Leviticus 10:1
New International Version
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.

New Living Translation
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.

English Standard Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
Now Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense, and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to His command.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on the fire and offered strange fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them.

NASB 1995
Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them.

NASB 1977
Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans and put fire in them. Then they placed incense on it and offered strange fire before Yahweh, which He had not commanded them.

Amplified Bible
Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective [ceremonial] censers, put fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange (unauthorized, unacceptable) fire before the LORD, [an act] which He had not commanded them to do.

Christian Standard Bible
Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu each took his own firepan, put fire in it, placed incense on it, and presented unauthorized fire before the LORD, which he had not commanded them to do.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu each took his own firepan, put fire in it, placed incense on it, and presented unauthorized fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them to do.

American Standard Version
And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took each of them his censer, and put fire therein, and laid incense thereon, and offered strange fire before Jehovah, which he had not commanded them.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And the sons of Ahron, Nadab and Abihu, took each man his censer and they placed fire in them and they placed incense in them and brought strange fire before LORD JEHOVAH, which He had not commanded them at that time.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the two sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abiud, took each his censer, and put fire therein, and threw incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which the Lord did not command them,

Contemporary English Version
Nadab and Abihu were two of Aaron's sons, but they disobeyed the LORD by burning incense to him on a fire pan, when they were not supposed to.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Nadab and Abiu, the sons of Aaron, taking their censers, put fire therein, and incense on it, offering before the Lord strange fire: which was not commanded them.

English Revised Version
And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took each of them his censer, and put fire therein, and laid incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he had not commanded them.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu each took an incense burner and put burning coals and incense in it. Then in the LORD's presence they offered this unauthorized fire.

Good News Translation
Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, each took his fire pan, put live coals in it, added incense, and presented it to the LORD. But this fire was not holy, because the LORD had not commanded them to present it.

International Standard Version
Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu each took his own censer, placed fire in it, covered it with incense, and brought it into the LORD's presence as unauthorized fire that he had never prescribed for them.

JPS Tanakh 1917
And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took each of them his censer, and put fire therein, and laid incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them.

Literal Standard Version
And the sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, each take his censer, and put fire in them, and put incense on it, and bring strange fire near before YHWH, which He has not commanded them;

Majority Standard Bible
Now Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense, and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to His command.

New American Bible
Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers and, putting incense on the fire they had set in them, they offered before the LORD unauthorized fire, such as he had not commanded.

NET Bible
Then Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, each took his fire pan and put fire in it, set incense on it, and presented strange fire before the LORD, which he had not commanded them to do.

New Revised Standard Version
Now Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, each took his censer, put fire in it, and laid incense on it; and they offered unholy fire before the LORD, such as he had not commanded them.

New Heart English Bible
And the two sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, each took his censer and put fire in it, and laid incense on it, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he had not commanded them.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took each of them his censer, and put fire in it, and put incense on it, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.

World English Bible
Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer, and put fire in it, and laid incense on it, and offered strange fire before Yahweh, which he had not commanded them.

Young's Literal Translation
And the sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, take each his censer, and put in them fire, and put on it perfume, and bring near before Jehovah strange fire, which He hath not commanded them;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Sin of Nadab and Abihu
1Now Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense, and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to His command. 2So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died in the presence of the LORD.…

Cross References
Exodus 6:23
And Aaron married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

Exodus 24:1
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Come up to the LORD--you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of Israel's elders--and you are to worship at a distance.

Exodus 24:9
Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel,

Leviticus 16:1
Now the LORD spoke to Moses after the death of two of Aaron's sons when they approached the presence of the LORD.

Leviticus 16:12
Then he must take a censer full of burning coals from the altar before the LORD, and two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense, and take them inside the veil.

Numbers 3:2
These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, then Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

Numbers 3:4
Nadab and Abihu, however, died in the presence of the LORD when they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai. And since they had no sons, only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.


Treasury of Scripture

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.

Nadab

Leviticus 16:1
And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died;

Leviticus 22:9
They shall therefore keep mine ordinance, lest they bear sin for it, and die therefore, if they profane it: I the LORD do sanctify them.

Exodus 6:23
And Aaron took him Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Naashon, to wife; and she bare him Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

censer

Leviticus 16:12
And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail:

Exodus 27:3
And thou shalt make his pans to receive his ashes, and his shovels, and his basons, and his fleshhooks, and his firepans: all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass.

Exodus 38:3
And he made all the vessels of the altar, the pots, and the shovels, and the basons, and the fleshhooks, and the firepans: all the vessels thereof made he of brass.

put incense

Exodus 30:1-9,34-36
And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim wood shalt thou make it…

Exodus 31:11
And the anointing oil, and sweet incense for the holy place: according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do.

Exodus 37:29
And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of sweet spices, according to the work of the apothecary.

strange

Leviticus 9:24
And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.

Leviticus 16:12
And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail:

Numbers 16:18,46
And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron…

which

Exodus 30:9
Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon.

