Leviticus 10King James Version
Nadab and Abihu, two of Aaron's sons, offer strange fire before the Lord, fire that He had not commanded. Fire goes out from the Lord and devours them. They die there in the sanctuary. Aaron is silent. Moses tells him not to mourn publicly. The first warning that the holy is dangerous.
Nadab and Abihu, Aaron's two eldest sons, offer unauthorized fire before God and are immediately killed by divine fire. Moses gives a stark explanation: God is to be treated as holy by those nearest to him. Aaron is silent. Moses then corrects Eleazar and Ithamar for burning a sin offering that should have been eaten, but Aaron explains their grief, and Moses accepts the answer.
Nearness to God intensifies the cost of carelessness. Those who minister in the holy place are held to the strictest standard.
10:3 "Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace." Aaron says nothing. The silence carries the weight of a father who understands.
Sinai tabernacle, still the eighth day of Aaron's ordination. The joy of chapter 9 and the tragedy of chapter 10 occur on the same day. Aaron cannot leave or mourn publicly because the anointing oil is on him. He remains at his post.
Nadab and Abihu, Aaron's sons, die in the opening verses. Aaron receives the news in silence. Moses speaks for God and later mediates the disagreement with Eleazar and Ithamar. God speaks briefly, forbidding alcohol before ministry.
Coming immediately after the glory of chapter 9, this chapter is a shock. The same fire that confirmed the priesthood now destroys two of its members. The juxtaposition is not cruel; it establishes that the system is serious. The prohibition on alcohol during ministry follows, suggesting Nadab and Abihu's transgression may have involved impaired judgment.
For when something sacred has been treated carelessly and you are watching the consequence. The silence of Aaron in verse 3 is one of the most devastating verses in the Bible. Some grief has no words.
1And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.
2And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.
3Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.
4And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp.
5So they went near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp; as Moses had said.
6And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the LORD hath kindled.
7And ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you. And they did according to the word of Moses.
8And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying,
9Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:
10And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;
11And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.
12And Moses spake unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons that were left, Take the meat offering that remaineth of the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and eat it without leaven beside the altar: for it is most holy:
13And ye shall eat it in the holy place, because it is thy due, and thy sons' due, of the sacrifices of the LORD made by fire: for so I am commanded.
14And the wave breast and heave shoulder shall ye eat in a clean place; thou, and thy sons, and thy daughters with thee: for they be thy due, and thy sons' due, which are given out of the sacrifices of peace offerings of the children of Israel.
15The heave shoulder and the wave breast shall they bring with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before the LORD; and it shall be thine, and thy sons' with thee, by a statute for ever; as the LORD hath commanded.
16And Moses diligently sought the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burnt: and he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron which were left alive, saying,
17Wherefore have ye not eaten the sin offering in the holy place, seeing it is most holy, and God hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD?
18Behold, the blood of it was not brought in within the holy place: ye should indeed have eaten it in the holy place, as I commanded.
19And Aaron said unto Moses, Behold, this day have they offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD; and such things have befallen me: and if I had eaten the sin offering to day, should it have been accepted in the sight of the LORD?
20And when Moses heard that, he was content.