Leviticus 10 18

Leviticus 10:18 kjv

Behold, the blood of it was not brought in within the holy place: ye should indeed have eaten it in the holy place, as I commanded.

Leviticus 10:18 nkjv

See! Its blood was not brought inside the holy place; indeed you should have eaten it in a holy place, as I commanded."

Leviticus 10:18 niv

Since its blood was not taken into the Holy Place, you should have eaten the goat in the sanctuary area, as I commanded."

Leviticus 10:18 esv

Behold, its blood was not brought into the inner part of the sanctuary. You certainly ought to have eaten it in the sanctuary, as I commanded."

Leviticus 10:18 nlt

Since the animal's blood was not brought into the Holy Place, you should have eaten the meat in the sacred area as I ordered you."

Leviticus 10 verses

Leviticus 10 18 Meaning

Leviticus 10:18 states Moses' inquiry to Aaron and his surviving sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, asking why they failed to eat the meat of the sin offering, specifically the goat that had its blood brought into the Holy Place. Moses reminded them that such offerings are most holy and were given to the priests to symbolically "bear the iniquity" of the congregation and to make atonement for them before the LORD. This questioning arises in the context of Nadab and Abihu's death for offering unauthorized fire, heightening the urgency for strict adherence to God's commands regarding offerings and priestly conduct.

Leviticus 10 18 Context

Leviticus chapter 10 occurs immediately after the consecration of Aaron and his sons as priests and the inauguration of the Tabernacle sacrifices (Lev 8-9). It is a pivotal and somber moment, marked by the tragic death of Nadab and Abihu, two of Aaron's sons, for offering "unauthorized fire" (Lev 10:1). This incident profoundly underscores the absolute holiness of God and the necessity of strict adherence to His commands concerning worship and priestly duties. Following their death, Moses issues precise instructions to Aaron and his remaining sons regarding mourning, sacred eating, and offering procedures. Verses 16-20 describe Moses’ scrutiny of their handling of the sin offering. The blood of the "goat of the sin offering" (Lev 10:16) was not brought into the holy place; this was the people's sin offering for that specific inauguration day. The issue in verse 18 is why the goat (which, by their confession in Lev 10:19, had been part of their offering, though possibly representing the congregation’s sin offering) was burned when it was not one of those sin offerings whose blood was explicitly brought into the Tabernacle proper, a detail that normally permitted its consumption by the priests. Aaron's answer in the subsequent verses clarifies his understanding of their diminished ritual purity due to the recent tragedy and his sons' death, leading him to believe they were unfit to eat the most holy sacrifice in such a defiled state.

Word Analysis

• וּמַדּוּעַ (u-maddūa‘) – "Why?" / "And why?": This interrogative highlights Moses' direct and challenging question, indicating a perceived deviation from the commanded ritual procedure. It reflects his immediate concern for doctrinal purity and the integrity of worship, especially given the recent tragic consequence of divine displeasure.
• הַשָּׂעִיר (haś-śā‘îr) – "the goat" / "the male goat": Refers specifically to the animal designated for the sin offering. The definite article "ha-" indicates it's a specific goat, previously mentioned in Lev 9:3, 15 as part of the people's inauguration offerings.
• הַחַטָּאת (haḥ·ḥaṭ·ṭāṯ) – "the sin offering": From the root חטא (ḥāṭā’), meaning "to miss the mark," "to sin." The "sin offering" was a type of sacrifice primarily concerned with expiation or atonement for specific sins (unintentional transgressions, ritual impurities) and for cleansing of consecrated objects/places. This specific offering served as the people's atonement.
• לֹא אֲכַלְתֶּם אֹתוֹ (lō’ ’ăḵal·tem ’ō·ṯōw) – "you did not eat it": This is the core of Moses' question. Under specific laws for sin offerings, priests were commanded to eat the flesh of most sin offerings in the holy place (Lev 6:26), as it represented "bearing" the people's iniquity. The non-consumption was an unexpected deviation.
• בַּקֹּדֶשׁ (baq·qō·ḏeš) – "in the Holy Place": Refers to the sacred area within the Tabernacle, distinct from the Most Holy Place. Eating certain offerings here emphasized the priests' sacred duty and intimate connection to God's presence, signifying their part in the atonement process.
• כִּי־קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים הוּא (kî-qō·ḏeš qā·ḏā·šîm hū’) – "for it is most holy": Literally "a holy of holies" or "a holiness of holinesses." This phrase denotes the highest degree of sanctity. Only certain sacrifices or consecrated objects were given this designation. Offerings of this type usually had very strict rules regarding their handling, consumption, and location. For certain most holy sin offerings, particularly those whose blood was brought into the innermost parts of the sanctuary for atonement, the flesh was not to be eaten by the priests but was to be burned outside the camp (Lev 6:30). Moses is reminding them of this principle as he understands the law.
• וְאֹתוֹ נָתַן לָכֶם (wə’ō·ṯōw nā·ṯan lā·ḵem) – "and He has given it to you": Emphasizes the divine origin and authoritative command behind the law. God Himself has allocated these most holy things as a privilege and responsibility to the priests.
• לָשֵׂאת אֶת־עֲוֹן הָעֵדָה (lā·śêṯ ’eṯ-‘ă·wōn hā·‘ê·ḏāh) – "to bear the iniquity of the congregation":
  • לָשֵׂאת (lā·śêṯ) – "to bear": From the verb נשׂא (nāśā’), meaning "to carry," "to lift," "to bear away." In the context of sin and atonement, it implies taking responsibility for, removing, or acting as a substitute for. It signifies the priest's active role in mediating between God and humanity. The act of eating was one way of "bearing" the sin, ritually assimilating it and thus taking it away.
  • עֲוֹן ( ‘ă·wōn) – "iniquity" / "guilt" / "punishment for sin": This word implies more than just sin; it carries the sense of the twistedness, the perversion, and the guilt or penalty associated with it. The priests, by eating, ritually took on this consequence.
  • הָעֵדָה (hā·‘ê·ḏāh) – "the congregation": Refers to the assembled community of Israel. The priests' ministry was for the collective purity and spiritual well-being of the entire nation.
• לְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיהֶם (lə·ḵap·pêr ‘ălê·hem) – "to make atonement for them":
  • לְכַפֵּר (lə·ḵap·pêr) – "to atone" / "to cover" / "to purge": From the root כפר (kāpar), signifying a covering, cleansing, or purging of sin and its defilement. The ultimate purpose of the sin offering, executed by the priest.
  • עֲלֵיהֶם ( ‘ălê·hem) – "for them" / "over them": Refers to the congregation, for whom the atonement is being made.
• לִפְנֵי יְהוָה (lif·nê YHWH) – "before the LORD": This emphasizes that the entire sacrificial system is directed towards God, aimed at maintaining a right relationship with Him and appeasing His holiness. The priests act in God's presence, as mediators.

