Keraia
Leviticus 10

Leviticus 10:9

Restrictions for Priests · Leviticus 10:8–20
Read Leviticus 10

Translations

Modern
“You and your sons are not to drink wine or strong drink when you enter the Tent of Meeting, or else you will die; this is a permanent statute for the generations to come.
Traditional
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:
Literal
“Wine and strong drink you shall not drink, you and your sons with you, when you go into the Tent of Meeting, and you shall not die. It is a statute forever throughout your generations,
Latin
Vinum, et omne quod inebriare potest, non bibetis tu et filii tui, quando intratis in tabernaculum testimonii, ne moriamini: quia præceptum sempiternum est in generationes vestras:

Original

Hebrew
English
“You and your sons are not to drink wine or strong drink when you enter the Tent of Meeting, or else you will die; this is a permanent statute for the generations to come.

Notes

Leviticus 10:8–10

  • The placement of this instruction suggests that Nadab and Abihu might have been drinking alcohol when they offered the "unauthorized fire" (Leviticus 10:1). Priests should not drink anything that could impair their judgment before serving in the tabernacle.

  • the Lord said to Aaron: Previously, God communicated only with Moses, but now he accepted Aaron as the people's representative and spoke directly to him.

  • The word common means "secular" or "ordinary."

  • clean and the unclean: See Leviticus 7:19–21; 11:1–15:33.

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.

Glossary

Aaron Biblical Concept of Law Deuteronomy, Book of Dietary Laws History of Israel Leviticus, Book of Nadab Priests and Levites Strong Drink Wine

Topics

Christian Minister: Character and Attributes of Christian Minister: Duties of Holiness: General Scriptures Concerning Ministers: should be Sober, Just, and Temperate Priests: Special Laws Respecting: Not to Drink Wine While Attending in the Tabernacle Prohibition: To Priests |On Duty| Total Abstinence: from Intoxicating Beverages Wine: Admonitions Against the Use of Wine: Fermented Wine: Forbidden to Priests While on Duty Wine: Forbidden to the Priests While Engaged in the Tabernacle