Leviticus 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27
Lev 10:1
וַיִּקְחוּ בְנֵֽי־אַהֲרֹן נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא אִישׁ מַחְתָּתֹו וַיִּתְּנוּ בָהֵן אֵשׁ וַיָּשִׂימוּ עָלֶיהָ קְטֹרֶת וַיַּקְרִבוּ לִפְנֵי יְהוָה אֵשׁ זָרָה אֲשֶׁר לֹא צִוָּה אֹתָֽם׃
And the sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, each of them, took his firepan and gave in them fire and placed incense on it and presented before YHWH, a fire strange, which He had not commanded them.
Paraphrase: Now after this awesome display of YHWH’s power and holiness, Aaron and his sons (Exodus 24:1, 9–11) were finished with their first day’s service in YHWH’s house. Aaron’s sons were especially filled with exuberance at the mighty display of God’s majesty which they had just witnessed. Nadab and Abihu then decided, on their own initiative, to offer up incense to God as a celebration of God’s power. At first, they had some hesitation about it since on previous occasions, Moses had spelled out for them exactly what they were to do. “Perhaps, we ought to quick check with Moses to be sure this is acceptable,” Abihu suggested.
“That won’t be necessary,” said Nadab, “Moses isn’t the only one around here who is holy (Numbers 16:3) and who hears from YHWH. We can make our own decisions; we’re not children.”
“Shouldn’t we at least use the firepans which Moses consecrated for use in the tabernacle? (Leviticus 8:11)” said Abihu?
“We don’t have time for that,” said Nadab. “Let’s just use our own.” So each of them went got their own firepan, and Nadab brought some fire.
“Wait!” Abihu objected again, “Shouldn’t we take coals from the altar of burnt offering? (Leviticus 16:12) We can’t just take any fire and use it here. Everything used in the tabernacle needs to be consecrated to YHWH.” (Exodus 29:1; )
“Stop standing in the way of a good thing, Abihu,” said Nadab firmly, “There’s nothing wrong with a little of our own creativity in God’s worship.” So the firepans were lit, and incense sprinkled on it.
Abihu, however, had one last objection, “Where did this incense come from and what blend is it? It doesn’t look anything like what Moses taught us. (Exodus 30:34–36)
“Abihu!” shouted Nadab, “Stop being so legalistic! Do you really think God cares what blend of incense we use? Does God need to spell out every detail for us?” (Exodus 30:9)
Then, Abihu fell into line and both men stepped before the altar of burnt offering and relished the sweet smelling smoke which soon filled the air. This, however, was dreadfully offensive to God since both men cared so little for God’s instructions in the matter of His own worship. Furthermore, only Aaron had been authorized to offer incense on the altar and then only in the morning and the evenings. (Exodus 30:7, 8) Their complete disregard for God’s instructions caused the wrath of God to go out against these two men.
Comments:
Milgrom notes that “take” is the opening word of God’s command to Moses (Leviticus 8:2) and Aaron (Leviticus 9:2) in the previous chapters. Now, we are told that Nadab and Abihu also took but without any authorization from God. Milgrom, Leviticus 1–16, 596.
Lev 10:2
וַתֵּצֵא אֵשׁ מִלִּפְנֵי יְהוָה וַתֹּאכַל אֹותָם וַיָּמֻתוּ לִפְנֵי יְהוָֽה׃
and fire went forth from YHWH and consumed them, and they died before YHWH.
Paraphrase: As a result, YHWH struck both these men with a bolt of blazing fire. Instantly both men died and were burnt to ashes. (Exodus 24:17; Deuteronomy 5:22)
Comments:
Lev 10:3
וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹן הוּא אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר יְהוָה ׀ לֵאמֹר בִּקְרֹבַי אֶקָּדֵשׁ וְעַל־פְּנֵי כָל־הָעָם אֶכָּבֵד וַיִּדֹּם אַהֲרֹֽן׃
and Moses said to Aaron, “This is what YHWH spoke saying, “In those drawing near, I will be sanctified and before all the people, I will be weighty.”” And Aaron was silent.
