Leviticus 10 1

Leviticus 10:1 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.

Leviticus 10:1 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.

Leviticus 10:1 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.

Leviticus 10:1 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.

Leviticus 10:1 nlt

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.

Leviticus 10 verses

Leviticus 10 1 Meaning

Leviticus 10:1 describes a solemn incident involving Nadab and Abihu, the elder sons of Aaron, who, immediately following the divine inauguration of the priestly service and the Tabernacle, presented an unauthorized offering before the Lord. They brought "strange fire"—fire not commanded or prescribed by God—onto their censers with incense. This act of irreverence and disobedience resulted in their immediate divine judgment, where fire from the Lord consumed them, emphasizing the absolute holiness of God and the strict requirements for approaching Him in worship.

Leviticus 10 1 Context

Leviticus chapter 10 immediately follows the joyous culmination of the seven-day ordination ceremony for Aaron and his sons as priests, as detailed in chapters 8 and 9. This ceremony established them as intermediaries between God and Israel, with Aaron performing the first atoning sacrifices sanctioned by God. Chapter 9 ends with God's miraculous acceptance of the sacrifices, as fire from the Lord consumed the burnt offering and fat on the altar (Lev. 9:24), signaling divine approval and presence. The entire assembly witnessed this and responded with worship. Against this backdrop of divine holiness and specific, divinely ordained procedures, Nadab and Abihu's actions in 10:1 are a shocking and immediate breach. Their sin occurred in the nascent stage of the Tabernacle service, emphasizing that strict adherence to God's commands was paramount from the very beginning. Historically, it set a crucial precedent for all future priestly service, highlighting God's zero-tolerance policy for unauthorized worship and reinforcing His transcendence over human ingenuity or presumption.

Leviticus 10 1 Word Analysis

• Nadab and Abihu: The eldest sons of Aaron. Their high position and recent consecration brought a greater responsibility and thus a more severe judgment for their transgression (Lev. 8-9). Their status highlights that privilege does not excuse disobedience; rather, it amplifies accountability.
• sons of Aaron: Denotes their inherited priestly lineage. As members of the newly consecrated priesthood, they had unparalleled access to the sacred spaces, underscoring the severity of misusing such a holy privilege.
• took their censers: Maḥtah (מַחְתָּה) in Hebrew, referring to bronze or copper pans used for carrying coals and burning incense. These were part of the sacred instruments of the Tabernacle (Ex. 27:3). Their use implies a deliberate act, not an accident.
• put fire in them: While the action of putting fire was commanded, the problem lies with the source of the fire. The commanded fire for the incense was perpetual, coming from the main altar where God's own fire had descended (Lev. 6:12-13, 9:24).
• put incense on them: Incense (qetoreth, קְטֹרֶת) itself was commanded (Ex. 30:7-8) as part of the daily Tabernacle ritual. Its burning symbolized the prayers of the saints (Rev. 8:3-4). The issue was not the incense itself, but how it was offered.
• offered strange fire: This is the crux of their sin. The Hebrew phrase is 'esh zarah' (אֵשׁ זָרָה).
  • 'esh (אֵשׁ): "fire."
  • zarah (זָרָה): "foreign," "alien," "unauthorized," "unholy," "different from that commanded." It implies fire that was not divinely consecrated or sanctioned for use in the Tabernacle worship. It could have been ordinary fire, fire from another source, or even fire initiated with their own human will rather than strict divine protocol. It points to anything that deviated from God's precise instructions for holy service.
• before the LORD: Implies a direct affront to God's holiness and authority, performed in His sacred presence. This emphasizes the immediate and public nature of their sin and judgment, making it a powerful deterrent for others.
• which he had not commanded them: This negative command is critically important. It defines "strange fire." The absence of a command is as binding as a specific prohibition when it comes to divine worship. God expects precise obedience, not human innovation or self-will, especially in approaching Him. This phrase underscores that worship must be solely on God's terms, not man's.

Words-group analysis:

• Nadab and Abihu... offered strange fire before the LORD: This whole phrase encapsulates the audacity and consequence. It was a direct challenge to divine authority, carried out by those most privileged, in the most sacred space, concerning the most holy act of worship, leading to immediate judgment. Their sin wasn't just 'different'; it was 'unauthorized', indicating a presumptuous independence from God's instructions.
• ...which He had not commanded them: This clause defines the nature of their transgression as one of human innovation and disobedience rather than adherence to divine precept. It establishes a fundamental principle: anything not explicitly authorized by God for worship is, by implication, forbidden, because worship must be entirely a response to God's revelation.

Leviticus 10 1 Bonus Section

The severe judgment on Nadab and Abihu, particularly following such a moment of divine favor (Lev. 9:24), served multiple purposes:

• Set a Standard: It immediately established the non-negotiable sanctity of divine worship and priestly duties from the very beginning of the Tabernacle service, ensuring reverence and compliance.
• Averted Greater Apostasy: Had their presumption gone unchecked, it could have opened the floodgates to endless human innovations in worship, ultimately corrupting the entire sacrificial system and the covenant relationship.
• Teaching through Consequence: It profoundly impacted Aaron and the remaining priests, deeply embedding the principle of holiness and strict obedience in their ministry (Lev. 10:3-7).
• Contrast with Paganism: This event indirectly stands in stark contrast to surrounding pagan worship practices where deities were approached on human terms, often with uncontrolled zeal or even depravity. The God of Israel demands worship on His precise terms, revealing His unique and holy nature.
• Emphasis on Divine Source: The "fire from the Lord" that consumes the disobedient mirrors the "fire from the Lord" that confirmed Aaron's initial obedient sacrifice, dramatically demonstrating that the source of holiness, blessing, and judgment alike rests solely with God.

Leviticus 10 1 Commentary

Leviticus 10:1 is a chilling account immediately following the Tabernacle's inauguration, underscoring the non-negotiable sanctity of God and the worship He demands. Nadab and Abihu, newly consecrated priests, erred not by doing something inherently evil in common terms, but by innovating in the sacred space. Their "strange fire" was fire that did not originate from the sacred altar, which had itself been kindled by divine fire (Lev. 9:24). The text specifies "which He had not commanded them," highlighting that mere lack of prohibition does not grant permission in divine worship; rather, strict adherence to God's positive commands is required. Their sin was an act of presumption and self-will, treating holy things casually or trying to improve upon God's perfect instructions. This act of disobedience violated God's holiness and challenged His authority, necessitating immediate and severe judgment by fire from the Lord Himself. This established a critical precedent for all future priesthood: access to God's presence, particularly in corporate worship, is strictly conditional on obedience and reverence, reinforcing the truth that God is to be approached on His terms alone.