Leviticus 10: Nadab and Abihu, and the rules for the priests
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu offer strange fire before Yahweh, which he had not commanded, and fire comes out from before Yahweh and they die. Moses tells Aaron and his other sons not to let their hair hang loose or tear their clothes, and not to leave the Tent of Meeting, and Yahweh tells Aaron that he and his sons must not drink wine or strong drink when they go into the tent. Moses is angry that the goat of the sin offering was burned and not eaten, and Aaron answers him.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. God's own words are in 3 of the 20 verses: what Yahweh says to Aaron in verses 9 to 11. In verse 3 Moses repeats something Yahweh said; those are Moses' words, so they are not in gold. Moses also speaks in verses 4, 6, 7, 12 to 15, 17 and 18, and Aaron answers him in verse 19. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer, and put fire in it, and laid incense on it, and offered strange fire before Yahweh, which he had not commanded them.
In plain English: Nadab and Abihu, Aaron's sons, each took his censer (fire pan), put fire in it, and laid incense on it. They offered strange (or: unauthorized) fire before Yahweh, which he had not commanded them.
The Hebrew words: "Strange fire" is esh zarah. The dictionary gives zur as to turn aside, and so to be foreign, strange, or profane.
How it is translated: This Bible says "strange", "stranger" or "strangers" in 58 of the 76 verses that use the word. Some other Bibles say "unauthorized fire".
What changes: Read as "unauthorized", the wrong is fire Yahweh had not asked for, as the verse goes on to say: "which he had not commanded them".
Good to know: The text does not say more about what made the fire wrong, and readers have suggested different things. repeats that they offered strange fire before Yahweh, and adds that they had no children.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
2Fire came out from before Yahweh, and devoured them, and they died before Yahweh.
In plain English: Fire came out from before Yahweh and burned them up (literally: ate them), and they died before Yahweh.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
3Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what Yahweh spoke of, saying, ‘I will show myself holy to those who come near me, and before all the people I will be glorified.’” Aaron held his peace.
In plain English: Then Moses said to Aaron, "This is what Yahweh spoke of when he said, 'I will show myself holy to (or: among) those who come near me, and before all the people I will be honored (or: glorified).'" Aaron was silent.
Good to know: Moses does not say when Yahweh spoke these words. They are Moses' words passing on what Yahweh said, so they are not in gold.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
4Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, “Draw near, carry your brothers from before the sanctuary out of the camp.”
In plain English: Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Aaron's uncle Uzziel, and said to them, "Come near, and carry your brothers (or: relatives) away from the front of the sanctuary, out of the camp."
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
5So they came near, and carried them in their tunics out of the camp, as Moses had said.
In plain English: So they came near and carried them in their tunics out of the camp, as Moses had said.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
6Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons, “Don’t let the hair of your heads go loose, and don’t tear your clothes, so that you don’t die, and so that he will not be angry with all the congregation; but let your brothers, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which Yahweh has kindled.
In plain English: Moses said to Aaron and to his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, "Do not let the hair of your heads hang loose (or: do not uncover your heads), and do not tear your clothes, so that you do not die and so that he is not angry with the whole community. But let your brothers, the whole house of Israel, weep over the burning that Yahweh has kindled.
The Hebrew word: "Go loose" is para, which the dictionary gives as "to loosen; by implication, to expose".
Good to know: The verse sets this against weeping: the rest of Israel is to weep for the dead, but Aaron and his sons are not to let their hair hang loose or tear their clothes. gives the same rule for the high priest.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
7You shall not go out from the door of the Tent of Meeting, lest you die; for the anointing oil of Yahweh is on you.” They did according to the word of Moses.
In plain English: Do not go out from the door of the Tent of Meeting, or you will die, because Yahweh's anointing oil is on you." They did as Moses said.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
8Then Yahweh said to Aaron,
In plain English: Then Yahweh said to Aaron,
Good to know: This is the only verse in Leviticus that says Yahweh spoke to Aaron alone, without Moses. The text does not say whether the rule about wine is linked to what happened to Nadab and Abihu.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
9“You and your sons are not to drink wine or strong drink whenever you go into the Tent of Meeting, or you will die. This shall be a statute forever throughout your generations.God speaks
In plain English: "You and your sons are not to drink wine or strong drink when you go into the Tent of Meeting, or you will die. This is a rule forever, for all your generations.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
10You are to make a distinction between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean.God speaks
In plain English: You are to tell apart (or: separate) the holy and the common, and the unclean and the clean.