Paraphrase: The people sat thunderstruck at what had just transpired before their eyes in the tabernacle court. Moses and Aaron rushed forward to see why such a blaze of fire had come down from YHWH. They were horrified to see the unrecognizable bodies of Nadab and Abihu exactly where they had fallen in the courtyard of the tabernacle before the altar of burnt offering with their firepans laying next to them. Slowly, the realization of what had happened came to Moses. “This is what YHWH meant,” he said, “when He told us that He is holy and that He will be treated as such by all those who draw near to Him in worship. By this stroke of judgment, He has given all the nations of Israel a clear sign that He is not to be trifled with and His instructions are to be observed with exact precision.”
Comments:
Milgrom says a קרב is a technical term designating an official who can have access to his sovereign directly, without resorting to an intermediary. Milgrom, Leviticus 1–16, 600.
Lev 10:4
וַיִּקְרָא מֹשֶׁה אֶל־מִֽישָׁאֵל וְאֶל אֶלְצָפָן בְּנֵי עֻזִּיאֵל דֹּד אַהֲרֹן וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם קִרְבוּ שְׂאוּ אֶת־אֲחֵיכֶם מֵאֵת פְּנֵי־הַקֹּדֶשׁ אֶל־מִחוּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃
and Moses called to Mishael and to Elzafan, sons of Uzziel, uncle of Aaron and said to them, “Draw near, carry your brothers from before the sanctuary, to the outside of the camp.
Paraphrase: Then, Moses solemnly ordered Mishael and Elzafan to take up the burnt corpses and to carry them outside the camp and to bury Nadab and Abihu there. (Acts 5:6, 10) Now Mishael and Elzafan were sons of Uzziel who was Aaron’s uncle. (Exodus 6:22)
Comments:
Lev 10:5
וַֽיִּקְרְבוּ וַיִּשָּׂאֻם בְּכֻתֳּנֹתָם אֶל־מִחוּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶה כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר מֹשֶֽׁה׃
And they drew near and carried them in their coats to the outside to the camp just as Moses said.
Paraphrase: Then the two men came forward, gathered up the two men and carried them outside the camp. What a sight it was for all Israel as they watched the charred corpses of these two sons of Aaron, with the burnt strips of their coats still clinging to them, being carried out for burial. All watched in stunned silence as Elzafan and Mishael did as Moses had told them.
Comments:
Lev 10:6
וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹן וּלְאֶלְעָזָר וּלְאִֽיתָמָר ׀ בָּנָיו רָֽאשֵׁיכֶם אַל־תִּפְרָעוּ ׀ וּבִגְדֵיכֶם לֹֽא־תִפְרֹמוּ וְלֹא תָמֻתוּ וְעַל כָּל־הָעֵדָה יִקְצֹף וַאֲחֵיכֶם כָּל־בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל יִבְכּוּ אֶת־הַשְּׂרֵפָה אֲשֶׁר שָׂרַף יְהוָֽה׃
Lev 10:7
וּמִפֶּתַח אֹהֶל מֹועֵד לֹא תֵֽצְאוּ פֶּן־תָּמֻתוּ כִּי־שֶׁמֶן מִשְׁחַת יְהוָה עֲלֵיכֶם וַֽיַּעֲשׂוּ כִּדְבַר מֹשֶֽׁה׃ פ
Lev 10:8 וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹן לֵאמֹֽר׃
Lev 10:9
יַיִן וְשֵׁכָר אַל־תֵּשְׁתְּ ׀ אַתָּה ׀ וּבָנֶיךָ אִתָּךְ בְּבֹאֲכֶם אֶל־אֹהֶל מֹועֵד וְלֹא תָמֻתוּ חֻקַּת עֹולָם לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶֽם׃
Lev 10:10 וּֽלֲהַבְדִּיל בֵּין הַקֹּדֶשׁ וּבֵין הַחֹל וּבֵין הַטָּמֵא וּבֵין הַטָּהֹֽור׃
