Leviticus 10:1

Translations

Modern

Now Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense, and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to His command.

Traditional

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.

Literal

And the sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, each took his firepan, and they put fire in it, and they put incense on it, and they brought near before the face of YHWH strange fire, which He had not commanded them.

Latin

Arreptisque Nadab et Abiu filii Aaron thuribulis, posuerunt ignem, et incensum desuper, offerentes coram Domino ignem alienum: quod eis præceptum non erat.

Original

Hebrew

English

Now Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense, and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to His command.

Notes

Leviticus 10:1

Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu (Exodus 6:23): These were Aaron's oldest sons who had gone with Moses and the seventy elders to Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:1, 9). They also saw the great theophany (appearance of God) there. They died without male children (see also Exodus 28:1; Numbers 3:2–4; 26:60–61; 1 Chronicles 6:3; 24:1–2).
censers: These were fire pans or trays for holding hot coals. They sprinkled incense on them (Exodus 30:34–38; see also Leviticus 16:12–13; 2 Chronicles 26:19; Revelation 8:3–4).
unauthorized fire: The Hebrew phrase ’esh zarah means “strange fire.” This could mean “foreign,” and thus “unauthorized” (see Exodus 30:9) or even “pagan” (as in Psalm 44:20; 81:9).
It seems that Nadab and Abihu used fire from a source not approved by God (Numbers 3:4; 26:61). It could have been even a pagan source. They might have offered incense not prepared according to God's instructions (Exodus 30:34–38). The text does not mention that though. They entered God’s presence in their own way, not his.

Leviticus 10:1–20

A fire was to burn all the time on the bronze altar. Its coals were to be used for burning incense (Leviticus 6:9; 16:12). Nadab and Abihu, perhaps careless because they had been drinking wine (10:8–11), took coals from another place. This broke God’s command, and they died as a result.

Theme notes and profiles

Eleazar Moses Ancient Law Codes God’s Absolute Holiness God’s Instructions The Glory of God Violation of the Sacred

Related verses

Numbers 26:61
…but Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD.
Deuteronomy 12:32
See that you do everything I command you; do not add to it or subtract from it.
Leviticus 16:12
Then he must take a censer full of burning coals from the altar before the LORD, and two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense, and take them inside the veil.
Numbers 16:46
Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer, place fire from the altar in it, and add incense. Go quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, because wrath has come out from the LORD; the plague has begun.”
Exodus 6:23
And Aaron married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
Exodus 24:1
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to the LORD—you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of Israel’s elders—and you are to worship at a distance.
Psalm 141:2
May my prayer be set before You like incense; my uplifted hands, like the evening offering.
Leviticus 22:9
The priests must keep My charge, lest they bear the guilt and die because they profane it. I am the LORD who sanctifies them.
Exodus 24:9
Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel,
Exodus 28:1
“Next, have your brother Aaron brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, to serve Me as priests.
Leviticus 16:1
Now the LORD spoke to Moses after the death of two of Aaron’s sons when they approached the presence of the LORD.
2 Chronicles 26:16–20
But when Uzziah became powerful, his arrogance led to his own destruction. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, for he entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.

Parallels

Numbers 3:1–4

People

Aaron: Moses' brother, first high priest of Israel Abihu: Son of Aaron Nadab: Son of Aaron, consumed by fire for offering incense

Glossary

Aaron Abihu Biblical Concept of Law Deuteronomy, Book of Eleazar History of Israel Incense Leviticus, Book of Mishael Moses Nadab Priests and Levites

Topics

Abihu: Death of Afflictions and Adversities: Resignation in Aaron, at the Death of Nadab and Abihu Altar of Incense: Punishment For: Offering Strange Fire On Burning Incense Censers for Burning Incense Christian Minister: Nadab and Abihu Disobedience to God of Nadab and Abihu, in offering Strange Fire Disobedience to God: Nadab Fire: Sacred: Guilt of Burning Incense Without Incense: Nadab and Abihu Destroyed for offering, with Strange Fire Incense: Offered by Nadab and Abihu in an Unauthorized Manner Incense: Offered in Censers Journey of Israel Through The Desert: To Mount Sinai: Nadab and Abihu Destroyed for offering Strange Fire Judgments: Nadab and Abihu Miracles: Catalogue of The Destruction of Nadab and Abihu Nadab: Son of Aaron: Offers |Strange| (Unauthorized) Fire to God, and is Destroyed Presumption: Nadab and Abihu Resignation: Exemplified Sacrilege: Nadab and Abihu offer |Strange| (Unauthorized) Fire

Leviticus 10:1

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