The Death of Nadab and Abihu

10 Now (A)Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, (B)each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered (C)unauthorized[a] fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. And fire (D)came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Among (E)those who are near me (F)I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.’” (G)And Aaron held his peace.

And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of (H)Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, “Come near; carry your brothers away from the front of the sanctuary and out of the camp.” So they came near and carried them in their coats out of the camp, as Moses had said. And Moses said to Aaron and to Eleazar and Ithamar his sons, (I)“Do not let the hair of your heads hang loose, and do not tear your clothes, lest you die, and (J)wrath come upon all the congregation; but let your brothers, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning that the Lord has kindled. (K)And do not go outside the entrance of the tent of meeting, lest you die, (L)for the anointing oil of the Lord is upon you.” And they did according to the word of Moses.

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Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 10:1 Or strange

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)

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