Deuteronomy 4:2
Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

Deuteronomy 12:32
What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

Jump to Previous
Aaron Abihu Abi'hu Added Censer Censers Command Commanded Contrary Either Fire Firepans Incense Laid Nadab Offered Orders Perfume Placed Putting Strange Therein Thereon Unauthorized Unholy Vessels
Jump to Next
Aaron Abihu Abi'hu Added Censer Censers Command Commanded Contrary Either Fire Firepans Incense Laid Nadab Offered Orders Perfume Placed Putting Strange Therein Thereon Unauthorized Unholy Vessels
Leviticus 10
1. Aadab and Abihu, for offering strange fire, are burnt by fire
6. Aaron and his sons are forbidden to mourn for them
8. The priests are forbidden wine when they are to go into the tabernacle
12. The law of eating the holy things
16. Aaron's excuse for transgressing thereof














X.

(1) And Nadab and Abihu.--Immediately after the Divine manifestation of God's acceptance of the services connected with the institution of the priesthood, and whilst the congregation are still giving utterance to their profound expressions of thankfulness and joy, the assembled people see a most daring act of sacrilege committed by two of the five newly-installed priests, and have to witness the most awful punishment which befals the offenders. The offenders are the two eldest sons of Aaron, who had received the high distinction to be invited to accompany their father and Moses to the summit of the hallowed mount (Exodus 24:1); the lesson to the Israelites being that the priests, though mediators between God and the people, are beset with the same infirmities as the laity, and must not presume upon their office.

Took either of them his censer.--The sin of Nadab and Abihu was of a complicated nature, and involved and consisted of several transgressions:--(1) They each took his own censer, and not the sacred utensil of the sanctuary. (2) They both offered it together, whereas the incense was only to be offered by one. (3) They presumptuously encroached upon the functions of the high priest; for according to the Law the high priest alone burnt incense in a censer. (Sec Leviticus 16:12-13; Numbers 17:11.) The ordinary priests only burnt it on the golden altar in the holy place (Exodus 30:7-8), or on the brazen altar as a part of the memorial. (See Leviticus 2:2-3; Leviticus 2:16, &c.) The case of Korah and his company was an exception, since it was ordered by Moses for an especial purpose (Numbers 16:6-25). (4) They offered the incense at an unauthorised time, since it was apart from the morning and evening sacrifice. . . .

Verse 1. - Nadab and Ahibu are said to have each taken his censer. This is the first time that the word used in the original is translated "censer." It means any vessel or pan that will hold embers or tinder (see Exodus 25:38; Exodus 37:23; Exodus 38:3). They put fire therein, and put incense thereon. No doubt they used the incense ordered in Exodus 30:34. They are not found fault with for the incense, but for the fire that they used. They offered strange fire, that is, fire not taken from the altar of burnt offering, which they might have feared to approach after the miracle that had occurred. In chapter Leviticus 16:12 it is ordered that, on the Day of Atonement, the incense fire should be taken from the brazen altar, and this was no doubt the rule on all occasions, though the law has not been recorded.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Now Aaron’s
אַ֠הֲרֹן (’a·hă·rōn)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 175: Aaron -- an elder brother of Moses

sons
בְנֵֽי־ (ḇə·nê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

Nadab
נָדָ֨ב (nā·ḏāḇ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5070: Nadab -- an Israelite name

and Abihu
וַאֲבִיה֜וּא (wa·’ă·ḇî·hū)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 30: Abihu -- 'he is father', a son of Aaron

took
וַיִּקְח֣וּ (way·yiq·ḥū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3947: To take

their censers,
מַחְתָּת֗וֹ (maḥ·tā·ṯōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4289: A fireholder, censer, snuff dish

put
וַיִּתְּנ֤וּ (way·yit·tə·nū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

fire
אֵ֔שׁ (’êš)
Noun - common singular
Strong's 784: A fire

in them,
בָהֵן֙ (ḇā·hên)
Preposition-b | Pronoun - third person feminine plural
Strong's 2004: They

placed
וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ (way·yā·śî·mū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

incense
קְטֹ֑רֶת (qə·ṭō·reṯ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 7004: Smoke, odor of (burning) sacrifice, incense

on them,
עָלֶ֖יהָ (‘ā·le·hā)
Preposition | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

and offered
וַיַּקְרִ֜בוּ (way·yaq·ri·ḇū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7126: To come near, approach

unauthorized
זָרָ֔ה (zā·rāh)
Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 2114: To turn aside, to be a, foreigner, strange, profane, to commit adultery

fire
אֵ֣שׁ (’êš)
Noun - common singular
Strong's 784: A fire

before
לִפְנֵ֤י (lip̄·nê)
Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

the LORD,
יְהוָה֙ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

contrary to
לֹ֦א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

His command.
צִוָּ֖ה (ṣiw·wāh)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6680: To lay charge (upon), give charge (to), command, order


Links
Leviticus 10:1 NIV
Leviticus 10:1 NLT
Leviticus 10:1 ESV
Leviticus 10:1 NASB
Leviticus 10:1 KJV

Leviticus 10:1 BibleApps.com
Leviticus 10:1 Biblia Paralela
Leviticus 10:1 Chinese Bible
Leviticus 10:1 French Bible
Leviticus 10:1 Catholic Bible

OT Law: Leviticus 10:1 Nadab and Abihu the sons of Aaron (Le Lv Lev.)
Leviticus 9:24
Top of Page
Top of Page