Ezekiel 44:25
And they shall come at no dead person to defile themselves: 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.
Cross-reference
Leviticus 21:1-6 contains the original laws on priestly defilement from the dead, which this verse reaffirms.
In Matthew 8:22, Jesus' command to 'let the dead bury their own dead' contrasts with the priestly allowance to defile for close relatives — prioritizing discipleship over burial duties.
Luke 9:59 records a man asking to bury his father first, invoking the very duty that priests were allowed to perform — Jesus then redefines priorities.
In Luke 9:60, Jesus' reply 'leave the dead to bury their own dead' directly overrides the priestly permission — a radical contrast between earthly and kingdom loyalties.
Leviticus 22:4 specifies defilement from dead bodies and restrictions on holy things, expanding the context of this rule.
Numbers 6:7 forbids Nazirites from defiling themselves even for close relatives — a stricter parallel to the priestly rules, showing different levels of holiness.