The Death of Nadab and Abihu

10 Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu^(A) took their censers,^(B) put fire in them^(C) and added incense;^(D) and they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord,^(E) contrary to his command.^{(F) 2} So fire came out^(G) from the presence of the Lord and consumed them,^(H) and they died before the Lord.^{(I) 3} Moses then said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke of when he said:

Aaron remained silent.

⁴ Moses summoned Mishael and Elzaphan,^(M) sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel,^(N) and said to them, “Come here; carry your cousins outside the camp,^(O) away from the front of the sanctuary.^(P)” ⁵ So they came and carried them, still in their tunics,^(Q) outside the camp, as Moses ordered.

⁶ Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar,^(R) “Do not let your hair become unkempt^[a](S) and do not tear your clothes,^(T) or you will die and the Lord will be angry with the whole community.^(U) But your relatives, all the Israelites, may mourn^(V) for those the Lord has destroyed by fire. ⁷ Do not leave the entrance to the tent of meeting^(W) or you will die, because the Lord’s anointing oil^(X) is on you.” So they did as Moses said.

⁸ Then the Lord said to Aaron, ⁹ “You and your sons are not to drink wine^(Y) or other fermented drink^(Z) whenever you go into the tent of meeting, or you will die. This is a lasting ordinance^(AA) for the generations to come, ¹⁰ so that you can distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean,^{(AB) 11} and so you can teach^(AC) the Israelites all the decrees the Lord has given them through Moses.^(AD)”

¹² Moses said to Aaron and his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, “Take the grain offering^(AE) left over from the food offerings prepared without yeast and presented to the Lord and eat it beside the altar,^(AF) for it is most holy. ¹³ Eat it in the sanctuary area,^(AG) because it is your share and your sons’ share of the food offerings presented to the Lord; for so I have been commanded.^{(AH) 14} But you and your sons and your daughters may eat the breast^(AI) that was waved and the thigh that was presented. Eat them in a ceremonially clean place;^(AJ) they have been given to you and your children as your share of the Israelites’ fellowship offerings. ¹⁵ The thigh^(AK) that was presented and the breast that was waved must be brought with the fat portions of the food offerings, to be waved before the Lord as a wave offering.^(AL) This will be the perpetual share for you and your children, as the Lord has commanded.”

¹⁶ When Moses inquired about the goat of the sin offering^[b](AM) and found that it had been burned up, he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s remaining sons, and asked, ¹⁷ “Why didn’t you eat the sin offering^(AN) in the sanctuary area? It is most holy; it was given to you to take away the guilt^(AO) of the community by making atonement for them before the Lord. ¹⁸ Since its blood was not taken into the Holy Place,^(AP) you should have eaten the goat in the sanctuary area, as I commanded.^(AQ)”

¹⁹ Aaron replied to Moses, “Today they sacrificed their sin offering and their burnt offering^(AR) before the Lord, but such things as this have happened to me. Would the Lord have been pleased if I had eaten the sin offering today?” ²⁰ When Moses heard this, he was satisfied.

Eating Blood Forbidden

17 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to Aaron and his sons^(A) and to all the Israelites and say to them: ‘This is what the Lord has commanded: ³ Any Israelite who sacrifices an ox,^[a] a lamb^(B) or a goat^(C) in the camp or outside of it ⁴ instead of bringing it to the entrance to the tent of meeting^(D) to present it as an offering to the Lord in front of the tabernacle of the Lord^(E)—that person shall be considered guilty of bloodshed; they have shed blood and must be cut off from their people.^{(F) 5} This is so the Israelites will bring to the Lord the sacrifices they are now making in the open fields. They must bring them to the priest, that is, to the Lord, at the entrance to the tent of meeting and sacrifice them as fellowship offerings.^{(G) 6} The priest is to splash the blood against the altar^(H) of the Lord^(I) at the entrance to the tent of meeting and burn the fat as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.^{(J) 7} They must no longer offer any of their sacrifices to the goat idols^[b](K) to whom they prostitute themselves.^(L) This is to be a lasting ordinance^(M) for them and for the generations to come.’^(N)

⁸ “Say to them: ‘Any Israelite or any foreigner residing among them who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice ⁹ and does not bring it to the entrance to the tent^(O) of meeting^(P) to sacrifice it to the Lord^(Q) must be cut off from the people of Israel.

¹⁰ “‘I will set my face against any Israelite or any foreigner residing among them who eats blood,^(R) and I will cut them off from the people. ¹¹ For the life of a creature is in the blood,^(S) and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.^{[c](T) 12} Therefore I say to the Israelites, “None of you may eat blood, nor may any foreigner residing among you eat blood.”

¹³ “‘Any Israelite or any foreigner residing among you who hunts any animal or bird that may be eaten must drain out the blood and cover it with earth,^{(U) 14} because the life of every creature is its blood. That is why I have said to the Israelites, “You must not eat the blood of any creature, because the life of every creature is its blood; anyone who eats it must be cut off.”^(V)

¹⁵ “‘Anyone, whether native-born or foreigner, who eats anything^(W) found dead or torn by wild animals^(X) must wash their clothes and bathe with water,^(Y) and they will be ceremonially unclean till evening;^(Z) then they will be clean. ¹⁶ But if they do not wash their clothes and bathe themselves, they will be held responsible.^(AA)’”