1 Chronicles 24 2

1 Chronicles 24:2 kjv

But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no children: therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest's office.

1 Chronicles 24:2 nkjv

And Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no children; therefore Eleazar and Ithamar ministered as priests.

1 Chronicles 24:2 niv

But Nadab and Abihu died before their father did, and they had no sons; so Eleazar and Ithamar served as the priests.

1 Chronicles 24:2 esv

But Nadab and Abihu died before their father and had no children, so Eleazar and Ithamar became the priests.

1 Chronicles 24:2 nlt

But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and they had no sons. So only Eleazar and Ithamar were left to carry on as priests.

1 Chronicles 24 verses

1 Chronicles 24 2 Meaning

First Chronicles 24:2 states the factual basis for the subsequent division of the priestly courses, clarifying the lineage. It records that Nadab and Abihu, Aaron's elder sons, died prematurely without male heirs. Consequently, their younger brothers, Eleazar and Ithamar, were the ones who legitimately carried on the priestly functions and from whom the priestly lines were descended for service in the tabernacle and later the temple. This verse thus establishes the direct and ordained succession of the high priestly and regular priestly roles through Eleazar and Ithamar.

1 Chronicles 24 2 Context

First Chronicles chapter 24 details David's organizational scheme for the priestly courses, outlining how the descendants of Aaron would serve in the sanctuary. This structure was crucial for orderly worship in the temple that Solomon would build and remained significant through the time of the post-exilic community to whom the Chronicler addressed his work. Verse 2 specifically addresses a genealogical point of great importance for this organizational task: why only Eleazar's and Ithamar's lines are considered. It provides a foundational justification, quickly recounting the fate of Nadab and Abihu. The Chronicler does not elaborate on their sin (recorded in Lev 10) but focuses solely on the result – their death without male succession – which directly impacted the legitimate continuation of the priesthood, streamlining the lineage discussion to follow. Historically, the Aaronide priesthood was the backbone of Israelite worship, and its proper succession was paramount for maintaining the covenant relationship and ritual purity as ordained by God through Moses.

1 Chronicles 24 2 Word Analysis

• But: Hebrew: Waw (וּ). Here, it acts as a disjunctive, introducing a contrast or qualification. It points back implicitly to the expectation of all four sons serving and highlights why only two continued.
• Nadab: Hebrew: נָדָב (Nadav). Meaning "generous" or "willing." Aaron's firstborn son. His name held no inherent evil, yet his actions led to his demise. His premature death is central to understanding priestly lineage.
• and: Hebrew: Waw (וְ). A simple conjunctive, linking the two brothers.
• Abihu: Hebrew: אֲבִיהוּא (Avihu). Meaning "He is my father" or "My Father (is) He." Aaron's second son. Like Nadab, his name was not a predictor of his fate, yet his association with Nadab in disobedience and death profoundly affected the priestly succession.
• died: Hebrew: מֵתוּ (metu). The perfect tense verb, indicating a completed action. It emphasizes the finality of their demise and its definite impact on their inability to continue the line.
• before their father: Hebrew: לִפְנֵי אֲבִיהֶם (lifney avihem). This phrase stresses the tragedy of the event for Aaron and the unusual nature of a father outliving his sons, especially regarding sacred roles. It underscores the severity of divine judgment and its impact on the priestly family. Their death occurred due to "strange fire" offered before the Lord, signifying unauthorized worship and disregard for divine instruction (Lev 10:1-2; Num 3:4).
• and had no sons: Hebrew: וּבָנִים לֹא־הָיָה לָהֶם (u'vanim lo-hayah lahem). This is a crucial phrase. Their lack of male offspring meant their direct line ceased. In ancient Israel, male progeny was vital for continuation of family name, inheritance, and tribal identity. For the priesthood, it sealed their removal from future service.
• therefore: Implied. The logical consequence stemming from their death and lack of sons.
• Eleazar: Hebrew: אֶלְעָזָר (El'azar). Meaning "God has helped." Aaron's third son, who became the chief priest after Aaron (Num 20:28). He played a significant role throughout the wilderness wandering and the conquest of Canaan.
• and: Hebrew: Waw (וְ).
• Ithamar: Hebrew: אִיתָמָר (Itamar). Meaning "Island of Tamarisks" or "land of the date palm." Aaron's fourth son. He oversaw the service of the Tabernacle and continued the priestly line. The subsequent division of priests would mostly allocate groups based on these two remaining lines.
• served as priests: Hebrew: וַיְכַהֲנוּ (vaykahǎnu). The waw-consecutive with the imperfect verb, signifying a subsequent, completed action. It indicates they functioned or officiated as priests, carrying out the sacred duties previously ordained. This confirms their legitimacy and exclusive right to priestly service after the judgment on their elder brothers. This detail is vital for the Chronicler's audience, emphasizing the legitimate succession of the temple servants.

