Leviticus 10
World English Bible
10 Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer, and put fire in it, and laid incense on it, and offered strange fire before Yahweh, which he had not commanded them. 2 Fire came out from before Yahweh, and devoured them, and they died before Yahweh.
3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what Yahweh spoke of, saying,
‘I will show myself holy to those who come near me,
and before all the people I will be glorified.’”
Aaron held his peace. 4 Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, “Draw near, carry your brothers from before the sanctuary out of the camp.” 5 So they came near, and carried them in their tunics out of the camp, as Moses had said.
6 Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons, “Don’t let the hair of your heads go loose, and don’t tear your clothes, so that you don’t die, and so that he will not be angry with all the congregation; but let your brothers, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which Yahweh has kindled. 7 You shall not go out from the door of the Tent of Meeting, lest you die; for the anointing oil of Yahweh is on you.” They did according to the word of Moses. 8 Then Yahweh said to Aaron, 9 “You and your sons are not to drink wine or strong drink whenever you go into the Tent of Meeting, or you will die. This shall be a statute forever throughout your generations. 10 You are to make a distinction between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean. 11 You are to teach the children of Israel all the statutes which Yahweh has spoken to them by Moses.”
12 Moses spoke to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons who were left, “Take the meal offering that remains of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire, and eat it without yeast beside the altar; for it is most holy; 13 and you shall eat it in a holy place, because it is your portion, and your sons’ portion, of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire; for so I am commanded. 14 The waved breast and the heaved thigh you shall eat in a clean place, you, and your sons, and your daughters with you: for they are given as your portion, and your sons’ portion, out of the sacrifices of the peace offerings of the children of Israel. 15 They shall bring the heaved thigh and the waved breast with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before Yahweh. It shall be yours, and your sons’ with you, as a portion forever, as Yahweh has commanded.”
16 Moses diligently inquired about the goat of the sin offering, and, behold,[a] it was burned. He was angry with Eleazar and with Ithamar, the sons of Aaron who were left, saying, 17 “Why haven’t you eaten the sin offering in the place of the sanctuary, since it is most holy, and he has given it to you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before Yahweh? 18 Behold, its blood was not brought into the inner part of the sanctuary. You certainly should have eaten it in the sanctuary, as I commanded.”
19 Aaron spoke to Moses, “Behold, today they have offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before Yahweh; and such things as these have happened to me. If I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been pleasing in Yahweh’s sight?”
20 When Moses heard that, it was pleasing in his sight.
Footnotes
- 10:16 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
Leviticus 10
Holman 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 burned them to death before the Lord.(G) 3 So Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord meant when He said:
I will show My holiness[a](H)
to those who are near Me,(I)
and I will reveal My glory[b](J)
before all the people.”
But 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 garments,(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 mourn(R) over that tragedy when the Lord sent the fire. 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 fire 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 fire 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 offerings of fat portions made by fire, to wave as a presentation offering before the Lord. It will belong permanently(AB) to you and your children, as the Lord commanded.”
16 Later, Moses inquired 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]
Footnotes
- Leviticus 10:3 Or will be treated as holy
- Leviticus 10:3 Or will be glorified
- Leviticus 10:13 Or statute
- Leviticus 10:20 Lit acceptable in his sight
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