Leviticus 10
Leviticus 10 records the judgment on Nadab and Abihu, Aaron’s sons, after they offer unauthorized fire before the LORD. The chapter then gives instructions to the remaining priests and addresses a later issue concerning the sin offering. It strongly emphasizes that those who serve near God must treat His holiness with seriousness and obedience.
1verseNadab 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 the LORD, which he had not commanded them.
2verseFire came out from before the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.
3verseThen Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD 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.
4verseMoses 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.”
5verseSo they came near, and carried them in their tunics out of the camp, as Moses had said.
6verseMoses 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 the LORD has kindled.
7verseYou shall not go out from the door of the Tent of Meeting, lest you die; for the anointing oil of the LORD is on you.” They did according to the word of Moses.
8verseThen the LORD said to Aaron,
9verse“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.
10verseYou are to make a distinction between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean.
11verseYou are to teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD has spoken to them by Moses.”
12verseMoses spoke to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons who were left, “Take the meal offering that remains of the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and eat it without yeast beside the altar; for it is most holy;
13verseand you shall eat it in a holy place, because it is your portion, and your sons’ portion, of the offerings of the LORD made by fire; for so I am commanded.
14verseThe 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.
15verseThey 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 the LORD. It shall be yours, and your sons’ with you, as a portion forever, as the LORD has commanded.”
16verseMoses 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,
17verse“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 the LORD?
18verseBehold, its blood was not brought into the inner part of the sanctuary. You certainly should have eaten it in the sanctuary, as I commanded.”
19verseAaron spoke to Moses, “Behold, today they have offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD; and such things as these have happened to me. If I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been pleasing in the LORD’s sight?”
20verseWhen Moses heard that, it was pleasing in his sight.
The Incident of Nadab and Abihu
Nadab and Abihu are consumed by fire from the LORD because they offer fire that God had not commanded. The text does not present worship as something priests may define for themselves. Rather, it shows that drawing near to the holy God requires obedience to His revealed will.
Commands Given to the Priests
- After the deaths of Nadab and Abihu, Aaron and his remaining sons are told not to abandon their priestly duty or publicly mourn in the ordinary way.
- Priests are forbidden to drink wine or strong drink when entering the Tent of Meeting, so that they can distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the clean and the unclean.
- The priests are also responsible for teaching Israel the statutes that the LORD gave through Moses.
Concerning the Priest’s Portion of the Offerings
The chapter also explains which portions of the offerings belong to the priests and how they are to be eaten. When Moses discovers that the goat of the sin offering has been burned rather than eaten, Aaron explains the situation in light of the tragedy that has just occurred, and Moses accepts his explanation. This section shows both the seriousness of ritual obedience and the pastoral weight of grief before God.
Reflection Points
- When I draw near to God, am I following His Word rather than my own preferences or habits?
- In worship, service, and everyday choices, do I treat holiness as something weighty?
- When I fail or face painful circumstances, do I come honestly before God rather than hiding behind outward form?
Try Applying It to Yourself
- Take time to examine whether there are areas where I have become casual about God’s holiness.
- Before making decisions, ask whether my motives and attitudes fit the standard of God’s Word.
- Consider how my conduct affects the people around me, especially if I hold a role of influence or service.