Words-group Analysis:

• But Nadab and Abihu died before their father: This phrase immediately establishes the reason for their exclusion from the priestly roster. The Chronicler avoids recounting the gruesome details of their sin (Leviticus 10), assuming his audience's familiarity with the account. His focus is on the outcome—their untimely death—which is crucial for the administrative purpose of 1 Chronicles 24. It emphasizes the severe consequence of disrespecting God's holy order.
• and had no sons: This confirms the absolute cessation of their lineage from the priesthood. Even if they had died, male heirs might have continued their specific line; but without sons, their priestly line irrevocably ended. This is a divine judgment extending to the family line regarding the sacred office.
• therefore Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests: This completes the explanation of the priestly succession. The "therefore" clarifies the direct logical progression: because the first two were disqualified by death without heirs, the remaining two legitimate sons continued the lineage for the priesthood. This established the two great houses of the priesthood through which the temple courses would be organized. This division ensured that only divinely sanctioned and preserved lines carried on the holy service.

1 Chronicles 24 2 Bonus section

The account of Nadab and Abihu's death (Lev 10) served as a perpetual warning throughout Israel's history about the sanctity of God's worship and the absolute necessity of approaching Him on His terms. This warning directly relates to the Chronicler's intention to educate and reinforce proper worship practices for the returned exiles. The very omission of the details of their sin in 1 Chronicles 24:2 speaks to its well-known infamy within the tradition; the Chronicler assumed his audience knew why "they died." Their fate emphasizes that position and privilege (being Aaron's sons, consecrated priests) did not exempt them from judgment for disobedience to divine instruction. The purity of the priesthood was paramount for maintaining a holy relationship between God and Israel, as priests mediated between the two. This strict standard also foreshadows the perfect and sinless priesthood of Christ (Hebrews 7), who offered Himself as the pure sacrifice once for all.

1 Chronicles 24 2 Commentary

First Chronicles 24:2 serves as a pivotal explanatory verse within the Chronicler's detailed account of the priestly divisions under King David. Far from a mere genealogical aside, it underpins the entire organizational structure that follows. The death of Nadab and Abihu, though only briefly mentioned here, was a foundational event for the Aaronic priesthood. Their sin of offering "unauthorized fire" (Lev 10:1) demonstrated God's absolute demand for holiness, order, and precise obedience in worship. Their lack of male descendants compounded their removal from the priestly office, ensuring their line did not pollute or dilute the sacred charge. The Chronicler, writing for a post-exilic community grappling with rebuilding temple worship and re-establishing national identity, emphasized this truth: priestly service must align with divine decree, not human will or expediency. Thus, Eleazar and Ithamar, who respected the divine boundaries, became the sole patriarchal heads for the priestly divisions. This established an unimpeachable legitimate lineage for temple service, vital for the community's worship and adherence to Mosaic Law. This verse subtly warns against complacency or innovation in religious duties while strongly affirming the importance of legitimate, divinely ordained spiritual authority.