The Profane Fire of Nadab and Abihu

10 Then (A)Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, (B)each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered (C)profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. So (D)fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. And Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke, saying:

‘By those (E)who come near Me
I must be regarded as holy;
And before all the people
I must be glorified.’ ”

So Aaron held his peace.

Then Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, “Come near, (F)carry your brethren from [a]before the sanctuary out of the camp.” So they went near and carried them by their tunics out of the camp, as Moses had said.

And Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and Ithamar, his sons, “Do not [b]uncover your heads nor tear your clothes, lest you die, and (G)wrath come upon all the people. But let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, [c]bewail the burning which the Lord has kindled. (H)You shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of meeting, lest you die, (I)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 10:4 in front of
  2. Leviticus 10:6 An act of mourning
  3. Leviticus 10:6 weep bitterly

10 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took each of them his censer, and put fire therein, and laid incense thereon, and offered strange fire before Jehovah, which he had not commanded them. And there came forth fire from before Jehovah, and devoured them, and they died before Jehovah. Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that Jehovah spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that [a]come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace. And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Draw near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp. So they drew near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp, as Moses had said. And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, [b]Let not the hair of your heads go loose, neither rend your clothes; that ye die not, and that he be not wroth with all the congregation: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which Jehovah hath kindled. And ye shall not go out from the door of the tent of meeting, lest ye die; for the anointing oil of Jehovah is upon you. And they did according to the word of Moses.

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Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 10:3 Or, are nigh
  2. Leviticus 10:6 According to Septuagint, Vulgate, and Syriac, Uncover not your heads