Lev 10:11 וּלְהֹורֹת אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵת כָּל־הַחֻקִּים אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהוָה אֲלֵיהֶם בְּיַד־מֹשֶֽׁה׃ פ
Lev 10:12 וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹן וְאֶל אֶלְעָזָר וְאֶל־אִיתָמָר ׀ בָּנָיו הַנֹּֽותָרִים קְחוּ אֶת־הַמִּנְחָה הַנֹּותֶרֶת מֵאִשֵּׁי יְהוָה וְאִכְלוּהָ מַצֹּות אֵצֶל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ כִּי קֹדֶשׁ קָֽדָשִׁים הִֽוא׃
Lev 10:13 וַאֲכַלְתֶּם אֹתָהּ בְּמָקֹום קָדֹשׁ כִּי חָקְךָ וְחָק־בָּנֶיךָ הִוא מֵאִשֵּׁי יְהוָה כִּי־כֵן צֻוֵּֽיתִי׃
Lev 10:14 וְאֵת חֲזֵה הַתְּנוּפָה וְאֵת ׀ שֹׁוק הַתְּרוּמָה תֹּֽאכְלוּ בְּמָקֹום טָהֹור אַתָּה וּבָנֶיךָ וּבְנֹתֶיךָ אִתָּךְ כִּֽי־חָקְךָ וְחָק־בָּנֶיךָ נִתְּנוּ מִזִּבְחֵי שַׁלְמֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
Lev 10:15 שֹׁוק הַתְּרוּמָה וַחֲזֵה הַתְּנוּפָה עַל אִשֵּׁי הַחֲלָבִים יָבִיאוּ לְהָנִיף תְּנוּפָה לִפְנֵי יְהוָה וְהָיָה לְךָ וּלְבָנֶיךָ אִתְּךָ לְחָק־עֹולָם כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָֽה׃
Lev 10:16 וְאֵת ׀ שְׂעִיר הַֽחַטָּאת דָּרֹשׁ דָּרַשׁ מֹשֶׁה וְהִנֵּה שֹׂרָף וַיִּקְצֹף עַל־אֶלְעָזָר וְעַל־אִֽיתָמָר בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן הַנֹּותָרִם לֵאמֹֽר׃
Lev 10:17 מַדּוּעַ לֹֽא־אֲכַלְתֶּם אֶת־הַחַטָּאת בִּמְקֹום הַקֹּדֶשׁ כִּי קֹדֶשׁ קָֽדָשִׁים הִוא וְאֹתָהּ ׀ נָתַן לָכֶם לָשֵׂאת אֶת־עֲוֹן הָעֵדָה לְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיהֶם לִפְנֵי יְהוָֽה׃
Lev 10:18 הֵן לֹא־הוּבָא אֶת־דָּמָהּ אֶל־הַקֹּדֶשׁ פְּנִימָה אָכֹול תֹּאכְלוּ אֹתָהּ בַּקֹּדֶשׁ כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוֵּֽיתִי׃
Lev 10:19
וַיְדַבֵּר אַהֲרֹן אֶל־מֹשֶׁה הֵן הַיֹּום הִקְרִיבוּ אֶת־חַטָּאתָם וְאֶת־עֹֽלָתָם לִפְנֵי יְהוָה וַתִּקְרֶאנָה אֹתִי כָּאֵלֶּה וְאָכַלְתִּי חַטָּאת הַיֹּום הַיִּיטַב בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָֽה׃
And Aaron spoke to Moses, “Behold, today they have offered their sin-offering and their burnt-offering before YHWH and things like these have happened to me and I ate the sin-offering today; would it be good in the eyes of YHWH?
Paraphrase: Then Aaron replied, “I understand that typically my sons and I would now eat our portion of the sin offering (Leviticus 6:26), but please consider what has just happened to us. The wrath of God has taken two of my dear sons from my side. My heart is broken with grief; YHWH has brought me down into darkness; His wrath lies heavy upon me; He has brought me down to the lowest pit. (Psalm 88:6, 7) Could I possibly come into His presence and eat my portion of the offering in such a condition? Would this be pleasing to God?
Comments:
Lev 10:20
וַיִּשְׁמַע מֹשֶׁה וַיִּיטַב בְּעֵינָֽיו׃ פ
And Moses heard and it was good in his eyes.
Paraphrase: Then, Moses inquired of God what he should do with Aaron. Then YHWH spoke to Moses, “I am near to those who have a broken heart, and I save such as have a contrite spirit. (Psalm 34:18) Aaron and his sons are excused from eating the sin-offering because of their sorrow. Then Moses was satisfied and told Aaron that God had looked on him in mercy and excused him from this duty.
Comments:
Compare this verse with Moses’ previous instruction to them not to mourn at all. (Leviticus 10:6)