New Living Translation
Leviticus 10:1
1Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu put coals of fire in their incense burners and sprinkled incense over them. In this way, they disobeyed the Lord by burning before him the wrong kind of fire, different than he had commanded.
Leviticus 10:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not.
- New International Version (NIV)Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to his command.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them.
Context of Leviticus 10:1
Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu put coals of fire in their incense burners and sprinkled incense over them. In this way, they disobeyed the Lord by burning before him the wrong kind of fire, different than he had commanded. 2So fire blazed forth from the Lord’s presence and burned them up, and they died there before the Lord. 3Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord meant when he said, ‘I will display my holiness through those who come near me. I will display my glory before all the people.’” And Aaron was silent.
Read all of Leviticus 10Leviticus 10:1 word by word
וַיִּקְח֣וּ בְנֵֽי־אַ֠הֲרֹן נָדָ֨ב וַאֲבִיה֜וּא אִ֣ישׁ מַחְתָּת֗וֹ וַיִּתְּנ֤וּ בָהֵן֙ אֵ֔שׁ וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ עָלֶ֖יהָ קְטֹ֑רֶת וַיַּקְרִ֜בוּ לִפְנֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ אֵ֣שׁ זָרָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹ֦א צִוָּ֖ה אֹתָֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Nadabנָדָבnâdâb · NadabH5070
- and Abihuאֲבִיהוּא'ăbîyhû' · AbihuH30
- the sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of Aaronאַהֲרֹן'ahărôn · AaronH175
- tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- eitherאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- of them his censerמַחְתָּהmachtâh · censerH4289
- and putנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
- fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
- thereinהֵןhên · they(fem.)H2004
- and putשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
- incenseקְטֹ֫רֶתqeţôreth · incenseH7004
- thereon, and offeredקָרַבqârab · to present: bringH7126
- strangeזוּרzûr · be a strangerH2114
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- which he commandedצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
Cross-references for Leviticus 10:1
- Leviticus 16:1The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of Aaron’s two sons, who died after they entered the Lord’s presence and burned the wrong kind of fire before him.
- Leviticus 22:9“The priests must follow my instructions carefully. Otherwise they will be punished for their sin and will die for violating my instructions. I am the Lord who makes them holy.
- Exodus 6:23Aaron married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon, and she gave birth to his sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
- Exodus 24:1Then the Lord instructed Moses: “Come up here to me, and bring along Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of Israel’s elders. All of you must worship from a distance.
- Exodus 28:1“Call for your brother, Aaron, and his sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. Set them apart from the rest of the people of Israel so they may minister to me and be my priests.
- Numbers 3:3These sons of Aaron were anointed and ordained to minister as priests.
- Numbers 26:61But Nadab and Abihu died when they burned before the Lord the wrong kind of fire, different than he had commanded.
- Leviticus 16:12he will fill an incense burner with burning coals from the altar that stands before the Lord. Then he will take two handfuls of fragrant powdered incense and will carry the burner and the incense behind the inner curtain.
- Exodus 27:3Make ash buckets, shovels, basins, meat forks, and firepans, all of bronze.
- Exodus 38:3Then he made all the altar utensils of bronze—the ash buckets, shovels, basins, meat forks, and firepans.
- Numbers 16:6Korah, you and all your followers must prepare your incense burners.
- Hebrews 9:4In that room were a gold incense altar and a wooden chest called the Ark of the Covenant, which was covered with gold on all sides. Inside the Ark were a gold jar containing manna, Aaron’s staff that sprouted leaves, and the stone tablets of the covenant.
- Exodus 30:1“Then make another altar of acacia wood for burning incense.
- Exodus 31:11the anointing oil; the fragrant incense for the Holy Place. The craftsmen must make everything as I have commanded you.”
- Exodus 37:29Then he made the sacred anointing oil and the fragrant incense, using the techniques of a skilled incense maker.
- Exodus 40:27On it he burned the fragrant incense, just as the Lord had commanded him.
Commentaries on Leviticus 10:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1And Nadab and Abihu - took either of them his censer - The manner of burning incense in the temple service was, according to the Jews, as follows: - "One went and gathered the ashes from off the altar into a golden vessel, a second brought a vessel full of incense, and a third brought a censer with fire, and put coals on the altar, and he whose office it was to burn the incense strewed it on the fire at the command of the governor. At the same time all…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Nadab and Abihu - The two elder sons of Aaron Exodus 6:23; Numbers 3:2, who were among those invited to accompany Moses when he was going up Mount Sinai, but who were “to worship afar off,” and not “come near the Lord.” Exodus 24:1-2. Censer - See Exodus 25:38 note. Strange fire - The point of their offence is evidently expressed in this term. This may very probably mean that the incense was lighted at an unauthorized time. And we may reasonably unite…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The sin and death of Nadab and Abihu. (1-2) Aaron and his sons forbidden to mourn for Nadab and Abihu. (3-7) Wine forbidden to the priests when in the service of the tabernacle. (8-11) Of eating the holy things. (12-20) Verses 1-2 Next to Moses and Aaron, none were more likely to be honourable in Israel than Nadab and Abihu. There is reason to think that they were puffed up with pride, and that they were heated with wine. While the people were prostrate…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu (Exodus 6:23): These were Aaron's oldest sons who had gone with Moses and the seventy elders to Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:1, 9). They also saw the great theophany (appearance of God) there. They died without male children (see also Exodus 28:1; Numbers 3:2–4; 26:60–61; 1 Chronicles 6:3; 24:1–2). censers: These were fire pans or trays for holding hot coals. They sprinkled incense on them (Exodus 30:34–38; see also Leviticus…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-201. the sons of Aaron, &c.--If this incident occurred at the solemn period of the consecrating and dedicating the altar, these young men assumed an office which had been committed to Moses; or if it were some time after, it was an encroachment on duties which devolved on their father alone as the high priest. But the offense was of a far more aggravated nature than such a mere informality would imply. It consisted not only in their venturing unauthorized…Read the comment
Topics related to Leviticus 10:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Leviticus 10
- 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
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries