Chapter 10

Nadab and Abihu. ^1 [a]Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers and, putting incense on the fire they had set in them,^(A) they offered before the Lord unauthorized fire, such as he had not commanded. ² Fire therefore came forth from the Lord’s presence and consumed them,^(B) so that they died in the Lord’s presence. ³ Moses then said to Aaron, “This is as the Lord said:

But Aaron said nothing. ^4 [c]Then Moses summoned Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel, with the order, “Come, carry your kinsmen from before the sanctuary to a place outside the camp.” ⁵ So they drew near and carried them by means of their tunics outside the camp, as Moses had commanded.

Conduct of the Priests. ⁶ Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not dishevel your hair^(D) or tear your garments,^(E) lest you die and bring God’s wrath also on the whole community. While your kindred, the rest of the house of Israel, may mourn for those whom the Lord’s fire has burned up, ⁷ you shall not go beyond the entrance of the tent of meeting,^(F) else you shall die; for the anointing oil of the Lord is upon you.” So they did as Moses told them.

The Eating of the Priestly Portions. ¹² Moses said to Aaron and his surviving sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, “Take the grain offering^[a] left over from the oblations to the Lord, and eat it beside the altar in the form of unleavened cakes, since it is most holy.

² These are the names of Aaron’s sons: Nadab, the firstborn, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.^(A)

⁴ But Nadab and Abihu died^(A) in the presence of the Lord when they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai; and they left no sons. So only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.