Leviticus 10 4

Leviticus 10:4 kjv

And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp.

Leviticus 10:4 nkjv

Then Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, "Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp."

Leviticus 10:4 niv

Moses summoned Mishael and Elzaphan, sons of Aaron's uncle Uzziel, and said to them, "Come here; carry your cousins outside the camp, away from the front of the sanctuary."

Leviticus 10:4 esv

And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, "Come near; carry your brothers away from the front of the sanctuary and out of the camp."

Leviticus 10:4 nlt

Then Moses called for Mishael and Elzaphan, Aaron's cousins, the sons of Aaron's uncle Uzziel. He said to them, "Come forward and carry away the bodies of your relatives from in front of the sanctuary to a place outside the camp."

Leviticus 10 verses

Leviticus 10 4 Meaning

Leviticus 10:4 records Moses' immediate command following the deaths of Nadab and Abihu, Aaron's sons. Moses instructed Mishael and Elzaphan, Aaron's cousins, to remove the bodies of Nadab and Abihu from before the sanctuary and carry them outside the camp. This act was critical to prevent further defilement of the sacred space and the assembly of Israel, reinforcing the profound necessity of holiness and obedience in God's presence, even in moments of tragedy and grief.

Leviticus 10 4 Context

Leviticus 10:4 occurs immediately after the divine judgment on Nadab and Abihu, who offered "unauthorized fire before the LORD" (Lev 10:1). This swift and severe punishment underscored the absolute holiness of God and the seriousness of adhering precisely to His commands regarding worship. In this tense moment, Aaron and his surviving sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, are forbidden to mourn publicly or leave the tabernacle area, to signify their continued dedication to God's service and to maintain the sanctity of their priestly office. Moses' command in verse 4 is thus a direct practical response to the immediate problem of dead bodies polluting the holy space, balancing the need for respectful disposal with the paramount demand for ritual purity and maintenance of God's presence in the camp. Historically, Israel lived as a structured community with the tabernacle at its center, demanding constant awareness of ritual purity and separation from defilement to host God's presence among them.

Leviticus 10 4 Word analysis

• And Moses called: Indicates immediate and decisive action by Moses, who is God's intermediary. The lack of an explicit command from God in this verse suggests Moses is acting under the general principle of maintaining purity, implicit in the earlier judgments and laws.
• Mishael and Elzaphan (מִישָׁאֵל וְאֶלְצָפָן, Mîšāʾēl wəʾElṣāp̄ān): These are specific individuals, not general Levites. Mishael means "who is what God is?" or "who is like God?" Elzaphan means "God of protection/treasure." Their names carry theological significance, emphasizing God's identity and care, even amidst judgment. Their selection highlights that a specific Levitical family (Uzzielites, a subset of the Kohathites) had the designated role for handling matters related to the sanctuary's components and now, tragically, its purity.
• The sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron: This details their family lineage. Uzziel (עֻזִּיאֵל, ʿUzzîʾēl) means "My strength is God." He was a son of Kohath, one of Levi's sons (Ex 6:18). This relationship means Mishael and Elzaphan were first cousins to Aaron and, by extension, to the deceased Nadab and Abihu. Crucially, they were Levites, but not priests (descendants of Aaron). This distinction is vital because direct contact with a corpse would render a priest severely unclean (Lev 21:1-4), making them unfit for sanctuary service without elaborate purification rites. Using non-priestly Levites (albeit relatives) for this task upholds the higher purity required of Aaron and his remaining priestly sons.
• And said to them, 'Come near, carry...': A direct, imperative command. "Come near" (קִרְבוּ, qirḇû) signifies drawing physically close to the contaminated area by the sanctuary. "Carry" (שְׂאוּ, śəʾû) denotes physical removal, indicating manual transport rather than dragging.
• Your brethren (אֶת-אֲחֵיכֶם, ʾeṯ-ʾăḥêḵem): Refers to Nadab and Abihu. The term "brethren" acknowledges their familial bond despite the severe judgment. It shows that even in divine wrath, basic human respect for the dead, especially family members, is preserved through appropriate disposal, though not through priestly mourning rituals in this specific context.
• From before the sanctuary (מִפְּנֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ, mipnê haqqōḏeš): "Before the sanctuary" specifically means in the courtyard area directly in front of the Holy Place, the part of the Tabernacle where divine judgment had occurred. Ha-qodesh means "the holy [place/thing]." This detail emphasizes the defilement of the sacred precincts and the immediate necessity of removing the source of uncleanness.
• Out of the camp (אֶל-מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה, ʾel-miḥūṣ lammaḥăneh): This signifies complete removal from the dwelling place of Israel. The camp was holy because God dwelt in the midst of His people (Num 5:3; Deut 23:14). Anything considered profoundly defiling or accursed, like the bodies of those judged by God for a breach of holiness, had to be removed "outside the camp" to maintain the communal sanctity.

Leviticus 10 4 Bonus section

The Kohathites, the specific Levitical clan to which Mishael and Elzaphan belonged, were later assigned the sacred duty of carrying the holiest objects of the tabernacle when Israel moved (Num 3:31, 4:15). This background adds another layer of significance: these were Levites entrusted with intimate contact with sacred things, albeit covered, and were thus suited to handle sensitive tasks near the sanctuary, even one as grim as this. Their participation highlights the ordered structure of Levitical service under Mosaic law, where specific tasks were designated to various families within the tribe to maintain the holiness and order of worship. The command to carry them "out of the camp" aligns with later commands for carrying other defiling elements or sacrifices outside the camp for disposal or burning (e.g., Lev 4:11-12 on sin offerings, Num 15:35 on the sabbath-breaker's execution). This reinforces the theological concept that whatever breaks God's covenant or defiles His presence must be utterly separated from His holy dwelling place and people.

Leviticus 10 4 Commentary

Leviticus 10:4 illustrates a solemn principle: the purity of God's dwelling and His people must be upheld immediately, even amidst tragic loss. Moses' instructions reflect divine priority over human grief in matters of ritual holiness. By enlisting Mishael and Elzaphan, non-priestly Levites who were still kinsmen, a solution was provided that honored the family connection ("your brethren") while meticulously safeguarding the sanctity of the sanctuary and the priesthood. Aaron and his direct sons, who were consecrated to serve without defilement, were preserved from handling the corpses of their own family, a task that would have made them ritually unclean. The rapid removal of the bodies "out of the camp" signifies the complete separation of impurity and judgment from the consecrated community, ensuring God's holy presence could remain among His people without compromise. This event underscores that God’s justice, though severe, is always precise, and His laws, though demanding, are ultimately for the well-being and holiness of His covenant people.