Leviticus10
New King James Version
1Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them.
2So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord.
3And Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke, saying: ‘By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people I must be glorified.’ ” So Aaron held his peace.
4Then Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, “Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp.”
5So they went near and carried them by their tunics out of the camp, as Moses had said.
6And Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and Ithamar, his sons, “Do not uncover your heads nor tear your clothes, lest you die, and wrath come upon all the people. But let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the Lord has kindled.
7You shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of meeting, lest you die, for the anointing oil of the Lord is upon you.” And they did according to the word of Moses.
8Then the Lord spoke to Aaron, saying:
9“Do not drink wine or intoxicating drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the tabernacle of meeting, lest you die. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations,
10that you may distinguish between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean,
11and that you may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the Lord has spoken to them by the hand of Moses.”
12And Moses spoke to Aaron, and to Eleazar and Ithamar, his sons who were left: “Take the grain offering that remains of the offerings made by fire to the Lord, and eat it without leaven beside the altar; for it is most holy.
13You shall eat it in a holy place, because it is your due and your sons’ due, of the sacrifices made by fire to the Lord; for so I have been commanded.
14The breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the heave offering you shall eat in a clean place, you, your sons, and your daughters with you; for they are your due and your sons’ due, which are given from the sacrifices of peace offerings of the children of Israel.
15The thigh of the heave offering and the breast of the wave offering they shall bring with the offerings of fat made by fire, to offer as a wave offering before the Lord. And it shall be yours and your sons’ with you, by a statute forever, as the Lord has commanded.”
16Then Moses made careful inquiry about the goat of the sin offering, and there it was—burned up. And he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron who were left, saying,
17“Why have you not eaten the sin offering in a holy place, since it is most holy, and God has given it to you to bear the guilt of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the Lord?
18See! Its blood was not brought inside the holy place; indeed you should have eaten it in a holy place, as I commanded.”
19And Aaron said to Moses, “Look, this day they have offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the Lord, and such things have befallen me! If I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been accepted in the sight of the Lord?”
20So when Moses heard that, he was content.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Leviticus 10.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The sin and death of Nadab and Abihu. (1, 2). Aaron and his sons forbidden to mourn for Nadab and Abihu. (3–7). Wine forbidden to the priests when in the service of the tabernacle. (8–11). Of eating the holy things. (12–20).
vv1-2
Next to Moses and Aaron, none were more likely to be honourable in Israel than Nadab and Abihu. There is reason to think that they were puffed up with pride, and that they were heated with wine. While the people were prostrate before the Lord, adoring his presence and glory, they rushed into the tabernacle to burn incense, though not at the appointed time; both together, instead of one alone, and with fire not taken from the altar. If it had been done through ignorance, they had been allowed to bring a sin-offering. But the soul that doeth presumptuously, and in contempt of God's majesty and justice, that soul shall be cut off. The wages of sin is death. They died in the very act of their sin. The sin and punishment of these priests showed the imperfection of that priesthood from the very beginning, and that it could not shelter any from the fire of God's wrath, otherwise than as it was typical of Christ's priesthood.
vv3-7
The most quieting considerations under affliction are fetched from the word of God. What was it that God spake? Though Aaron's heart must have been filled with anguish and dismay, yet with silent submission he revered the justice of the stroke. When God corrects us or ours for sin, it is our duty to accept the punishment, and say, It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good. Whenever we worship God, we come nigh unto him, as spiritual priests. This ought to make us very serious in all acts of devotion. It concerns us all, when we come nigh to God, to do every religious exercise, as those who believe that the God with whom we have to do, is a holy God. He will take vengeance on those that profane his sacred name by trifling with him.
vv8-11
Do not drink wine or strong drink. During the time they ministered, the priests were forbidden it. It is required of gospel ministers, that they be not given to wine, 1Ti 3:3. It is, Lest ye die; die when ye are in drink. The danger of death, to which we are continually exposed, should engage all to be sober.
Key Words
נָדָב: Nadab, the name of four Israelites
אֲבִיהוּא: Abihu, a son of Aaron
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
אַהֲרוֹן: Aharon, the brother of Moses
אִישׁ: a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
לָקַח: to take (in the widest variety of applications)
מַחְתָּה: a pan for live coals
נָתַן: to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
אֵשׁ: fire (literally or figuratively)
הֵן: they (only used when emphatic)
Cross References
Leviticus 10Priests drawing near to God must sanctify themselves, the exact background warning Moses refers to here.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Direct prohibition of offering 'strange incense' on the altar, which Nadab and Abihu violated.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Requirement for ministers to not be given to wine, parallel to the priestly restriction.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Ezekiel's temple vision reiterates the prohibition against priests drinking wine when entering the inner court.
Supported by John Calvin
The holy fire from heaven just sent by God, which they ignored in favor of common fire.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Ananias and Sapphira represent a parallel New Testament judgment at the start of a new dispensation.
Supported by JFB
Genealogy showing Uzziel as Aaron's uncle, identifying Mishael and Elzaphan as cousins/brethren.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The priest's lips should keep knowledge, acting as the messenger of the Lord to teach statutes.
Supported by John Calvin
Historical recap of Nadab and Abihu dying before the Lord for offering strange fire.
Supported by Matthew Poole
God's promise that the tabernacle shall be sanctified by His glory.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Contrasts standard mourning rites like uncovered heads with the restriction placed on Aaron's family.
Supported by Matthew Poole
High priest forbidden from leaving the sanctuary for dead relatives because of the anointing oil.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Law of the meal offering and sin offering designated as most holy for Aaron's sons.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Aaron bearing the iniquity of the holy things, illustrating the priest's role in bearing sin.
Supported by JFB
Bread eaten in mourning is defiled; supports Aaron's defense that eating under grief was unacceptable.
Supported by Matthew Poole