Bible Gateway passage: Leviticus 10 - New International Version (2024)

The Death of Nadab and Abihu

10Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu^(A) took their censers,^(B) put fire in them^(C) and added incense;^(D) and they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord,^(E) contrary to his command.^{(F) 2}So fire came out^(G) from the presence of the Lord and consumed them,^(H) and they died before the Lord.^{(I) 3}Moses then said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke of when he said:

“‘Among those who approach me^(J)
I will be proved holy;^(K)
in the sight of all the people
I will be honored.^(L)’”

Aaron remained silent.

⁴Moses summoned Mishael and Elzaphan,^(M) sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel,^(N) and said to them, “Come here; carry your cousins outside the camp,^(O) away from the front of the sanctuary.^(P)” ⁵So they came and carried them, still in their tunics,^(Q) outside the camp, as Moses ordered.

⁶Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar,^(R) “Do not let your hair become unkempt^[a](S) and do not tear your clothes,^(T) or you will die and the Lord will be angry with the whole community.^(U) But your relatives, all the Israelites, may mourn^(V) for those the Lord has destroyed by fire. ⁷Do not leave the entrance to the tent of meeting^(W) or you will die, because the Lord’s anointing oil^(X) is on you.” So they did as Moses said.

⁸Then the Lord said to Aaron, ⁹“You and your sons are not to drink wine^(Y) or other fermented drink^(Z) whenever you go into the tent of meeting, or you will die. This is a lasting ordinance^(AA) for the generations to come, ¹⁰so that you can distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean,^{(AB) 11}and so you can teach^(AC) the Israelites all the decrees the Lord has given them through Moses.^(AD)”

¹²Moses said to Aaron and his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, “Take the grain offering^(AE) left over from the food offerings prepared without yeast and presented to the Lord and eat it beside the altar,^(AF) for it is most holy. ¹³Eat it in the sanctuary area,^(AG) because it is your share and your sons’ share of the food offerings presented to the Lord; for so I have been commanded.^{(AH) 14}But you and your sons and your daughters may eat the breast^(AI) that was waved and the thigh that was presented. Eat them in a ceremonially clean place;^(AJ) they have been given to you and your children as your share of the Israelites’ fellowship offerings. ¹⁵The thigh^(AK) that was presented and the breast that was waved must be brought with the fat portions of the food offerings, to be waved before the Lord as a wave offering.^(AL) This will be the perpetual share for you and your children, as the Lord has commanded.”

¹⁶When Moses inquired about the goat of the sin offering^[b](AM) and found that it had been burned up, he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s remaining sons, and asked, ¹⁷“Why didn’t you eat the sin offering^(AN) in the sanctuary area? It is most holy; it was given to you to take away the guilt^(AO) of the community by making atonement for them before the Lord. ¹⁸Since its blood was not taken into the Holy Place,^(AP) you should have eaten the goat in the sanctuary area, as I commanded.^(AQ)”

¹⁹Aaron replied to Moses, “Today they sacrificed their sin offering and their burnt offering^(AR) before the Lord, but such things as this have happened to me. Would the Lord have been pleased if I had eaten the sin offering today?” ²⁰When Moses heard this, he was satisfied.

Footnotes

1. Leviticus 10:6 Or Do not uncover your heads
2. Leviticus 10:16 Or purification offering; also in verses 17 and 19

Cross references

1. Leviticus 10:1 : Ex 6:23; 24:1; 28:1; Nu 3:2-4; 26:61; 1Ch 6:3
2. Leviticus 10:1 : Nu 16:46; 1Ki 7:50; 2Ki 25:15; 2Ch 4:22; Jer 52:19; Eze 8:11
3. Leviticus 10:1 : Lev 16:12; Nu 16:7, 18; Isa 6:6
4. Leviticus 10:1 : S Ex 30:9
5. Leviticus 10:1 : ver 2; Lev 16:1
6. Leviticus 10:1 : Ex 30:9
7. Leviticus 10:2 : Ps 106:18
8. Leviticus 10:2 : Nu 11:1; 16:35; Ps 2:12; 50:3; Isa 29:6
9. Leviticus 10:2 : S Ge 19:24; S 38:7; Nu 16:35; 1Ch 24:2; Job 1:16
10. Leviticus 10:3 : Ex 19:22
11. Leviticus 10:3 : Ex 30:29; Lev 21:6; 22:32; Nu 16:5; 20:13; Isa 5:16; Eze 28:22; 38:16
12. Leviticus 10:3 : Ex 14:4; Isa 44:23; 49:3; 55:5; 60:21
13. Leviticus 10:4 : S Ex 6:22
14. Leviticus 10:4 : Ex 6:18
15. Leviticus 10:4 : Ac 5:6, 9, 10
16. Leviticus 10:4 : S Ex 25:8
17. Leviticus 10:5 : S Lev 8:13
18. Leviticus 10:6 : S Ex 6:23
19. Leviticus 10:6 : Lev 13:45; 21:10; Nu 5:18
20. Leviticus 10:6 : Jer 41:5; S Mk 14:63
21. Leviticus 10:6 : Nu 1:53; 16:22; Jos 7:1; 22:18
22. Leviticus 10:6 : Ge 50:3, 10; Nu 20:29; 1Sa 25:1
23. Leviticus 10:7 : S Ex 25:8
24. Leviticus 10:7 : S Ex 28:41
25. Leviticus 10:9 : Ge 9:21; Ex 29:40; Lev 23:13; Nu 15:5; Dt 28:39; Isa 5:22; 22:13; 28:1; 29:9; 56:12; Jer 35:6; Hos 4:11; Hab 2:15-16
26. Leviticus 10:9 : Nu 6:3; 28:7; Dt 14:26; 29:6; Jdg 13:4; Pr 20:1; 23:29-35; 31:4-7; Isa 28:7; Eze 44:21; Mic 2:11; Lk 1:15; S Eph 5:18; 1Ti 3:3; Tit 1:7
27. Leviticus 10:9 : S Ex 12:14
28. Leviticus 10:10 : S Ge 7:2; S Lev 6:27; 14:57; 20:25; Eze 22:26
29. Leviticus 10:11 : 2Ch 15:3; 17:7; Ezr 7:25; Ne 8:7; Mal 2:7
30. Leviticus 10:11 : Dt 17:10, 11; 24:8; 25:1; 33:10; Pr 4:27; Hag 2:11; Mal 2:7
31. Leviticus 10:12 : S Ex 29:41
32. Leviticus 10:12 : Lev 6:14-18
33. Leviticus 10:13 : S Lev 6:16
34. Leviticus 10:13 : Eze 42:13
35. Leviticus 10:14 : Nu 5:9
36. Leviticus 10:14 : S Ex 29:31; S Lev 4:12
37. Leviticus 10:15 : S Lev 7:34
38. Leviticus 10:15 : S Ex 29:28
39. Leviticus 10:16 : S Lev 9:3
40. Leviticus 10:17 : Lev 6:24-30; Eze 42:13
41. Leviticus 10:17 : S Ex 28:38
42. Leviticus 10:18 : S Lev 4:18; 6:26
43. Leviticus 10:18 : S Lev 6:17
44. Leviticus 10:19 : Lev 9:12