Leviticus 10:1-7
Amplified Bible
The Sin of Nadab and Abihu
10 Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective [ceremonial] censers, put fire in them, placed incense on it and offered [a]strange (unauthorized, unacceptable) fire before the Lord, [an act] which He had not commanded them to do. 2 And fire came out from the presence of the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. 3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord said:
‘I will be treated as holy by those who approach Me,
And before all the people I will be honored.’”
So Aaron, therefore, said nothing.
4 Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel who was Aaron’s uncle, and said to them, “Come here, carry your relatives away from the front of the sanctuary and take them outside the camp.” 5 So they came forward and carried them, still in their undertunics, outside the camp, as Moses had said. 6 Then Moses said to Aaron and to his [younger] sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not [b]uncover your heads nor let your hair hang loose nor tear your clothes [as expressions of mourning], so that you will not die [also] and so that He will not express His wrath and anger toward all the congregation. But your relatives, the whole house of Israel, may mourn the burning which the Lord has brought about. 7 You shall not even go out of the doorway of the Tent of Meeting, or you will die; for the Lord’s anointing oil is upon you.” So they did [everything] according to the word of Moses.
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- Leviticus 10:1 What made the fire “strange” cannot be determined. They may have taken the fire from an unauthorized source, or used incense that did not meet the divine specifications. In any case, God’s laws and requirements are not subject to modification by man.
- Leviticus 10:6 Lit unbind.
Leviticus 10:1-7
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.
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- Leviticus 10:3 Or will be treated as holy
- Leviticus 10:3 Or will be glorified
Leviticus 10:1-7
New Living Translation
The Sin of Nadab and Abihu
10 Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu put coals of fire in their incense burners and sprinkled incense over them. In this way, they disobeyed the Lord by burning before him the wrong kind of fire, different than he had commanded. 2 So fire blazed forth from the Lord’s presence and burned them up, and they died there before the Lord.
3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord meant when he said,
‘I will display my holiness
through those who come near me.
I will display my glory
before all the people.’”
And Aaron was silent.
4 Then Moses called for Mishael and Elzaphan, Aaron’s cousins, the sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel. He said to them, “Come forward and carry away the bodies of your relatives from in front of the sanctuary to a place outside the camp.” 5 So they came forward and picked them up by their garments and carried them out of the camp, just as Moses had commanded.
6 Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not show grief by leaving your hair uncombed[a] or by tearing your clothes. If you do, you will die, and the Lord’s anger will strike the whole community of Israel. However, the rest of the Israelites, your relatives, may mourn because of the Lord’s fiery destruction of Nadab and Abihu. 7 But you must not leave the entrance of the Tabernacle[b] or you will die, for you have been anointed with the Lord’s anointing oil.” So they did as Moses commanded.
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Leviticus 10:1-7
The Message
Nadab and Abihu
10 1-2 That same day Nadab and Abihu, Aaron’s sons, took their censers, put hot coals and incense in them, and offered “strange” fire to God—something God had not commanded. Fire blazed out from God and consumed them—they died in God’s presence.
3 Moses said to Aaron, “This is what God meant when he said,
To the one who comes near me,
I will show myself holy;
Before all the people,
I will show my glory.”
Aaron was silent.
4-5 Moses called for Mishael and Elzaphan, sons of Uzziel, Aaron’s uncle. He said, “Come. Carry your dead cousins outside the camp, away from the Sanctuary.” They came and carried them off, outside the camp, just as Moses had directed.
6-7 Moses then said to Aaron and his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, “No mourning rituals for you—unkempt hair, torn clothes—or you’ll also die and God will be angry with the whole congregation. Your relatives—all the People of Israel, in fact—will do the mourning over those God has destroyed by fire. And don’t leave the entrance to the Tent of Meeting lest you die, because God’s anointing oil is on you.”
They did just as Moses said.
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