Leviticus 10
Christian Standard Bible
Nadab and Abihu
10 Aaron’s sons Nadab(A) and Abihu(B) each took his own firepan,(C) put fire in it, placed incense on it,(D) and presented unauthorized(E) fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them to do. 2 Then fire came from the Lord(F) and consumed them, and they died before the Lord.(G) 3 Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord has spoken:
I will demonstrate my holiness[a](H)
to those who are near me,(I)
and I will reveal my glory[b](J)
before all the people.”
And Aaron remained silent.
4 Moses summoned Mishael and Elzaphan,(K) sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel,(L) and said to them, “Come here and carry your relatives away from the front of the sanctuary to a place outside the camp.”(M) 5 So they came forward and carried them in their tunics outside the camp, as Moses had said.
6 Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar,(N) “Do not let your hair hang loose(O) and do not tear your clothes,(P) or else you will die, and the Lord will become angry(Q) with the whole community. However, your brothers, the whole house of Israel, may weep(R) over the fire that the Lord caused. 7 You must not go outside the entrance to the tent of meeting or you will die, for the Lord’s anointing oil(S) is on you.” So they did as Moses said.
Regulations for Priests
8 The Lord spoke to Aaron: 9 “You and your sons are not to drink wine(T) or beer(U) when you enter the tent of meeting, or else you will die; this is a permanent statute(V) throughout your generations. 10 You must distinguish(W) between the holy and the common,(X) and the clean and the unclean,(Y) 11 and teach the Israelites all the statutes(Z) that the Lord has given to them through Moses.”
12 Moses spoke to Aaron and his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar: “Take the grain offering that is left over from the food offerings(AA) to the Lord, and eat it prepared without yeast beside the altar, because it is especially holy. 13 You must eat it in a holy place because it is your portion[c] and your sons’ from the food offerings to the Lord, for this is what I was commanded. 14 But you and your sons and your daughters may eat the breast of the presentation offering and the thigh of the contribution in any ceremonially clean place, because these portions have been assigned to you and your children from the Israelites’ fellowship sacrifices. 15 They are to bring the thigh of the contribution and the breast of the presentation offering, together with the food offerings of the fat portions, to present as a presentation offering before the Lord. It will belong permanently(AB) to you and your children, as the Lord commanded.”
16 Then Moses inquired carefully about the male goat of the sin offering, but it had already been burned up. He was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s surviving sons, and asked, 17 “Why didn’t you eat the sin offering in the sanctuary area?(AC) For it is especially holy, and he has assigned it to you to take away the guilt(AD) of the community(AE) and make atonement for them before the Lord. 18 Since its blood was not brought inside the sanctuary, you should have eaten it in the sanctuary area, as I commanded.”(AF)
19 But Aaron replied to Moses, “See, today they presented their sin offering and their burnt offering before the Lord. Since these things have happened to me, if I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been acceptable in the Lord’s sight?” 20 When Moses heard this, it was acceptable to him.[d]
Leviticus 10
Common English Bible
Nadab and Abihu
10 Now Nadab and Abihu, two of Aaron’s sons, each took an incense pan. They put fire and incense on them and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. 2 Then fire flew out from before the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord.
3 Moses said to Aaron, “When the Lord said, ‘I will show that I am holy among those near me, and before all the people I will manifest my glorious presence,’ this is what he meant!” But Aaron was silent.
4 Then Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan the sons of Uzziel, Aaron’s uncle, and told them, “Go carry your relatives out from the front of the sanctuary to a place outside the camp.” 5 So they went forward and carried Nadab and Abihu out by their tunics to a place outside the camp, just as Moses had ordered. 6 Moses then said to Aaron and his sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, “Don’t dishevel your hair and don’t rip your clothes into pieces, or you will die and bring anger upon the whole community. Your family—all of Israel’s house—will mourn the burning the Lord has done. 7 But you must not leave the meeting tent, or you will die because the Lord’s anointing oil is on you.” So they did what Moses ordered.
Priestly drinking and eating
8 The Lord said to Aaron: 9 Both you and your sons must not drink wine or beer when you enter the meeting tent so that you don’t die—this is a permanent rule throughout your future generations— 10 so that you can distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean, 11 and so that you can teach the Israelites all the rules that the Lord spoke to them through Moses.
12 Moses then told Aaron and his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, “Take the grain offering that is left over from the Lord’s food gifts and eat it unleavened next to the altar, because it is most holy. 13 You must eat it in a holy place because it is your portion and your sons’ portion from the Lord’s food gifts, as I have been commanded. 14 You must eat the breast for the uplifted offering and the thigh for the gift offering in a clean place—both you and your sons and daughters. These things are designated as your portion and your children’s portion from the Israelites’ communal sacrifices of well-being. 15 The Israelites must bring the thigh for the gift and the breast for the uplifted offering along with the food gifts of the fat pieces, to be lifted up as an uplifted offering before the Lord. These will belong to both you and your children as a permanent portion, just as the Lord has commanded.”
16 Then Moses asked about the male goat for the purification offering, and discovered that it had already been burned. He was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s remaining sons, and asked, 17 “Why didn’t you eat the purification offering in the holy area? It’s most holy, and it was assigned to you for bearing the community’s punishment by making reconciliation for them before the Lord. 18 Since its blood wasn’t brought into the sanctuary’s interior, you were to have eaten it in the sanctuary, just as I was commanded.”[a]
19 “Look,” Aaron said to Moses, “today they offered their purification offerings and their entirely burned offerings before the Lord, but these things still happened to me! Would the Lord have approved if I had eaten a purification offering today?” 20 When Moses heard that, he approved.[b]
Footnotes
- Leviticus 10:18 Syr, Tg, Vulg; MT as I commanded; cf 8:31
- Leviticus 10:20 Or he was satisfied.
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