²⁸ “‘Do not cut^(A) your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord.

Rules for Priests

21 The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron,^(A) and say to them: ‘A priest must not make himself ceremonially unclean^(B) for any of his people who die,^{(C) 2} except for a close relative, such as his mother or father,^(D) his son or daughter, his brother, ³ or an unmarried sister who is dependent on him since she has no husband—for her he may make himself unclean.^{(E) 4} He must not make himself unclean for people related to him by marriage,^[a] and so defile himself.

⁵ “‘Priests must not shave^(F) their heads or shave off the edges of their beards^(G) or cut their bodies.^(H)

Clean and Unclean Food^(A)

14 You are the children^(B) of the Lord your God. Do not cut yourselves or shave the front of your heads for the dead,

⁶ “Both high and low will die in this land.^(A) They will not be buried or mourned,^(B) and no one will cut^(C) themselves or shave^(D) their head for the dead.

⁷ No one will offer food^(A) to comfort those who mourn^(B) for the dead—not even for a father or a mother—nor will anyone give them a drink to console^(C) them.

⁵ eighty men who had shaved off their beards,^(A) torn their clothes^(B) and cut^(C) themselves came from Shechem,^(D) Shiloh^(E) and Samaria,^(F) bringing grain offerings and incense^(G) with them to the house of the Lord.^(H)