The Sin of Nadab and Abihu
(Numbers 3:1–4)

1And the sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, each took his censer and put fire in it and put incense on it and offered before the face of YHWH strange† fire, which He had not commanded them. 2And fire went out from YHWH and devoured them, and they died before the face of YHWH.

3And Moses said to Aaron, “It is what YHWH spoke, saying,

‘By those who come near Me

I must be regarded as holy,

and before all the people

I must be glorified.’”

And Aaron was silent.

4And Moses called to Mishael and Elzaphan,† the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, “Come near, carry your⁺ brothers from before the sanctuary, out of the camp.” 5And they came near and carried them by their tunics out of the camp, as Moses had spoken.

6And Moses said to Aaron and to Eleazar and Ithamar his sons, “Do not uncover your⁺ heads† and do not tear your⁺ clothes, lest you⁺ die and wrath come upon all the people. And let your⁺ brothers, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning that YHWH has kindled. 7and you⁺ shall not go out from the door of the Tent of Meeting, lest you⁺ die; for the anointing oil of YHWH is upon you⁺.”

And they did according to the word of Moses.

Restrictions for Priests

8And YHWH spoke to Aaron, saying, 9“Do not drink wine and strong drink, you and your sons with you, when you⁺ go into the Tent of Meeting, lest you⁺ die. It is a statute forever throughout your⁺ generations, 10that you may distinguish between the holy and between the common, and between the unclean and between the clean, 11that you may teach the sons of Israel all the statutes that YHWH has spoken to them by the hand of Moses.”

12And Moses spoke to Aaron and to Eleazar and Ithamar his sons who were left, “Take the grain offering that remains of the fire offerings to YHWH and eat it without leaven beside the altar, for it is holy of holies.† 13And you⁺ shall eat it in a holy place, because it is your portion and the portion of your sons of the fire offerings to YHWH; for so I have been commanded.

14And the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the contribution you⁺ shall eat in a clean place—you and your sons and your daughters with you; for your portion and the portion of your sons they are, given from the sacrifices of peace offerings of the sons of Israel. 15The thigh of the contribution and the breast of the wave offering they shall bring with the fire offerings of fat to wave as a wave offering before the face of YHWH. And it shall be unto you and your sons with you, by an everlasting statute, as YHWH has commanded.”

16And Moses diligently searched for the goat of the sin offering, and behold, it was burned up. And he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron who were left, saying, 17“Why have you⁺ not eaten the sin offering in the holy place, since it is holy of holies, and He has given it to you⁺ to bear the guilt of the congregation, to make atonement upon them before the face of YHWH? 18Behold, its blood was not brought inside the Holy Place. You⁺ surely should have eaten it in a Holy Place, as I commanded.”

19And Aaron said to Moses, “Behold, this day they have offered their sin offerings and their burnt offerings before the face of YHWH, and things as these have befallen me; and if I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been accepted in the eyes of YHWH?”

20And Moses listened, and it was good in his eyes.