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Improper Conduct for Priests

10 Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu each took an incense burner and put burning coals and incense in it. Then in Yahweh’s presence they offered this unauthorized fire. A fire flashed from Yahweh and burned them, and they died in the presence of Yahweh.

Moses said to Aaron, “This is exactly what Yahweh said:

‘I will show my holiness among those who come to me.
I will show my glory to all the people.’”

Aaron was speechless.

Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Aaron’s uncle, Uzziel. He told them, “Come and take your relatives away from in front of the holy place. Take them outside the camp.” So they came and took them away to a place outside the camp, as Moses told them. The dead men were still in their linen robes.

Moses told Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar: “Do not mourn by leaving your hair uncombed or tearing your clothes. If you do, you will die and Yahweh will become angry with the whole congregation. All the other Israelites may cry over the fire Yahweh sent, but you may not. You must not leave the entrance to the tent of meeting or else you, too, will die, because Yahweh has anointed you with his oil.” They obeyed Moses.

Proper Conduct for Priests

Yahweh spoke to Aaron, “You and your sons must not drink any wine or liquor when you go into the tent of meeting, or you will die. This is a permanent law for generations to come. 10 Teach them the difference between what is holy and what is unholy, what is clean and what is unclean.[a] 11 Also teach the Israelites all the laws that Yahweh gave them through Moses.”

12 Moses told Aaron and his surviving sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Take the grain offering left over from the offering by fire to Yahweh. Make unleavened bread, and eat it next to the altar because it is very holy. 13 Eat it in a holy place because it is the part of the offering by fire to Yahweh that belongs to you and your children. That is the command I received. 14 Also eat the breast presented to the Lord and the thigh that was given as a contribution. You and your sons and daughters may eat them in a clean place because they are your part of the fellowship offerings from the Israelites. 15 They will bring the thigh given as a contribution, the breast presented to the Lord, and the fat that is to be burned and present them to Yahweh. These parts will belong to you and your children. This will be a permanent law, as Yahweh has commanded.”

Eleazar and Ithamar Sacrifice the Offering for Sin

16 Moses tried to find out what had happened to the male goat that was supposed to be the offering for sin. To his surprise, it had already been burned. So he became angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s surviving sons. 17 He asked them, “Why didn’t you eat the offering for sin in the holy place? It is very holy and was given to you to take away the sins of the congregation and to make peace with the Lord for them. 18 Since its blood was not brought inside the holy place, you certainly should have eaten it there, as I commanded.”

19 Aaron answered Moses, “Today they sacrificed their offering for sin and their burnt offering in Yahweh’s presence, and look what happened to me. If I had eaten the offering for sin today, would Yahweh have approved?”

20 When Moses heard this, he was satisfied.

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 10:10 “Clean” refers to anything that is presentable to God. “Unclean” refers to anything that is not presentable to God.

The Death of Nadab and Abihu

10 Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu(A) took their censers,(B) put fire in them(C) and added incense;(D) and they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord,(E) contrary to his command.(F) So fire came out(G) from the presence of the Lord and consumed them,(H) and they died before the Lord.(I) Moses then said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke of when he said:

“‘Among those who approach me(J)
    I will be proved holy;(K)
in the sight of all the people
    I will be honored.(L)’”

Aaron remained silent.

Moses summoned Mishael and Elzaphan,(M) sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel,(N) and said to them, “Come here; carry your cousins outside the camp,(O) away from the front of the sanctuary.(P) So they came and carried them, still in their tunics,(Q) outside the camp, as Moses ordered.

Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar,(R) “Do not let your hair become unkempt[a](S) and do not tear your clothes,(T) or you will die and the Lord will be angry with the whole community.(U) But your relatives, all the Israelites, may mourn(V) for those the Lord has destroyed by fire. Do not leave the entrance to the tent of meeting(W) or you will die, because the Lord’s anointing oil(X) is on you.” So they did as Moses said.

Then the Lord said to Aaron, “You and your sons are not to drink wine(Y) or other fermented drink(Z) whenever you go into the tent of meeting, or you will die. This is a lasting ordinance(AA) for the generations to come, 10 so that you can distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean,(AB) 11 and so you can teach(AC) the Israelites all the decrees the Lord has given them through Moses.(AD)

12 Moses said to Aaron and his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, “Take the grain offering(AE) left over from the food offerings prepared without yeast and presented to the Lord and eat it beside the altar,(AF) for it is most holy. 13 Eat it in the sanctuary area,(AG) because it is your share and your sons’ share of the food offerings presented to the Lord; for so I have been commanded.(AH) 14 But you and your sons and your daughters may eat the breast(AI) that was waved and the thigh that was presented. Eat them in a ceremonially clean place;(AJ) they have been given to you and your children as your share of the Israelites’ fellowship offerings. 15 The thigh(AK) that was presented and the breast that was waved must be brought with the fat portions of the food offerings, to be waved before the Lord as a wave offering.(AL) This will be the perpetual share for you and your children, as the Lord has commanded.”

16 When Moses inquired about the goat of the sin offering[b](AM) and found that it had been burned up, he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s remaining sons, and asked, 17 “Why didn’t you eat the sin offering(AN) in the sanctuary area? It is most holy; it was given to you to take away the guilt(AO) of the community by making atonement for them before the Lord. 18 Since its blood was not taken into the Holy Place,(AP) you should have eaten the goat in the sanctuary area, as I commanded.(AQ)

19 Aaron replied to Moses, “Today they sacrificed their sin offering and their burnt offering(AR) before the Lord, but such things as this have happened to me. Would the Lord have been pleased if I had eaten the sin offering today?” 20 When Moses heard this, he was satisfied.

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 10:6 Or Do not uncover your heads
  2. Leviticus 10:16 Or purification offering; also in verses 17 and 19