Matthew Poole and continuators on Leviticus 21:4

4 But he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people , to prophane himself.

Or, seeing he is a chief man, &c. or ruler, &c. for such not onely the High-Priest▪ but others also of the inferiour Priests were. And therefore though he might defile himself for the persons now named, yet he, above all others, must take heed so to do it that he do not profane himself by doing as follows. Or, for a chief man, &c. the preposition Lamed being easily understood from the former verse, where it is oft used, such supplements being not unusual in the Hebrew tongue. So the sence is, He shall not defile himself for any other person whatsoever who is not thus near of kin to him, no not for a prince or chief ruler among his people, who might seem to challenge this duty from him, to joyn with all others in their res[illegible: 1+ letters]ntment of the publick loss, much less shall he defile himself for any other. And so the last word, to profane himself, may be added as a reason why he should not defile himself for the prince or any other, except the persons named, because such defilement for the dead did profane him or make him as a common person and unclean, and consequently unfit to manage his sacred employment, which was an impediment to the service of God, and a publick inconvenience to the people whose concerns with God he negotiated. And it was not meet such great and important affairs should give place to the ceremonies of a funeral, for a stranger.

Marginal references: Or, being [illegible: 1+ letters] husband among his people he shall not defile himself for his wife, &c.