shall be lost, because his separation was defiled. Numbers 6:12

When you decide to quit being a Nazarite, you must:

And this is the law of the Nazarite, when the days of his separation are fulfilled: he shall be brought unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: And he shall offer his offering unto the Lord, one he lamb of the first year without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish for a sin offering, and one ram without blemish for peace offerings, And a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oil, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings. And the priest shall bring them before the Lord, and shall offer his sin offering, and his burnt offering: And he shall offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the Lord, with the basket of unleavened bread: the priest shall offer also his meat offering, and his drink offering. Numbers 6:13-17

And the Nazarite shall shave the head of his separation at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it in the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace offerings. Numbers 6:18

And the priest shall take the sodden shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them upon the hands of the Nazarite, after the hair of his separation is shaven: And the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the Lord: this is holy for the priest, with the wave breast and heave shoulder. Numbers 6:19-20

Maimonides: P93: Nazirite obligations on completion of vow - Num 6:13

After you retire, you may drink wine once again.

And after that the Nazarite may drink wine. This is the law of the Nazarite who hath vowed, and of his offering unto the LORD for his separation, beside that that his hand shall get: according to the vow which he vowed, so he must do after the law of his separation. Numbers 6:20-21

Prophets and Prophecy

If a prophet gives you a sign or a wonder and asks you to go after other gods, don't listen to him.

If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams. Deuteronomy 13:1-3

Maimonides: N28: Don't listen to the prophecy of one who prophesies in the name of an idol - Dt 13:4

Someday God will raise up a prophet and put words in his mouth. When he does, do whatever that prophet tells you to do.

The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken. ... I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. Deuteronomy 18:15-19

Maimonides: P172: Heed the Prophets - Dt 18:15

Don't be afraid of false prophets.

When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him. Deuteronomy 18:22

Maimonides: N29: Don't have pity on a false prophet - Dt 18:22

Don't harm God's prophets.

Do my prophets no harm. 1 Chronicles 16:22, Psalm 105:15

Don't listen to prophets.

Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD. Jeremiah 27:16
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed. For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name. Jeremiah 29:7-8

Don't do the work of the Lord deceitfully.

Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully. Jeremiah 48:10