The Hebrew words: "Unclean" is tame and "clean" is tahor. The dictionary gives tame as "foul in a religious sense" and tahor as "pure". "Common" is chol: what is not set apart as holy.
How it is translated: This Bible says "unclean" in 76 of the 78 verses that use tame. For tahor it says "clean" in 45 of 86 verses and "pure" in 39.
Good to know: In Leviticus, clean and unclean are a state that decides whether a person or thing may come near what is holy (see ). The words are not about dirt, and being unclean is not the same as sinning: much of it comes from ordinary life, such as giving birth (chapter 12). Chapters 11 to 15 set out what makes someone unclean and how they become clean again.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
11You are to teach the children of Israel all the statutes which Yahweh has spoken to them by Moses.”God speaks
In plain English: You are to teach the Israelites all the rules that Yahweh has spoken to them through Moses (literally: by the hand of Moses)."
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
12Moses spoke to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons who were left, “Take the meal offering that remains of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire, and eat it without yeast beside the altar; for it is most holy;
In plain English: Moses spoke to Aaron and to his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar: "Take the meal offering that is left of Yahweh's offerings made by fire, and eat it without yeast beside the altar, because it is most holy.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
13and you shall eat it in a holy place, because it is your portion, and your sons’ portion, of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire; for so I am commanded.
In plain English: Eat it in a holy place, because it is your share and your sons' share of Yahweh's offerings made by fire. For that is what I have been commanded.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
14The waved breast and the heaved thigh you shall eat in a clean place, you, and your sons, and your daughters with you: for they are given as your portion, and your sons’ portion, out of the sacrifices of the peace offerings of the children of Israel.
In plain English: The breast that was waved and the thigh that was lifted up (or: set aside as a gift) you are to eat in a clean place, you and your sons and your daughters with you. They are given as your share and your sons' share from the peace offerings of the Israelites.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
15They shall bring the heaved thigh and the waved breast with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before Yahweh. It shall be yours, and your sons’ with you, as a portion forever, as Yahweh has commanded.”
In plain English: They are to bring the thigh that is lifted up and the breast that is waved, with the fat of the offerings made by fire, to wave it as a wave offering before Yahweh. It will be yours and your sons' with you, as a share forever, as Yahweh has commanded."
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
16Moses diligently inquired about the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burned. He was angry with Eleazar and with Ithamar, the sons of Aaron who were left, saying,
In plain English: Moses searched carefully (literally: searching, he searched) for the goat of the sin offering, and found that it had been burned. He was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's remaining sons, and said,
The Hebrew words: "Diligently inquired" repeats the verb in Hebrew: darosh darash, "searching, he searched".
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
17“Why haven’t you eaten the sin offering in the place of the sanctuary, since it is most holy, and he has given it to you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before Yahweh?
In plain English: "Why have you not eaten the sin offering in the holy place? It is most holy, and he gave it to you to carry the guilt (or: the wrongdoing) of the community, to make atonement for them before Yahweh.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
18Behold, its blood was not brought into the inner part of the sanctuary. You certainly should have eaten it in the sanctuary, as I commanded.”
In plain English: Look, its blood was not brought into the inner part of the sanctuary. You certainly should have eaten it in the sanctuary, as I commanded."
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
19Aaron spoke to Moses, “Behold, today they have offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before Yahweh; and such things as these have happened to me. If I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been pleasing in Yahweh’s sight?”
In plain English: Aaron said to Moses, "Look, today they offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before Yahweh, and things like these have happened to me. If I had eaten the sin offering today, would that have been pleasing to Yahweh (literally: good in Yahweh's eyes)?"
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
20When Moses heard that, it was pleasing in his sight.
In plain English: When Moses heard that, he was satisfied (literally: it was good in his eyes).
Good to know: The text does not explain Aaron's answer any further. It says only that Moses was satisfied with it.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.