Leviticus 10 18 Commentary

Leviticus 10:18 records Moses' direct question to Aaron and his surviving sons regarding their handling of a specific sin offering, the goat of the people. While general sin offerings were to be eaten by priests in a holy place as a means of bearing the people's iniquity (Lev 6:26), certain sin offerings—namely, those whose blood was brought into the Tent of Meeting for atonement—were strictly prohibited for consumption and had to be burned outside the camp (Lev 6:30).

The crux of Moses' concern, as framed in verse 18, is that this particular goat sin offering was most holy, and by law, it should have been eaten in the holy place, as its blood was not brought into the deepest part of the sanctuary (Lev 9:15-18). It seemed to Moses that Aaron and his sons had failed in their duty to eat it, thus seemingly neglecting their role to "bear the iniquity of the congregation" and "make atonement for them before the LORD." This duty of "bearing iniquity" (Hebrew: nasa avon) points to the substitutionary aspect of the priest's role: they ritually took upon themselves the impurity of the sin in order to remove it from the congregation.

Aaron's defense in verses 19-20 reveals his deeply contextual understanding of the law in light of the day's horrific events. His sons, Nadab and Abihu, had just died due to a direct breach of God's holiness. In such a state of severe grief and potential ritual contamination (as their own familial sin had incurred divine wrath), Aaron questioned his family's fitness to partake of "most holy" food. He likely felt that if he and his surviving sons had eaten the offering that day, especially under a cloud of sin and judgment, it would have been an abomination rather than an act pleasing to God. To eat the most holy things while spiritually compromised could have led to further divine wrath. This highlights the absolute priority of God's holiness over even divinely mandated ritual acts if one's state prevents proper reverence. Moses, understanding this profound nuance and Aaron's deep grief and heightened sensitivity to divine holiness, accepted his reasoning.

Bonus Section

• Aaron's Insight: This episode showcases Aaron's newfound profound insight into the divine character of holiness, refined through the searing experience of his sons' judgment. While Moses pressed the letter of the law, Aaron grasped the spirit and immediate implication for ritual purity, demonstrating a heightened fear of the LORD.
• Types of Sin Offerings: This passage subtly distinguishes between types of sin offerings based on their holiness level and how their blood was handled. Those for general sins, where blood was not brought beyond the altar in the courtyard, were for priestly consumption. Those for high priest or communal sins, whose blood was brought into the Holy Place (even potentially the Most Holy Place on Yom Kippur), were to be burned outside the camp. Moses believed the goat in question belonged to the former category, whereas Aaron implied it effectively belonged to the latter due to the extraordinary circumstances.
• Theological Foreshadowing: The priestly "bearing of iniquity" and "making atonement" prefigures the ultimate work of Jesus Christ, our great High Priest. Unlike the Aaronic priests who only symbolically bore sin, Christ actually bore the sins of the world on the cross (Isa 53:11, 1 Pet 2:24), shedding His own perfect blood (Heb 9:12-14) to provide full and final atonement (Heb 10:10, 12). Moreover, like the most holy sin offerings that were burned outside the camp, signifying removal of sin, Jesus "suffered outside the gate" (Heb 13:12), highlighting His substitutionary death and the removal of our sin outside the bounds of human merit.