Leviticus 16:4

He must put on a holy linen tunic, ¹  linen leggings are to cover his body, ²  and he is to wrap himself with a linen sash ³  and wrap his head with a linen turban. ⁴  They are holy garments, so he must bathe ⁵  his body in water and put them on.

Ex 28:2,39-43; Ex 29:4; Ex 30:20; Ex 39:27-29; Ex 40:12,31,32; Le 6:10; Le 8:6,7; Isa 53:2; Eze 44:17,18; Lu 1:35; Php 2:7; Heb 2:14; Heb 7:26; Re 1:5,6

¹ sn The term “tunic” refers to a shirt-like garment worn next to the skin and, therefore, put on first (cf. Exod 28:4, 39-40; 29:5, 8; 39:27). It covered the upper body only. For detailed remarks on the terminology for the priestly clothing in this verse (except the “linen leggings”) see the notes on Lev 8:7-9 and the literature cited there.

² tn Heb “shall be on his flesh.” As in many instances in Lev 15, the term “flesh” or “body” here is euphemistic for the male genitals (J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:1017, and J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 222; cf. the note on Lev 15:2), which the priest must be careful not to expose during such ritual procedures (see Exod 20:26 with 28:42-43).

³ sn The sash fastened the tunic around the waist (Exod 28:4, 39; 29:9; 39:29).

⁴ tn Heb “and in a turban of linen he shall wrap.”

sn The turban consisted of wound up linen (cf. Exod 28:4, 37, 39; 29:6; 39:31; Lev 16:4). It is usually thought to be a “turban,” but it might be only a “turban-like headband” wound around the forehead area (HALOT 624 s.v. מִצְנֶפֶת).

⁵ tn Heb “and he shall bathe….”