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. Then fire came from the Lord(F) and consumed them, and they died before the Lord.(G) 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.

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) So they came forward and carried them in their tunics outside the camp, as Moses had said.

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. 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

The Lord spoke to Aaron: “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]

Footnotes

  1. 10:3 Or will be treated as holy
  2. 10:3 Or will be glorified
  3. 10:13 Or statute
  4. 10:20 Lit acceptable in his sight

Nadab and Abihu

10 Now Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu each took his censer, put fire in it, and laid incense on it, and they offered unholy fire before the Lord, such as he had not commanded them.(A) And fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord.(B) Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord meant when he said,

‘Through those who are near me
    I will show myself holy,
and before all the people
    I will be glorified.’ ”

And Aaron was silent.(C)

Moses summoned Mishael and Elzaphan, sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, “Come forward and carry your kinsmen away from the front of the sanctuary to a place outside the camp.”(D) They came forward and carried them by their tunics out of the camp, as Moses had ordered. And Moses said to Aaron and to his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not dishevel your hair and do not tear your vestments, or you will die, and wrath will strike all the congregation; but your kindred, the whole house of Israel, may mourn the burning that the Lord has sent.(E) You shall not go outside the entrance of the tent of meeting, lest you die, for the anointing oil of the Lord is on you.” And they did as Moses had ordered.(F)

And the Lord spoke to Aaron, “Drink no wine or strong drink, neither you nor your sons, when you enter the tent of meeting, that you may not die; it is a statute forever throughout your generations.(G) 10 You are to distinguish between the holy and the common and between the unclean and the clean,(H) 11 and you are to teach the Israelites all the statutes that the Lord has spoken to them through Moses.”(I)

12 Moses spoke to Aaron and to his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, “Take the grain offering that is left from the Lord’s offerings by fire,[a] and eat it unleavened beside the altar, for it is most holy;(J) 13 you shall eat it in a holy place, because it is your due and your sons’ due, from the offerings by fire[b] to the Lord, for so I am commanded. 14 But the breast that is elevated and the thigh that is raised, you and your sons and daughters as well may eat in any clean place, for they have been assigned to you and your children from the sacrifices of well-being of the Israelites.(K) 15 The thigh that is raised and the breast that is elevated they shall bring, together with the offerings by fire[c] of the fat, to raise for an elevation offering before the Lord; they are to be your due and that of your children forever, as the Lord has commanded.”(L)

16 Then Moses made inquiry about the goat of the purification offering, and it had already been burned! He was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s remaining sons, and said, 17 “Why did you not eat the purification offering in the sacred area? For it is most holy, and God[d] has given it to you that you may remove the guilt of the congregation, to make atonement on their behalf before the Lord.(M) 18 Its blood was not brought into the inner part of the sanctuary. You should certainly have eaten it in the sanctuary, as I commanded.” 19 And Aaron spoke to Moses, “See, today they offered their purification offering and their burnt offering before the Lord, and yet such things as these have befallen me! If I had eaten the purification offering today, would it have been agreeable to the Lord?”(N) 20 And when Moses heard that, he agreed.

Footnotes

  1. 10.12 Or the Lord’s gifts
  2. 10.13 Or the gifts
  3. 10.15 Or the gifts
  4. 10.17 Heb he