1 And 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.
2 And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.
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.
4 And 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.
5 So they went near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp; as Moses had said.
6 And 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.
7 And 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.
8 And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying,
9 Do 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:
10 And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;
11 And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.
12 And 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:
13 And 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.
14 And 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.
15 The 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.
16 And 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,
17 Wherefore 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?
18 Behold, 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.
19 And 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?
20 And when Moses heard that, he was content.
Leviticus is the third book of the Old Testament and it primarily deals with the laws and regulations given by God to the Israelites through Moses. It is a continuation of the story of the Israelites after their exodus from Egypt and their journey towards the Promised Land. The book of Leviticus is divided into two main sections – the first half deals with laws and regulations for the Israelites to follow, and the second half focuses on the consecration and duties of the priests.
Chapter 10 of Leviticus is a continuation of the instructions given to Aaron and his sons, who were anointed as priests by Moses. This chapter focuses on the consecration and duties of the priests, as well as the consequences of disobeying God’s commands. It also highlights the importance of obedience and reverence towards God in the priestly duties.
The chapter begins with the story of Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, who were also anointed as priests. They offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which was not according to the instructions given by God. As a result, fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, causing their death. This event serves as a warning to the priests and the Israelites about the seriousness of following God’s commands and the consequences of disobedience.
This story also emphasizes the importance of approaching God with reverence and following His commands. Nadab and Abihu’s actions were not only disobedient but also showed a lack of respect for God and His instructions. This serves as a reminder to the priests and the people to always approach God with reverence and obedience.
The rest of the chapter focuses on the duties and responsibilities of the priests in their role as mediators between God and the people. It outlines the specific instructions for the priests regarding eating the holy offerings and maintaining cleanliness while performing their duties.
God gives specific instructions for the priests to not consume any alcohol or strong drink while in the tabernacle, as it may impair their judgment and ability to fulfill their duties. This emphasizes the importance of sobriety and alertness in carrying out their responsibilities as priests.
Furthermore, the priests are instructed to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean. This highlights the need for the priests to be spiritually discerning and to have a deep understanding of God’s laws and commands. They must be able to differentiate between what is holy and what is not, and to guide the people in following God’s instructions.
The priests are also given the responsibility to teach the people the difference between the holy and the common, and to make known to them all the statutes that God has given to Moses. This shows the important role of the priests in not only carrying out their duties but also in teaching and guiding the people in following God’s laws.
The chapter ends with a warning from God about the consequences of disobeying His commands. God reminds the priests that they have been consecrated to Him and should therefore hold themselves to a higher standard of obedience. He warns them that they will bear the iniquity of the people if they fail to follow His instructions, and they will be cut off from their people if they offer unauthorized fire before Him.
This serves as a reminder to the priests and the people that disobeying God’s commands has serious consequences, and they must strive to follow His instructions with reverence and obedience.
Chapter 10 of Leviticus teaches us the importance of obedience, reverence, and holiness in our relationship with God. The death of Nadab and Abihu serves as a warning to us that disobeying God’s commands has serious consequences. It also highlights the significance of approaching God with reverence and following His instructions in our daily lives.
The duties and responsibilities of the priests in this chapter show us the important role they played in guiding the people and maintaining the holiness of the tabernacle. They were not only responsible for carrying out their duties but also for teaching the people the difference between what is holy and what is not.
Furthermore, the instructions given to the priests about abstaining from alcohol and being spiritually discerning remind us that as God’s chosen people, we must strive to maintain a holy lifestyle and not let anything impair our judgment or ability to follow His commands.
The consequences of disobedience in this chapter remind us that God takes His commands seriously and we should not take them lightly. We must strive to follow His instructions and hold ourselves to a higher standard of obedience, as we have been consecrated to Him.
Overall, Leviticus chapter 10 teaches us the importance of obedience, reverence, and holiness in our relationship with God. It serves as a reminder to us to approach God with humility and obedience, and to strive to follow His commands in every aspect of our lives.
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