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.

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Footnotes

  1. 10:3 Or will be treated as holy
  2. 10:3 Or will be glorified

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. So fire blazed forth from the Lord’s presence and burned them up, and they died there before the Lord.

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.

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.” So they came forward and picked them up by their garments and carried them out of the camp, just as Moses had commanded.

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. 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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Footnotes

  1. 10:6 Or by uncovering your heads.
  2. 10:7 Hebrew Tent of Meeting; also in 10:9.