English Standard Version
Numbers 3:4
4But Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord when they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the lifetime of Aaron their father.
Numbers 3:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord, when they offered strange fire before the Lord, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest’s office in the sight of Aaron their father.
- New International Version (NIV)Nadab and Abihu, however, died before the Lord when they made an offering with unauthorized fire before him in the Desert of Sinai. They had no sons, so Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Nadab and Abihu had died before the Lord when they offered profane fire before the Lord in the Wilderness of Sinai; and they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar ministered as priests in the presence of Aaron their father.
- New Living Translation (NLT)But Nadab and Abihu died in the Lord’s presence in the wilderness of Sinai when they burned before the Lord the wrong kind of fire, different than he had commanded. Since they had no sons, this left only Eleazar and Ithamar to serve as priests with their father, Aaron.
Context of Numbers 3:4
2These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 3These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed priests, whom he ordained to serve as priests. But Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord when they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the lifetime of Aaron their father. 5And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 6"Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him.
Read all of Numbers 3Numbers 3:4 word by word
וַיָּ֣מָת נָדָ֣ב וַאֲבִיה֣וּא לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֡ה בְּֽהַקְרִבָם֩ אֵ֨שׁ זָרָ֜ה לִפְנֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ בְּמִדְבַּ֣ר סִינַ֔י וּבָנִ֖ים לֹא־הָי֣וּ לָהֶ֑ם וַיְכַהֵ֤ן אֶלְעָזָר֙ וְאִ֣יתָמָ֔ר עַל־פְּנֵ֖י אַהֲרֹ֥ן אֲבִיהֶֽם׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Nadabנָדָבnâdâb · NadabH5070
- and Abihuאֲבִיהוּא'ăbîyhû' · AbihuH30
- diedמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- when they offeredקָרַבqârab · to present: bringH7126
- strangeזוּרzûr · be a strangerH2114
- fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
- in the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
- of Sinaiסִינַיsîynay · (Wilderness of) SinaiH5514
- and they had no childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- and Eleazarאֶלְעָזָר'el‛âzâr · EleazarH499
- and Ithamarאִיתָמָר'îythâmâr · IthamarH385
- ministered in the priest’s officeכָּהַןkâhan · to ministerH3547
- of Aaronאַהֲרֹן'ahărôn · AaronH175
- their fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
Cross-references for Numbers 3:4
Commentaries on Numbers 3:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Nadab and Abihu died - See the notes on Leviticus 10 (note).Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4The deaths of Nadab and Abihu (see Leviticus 10:1–2) showed the need to protect the holiness of the sanctuary and to strictly obey God's instructions (Numbers 26:61; Leviticus 16:1; 1 Chronicles 24:2; compare Acts 5:1–11; 1 Corinthians 10:6–11; 11:29–30). Eleazar and Ithamar: See “Eleazar” Profile.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-42-4. And these are the names of the sons of Aaron--All the sons of Aaron, four in number, were consecrated to minister in the priest's office. The two oldest enjoyed but a brief term of office (Le 10:1, 2; Nu 3:4; 26:61); but Eleazar and Ithamar, the other two, were dutiful, and performed the sacred service during the lifetime of their father, as his assistants, and under his superintendence.Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 3:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Numbers 3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries