Name Meaning: The name "Abihu" is of Hebrew origin, meaning "He is my father" or "My father is he."

Biblical References: Abihu is mentioned in several passages in the Old Testament, primarily in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers.

Family Background: Abihu was the second son of Aaron, the brother of Moses, and Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab. He was a member of the tribe of Levi, which was set apart for priestly duties. Abihu's brothers were Nadab, Eleazar, and Ithamar (Exodus 6:23).

Role and Duties: As a son of Aaron, Abihu was consecrated as a priest to serve in the tabernacle. He, along with his brothers, was part of the priestly lineage that was responsible for performing sacrifices and maintaining the sacred rituals as outlined in the Mosaic Law.

Significant Events:

1. Consecration as Priest: Abihu was consecrated as a priest along with his father Aaron and his brothers. This event is detailed in Exodus 28-29, where God provides specific instructions for the garments and the anointing of the priests.

2. The Sin of Nadab and Abihu: Abihu is most notably remembered for the incident involving "unauthorized fire" or "strange fire" before the LORD. In Leviticus 10:1-2 , it is recorded: "Now 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. So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD." This act of disobedience resulted in their immediate death, serving as a stern warning about the holiness required in worship and the importance of adhering to God's commands.

3. Aftermath and Instructions: Following the death of Abihu and his brother Nadab, Moses instructed Aaron and his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, not to mourn in the customary way, as this was a divine judgment (Leviticus 10:6-7). The incident underscored the sanctity of the priestly office and the necessity of following divine instructions precisely.

4. Prohibition of Alcohol for Priests: In the aftermath of this event, God gave a commandment through Moses that priests should not consume wine or strong drink when they enter the tent of meeting, suggesting that intoxication may have played a role in Abihu's and Nadab's transgression (Leviticus 10:8-11).

Legacy: The account of Abihu serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of reverence and obedience in worship. His actions and the subsequent divine response highlight the seriousness with which God views the conduct of those who serve in His presence. Abihu's legacy is a reminder of the need for holiness and the consequences of deviating from God's prescribed ways.Abihu

he is my father

Abihu

(he (God) is my father), the second son, (Numbers 3:2) of Aaron by Elisheba. (Exodus 6:23) Being, together with his elder brother Nadab, guilty of offering strange fire to the lord, he was consumed by fire from heaven. (Leviticus 10:1,2)

Abihu

The second son of Aaron, consecrated to the priesthood with his three brethren, Exodus 28:21; but consumed shortly after by fire from the Lord, with Nadab his brother, for burning incense with common fire instead of that kept perpetually on the altar of burnt-offering, Le 10:1-2 16:12 Numbers 16:46. As this is immediately followed by the prohibition of wine to the priests when ministering in the tabernacle, it is not improbable that Nadab and Abihu were intoxicated when thus transgressing. Their death is a solemn warning not to presume to worship God except with incense kindled at the one altar which Christ hath sanctified, Hebrews 10:10-14. It is a dangerous thing, in the service of God, to decline from his own institutions. We have to do with a God who is wise to prescribe his own worship, his to require what he has prescribed, and powerful to avenge what he has not prescribed.

Father of Him; i.e., "worshipper of God", the second of the sons of Aaron (Exodus 6:23; Numbers 3:2; 26:60; 1 Chronicles 6:3). Along with his three brothers he was consecrated to the priest's office (Exodus 28:1). With his father and elder brother he accompanied the seventy elders part of the way up the mount with Moses (Exodus 24:1, 9). On one occasion he and Nadab his brother offered incense in their censers filled with "strange" (i.e., common) fire, i.e., not with fire taken from the great brazen altar (Leviticus 6:9, etc.), and for this offence they were struck dead, and were taken out and buried without the camp (Leviticus 10:1-11; Comp. Numbers 3:4; 26:61; 1 Chronicles 24:2). It is probable that when they committed this offence they were intoxicated, for immediately after is given the law prohibiting the use of wine or strong drink to the priests. ABIHU

a-bi'-hu ('abhihu', "father he is," or "my father he is"): Second son of Aaron, the high priest (Exodus 6:23). With his older brother Nadab he "died before Yahweh," when the two "offered strange fire" (Leviticus 10:1, 2).

It may be inferred from the emphatic prohibition of wine or strong drink, laid upon the priests immediately after this tragedy, that the two brothers were going to their priestly functions in an intoxicated condition (Leviticus 10:8-11). Their death is mentioned three times in subsequent records (Numbers 3:4; Numbers 26:61 1 Chronicles 24:2).

30. Abihu -- "he is father," a son of Aaron
... 29, 30. Abihu. 31 . "he is father," a son of Aaron. Transliteration: Abihu
Phonetic Spelling: (ab-ee-hoo') Short Definition: Abihu. ...
/hebrew/30.htm - 6k

Strange Fire
... 'And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his ... Nadab and Abihu
had been consecrated for the purpose of enforcing the truth of God's holiness. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/strange fire.htm

'The Love of Thine Espousals'
... THE BOOK OF EXODUS 'THE LOVE OF THINE ESPOUSALS'. 'And He said unto Moses, Come
up unto the Lord, thou, and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the love of thine espousals.htm

Doubtful Fragments on the Pentateuch.
... And Iddo delivered it to Achia. And Achia delivered it to Abihu. And Abihu delivered
it to Elias the prophet. And Elias delivered it to his disciple Elis??us. ...
/.../doubtful fragments on the pentateuch.htm

Of the Priesthood of Aaron.
... prophecy, and his brother's virtue. He had at that time four sons, Nadab,
Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 2. Now Moses commanded them ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 8 of the priesthood.htm

Concerning Things done in Illumination.
... Law, when rejecting Osias, because he put his hand to sacred things; and Korah,
because to things sacred above his capacity; and Nadab and Abihu, because they ...
/.../dionysius/ecclesiastical hierarchy/caput ii i concerning things.htm

Was Moses "A Literary Fiction"?
... In the twenty-fourth chapter of Exodus Moses has given an account of God's call
to him, to Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders, to come up to Horeb. ...
/.../iii was moses a literary.htm

The Third Commandment
... their hearts. It is a wonder that fire does not come out from the Lord to
consume them, as it did Nadab and Abihu. Leviticus 10:2. [4 ...
/.../watson/the ten commandments/2 3 the third commandment.htm

Acts V
... As when Nadab and Abihu fell dead at the door of the tabernacle with strange
fire in their censers, [129] there was no weeping nor delay. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts v.htm

On the Government of God
... ON THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD INDEX. Aaron, 60, 63 Abel, 50. Abihu, 62. Abiron, 62. Abraham
's life as proof of God 's judgment, 53 f. Absalom, 71, 74. Achar, 157, 214 ...
//christianbookshelf.org/salvian/on the government of god/index 2.htm

Brief Directions How to Read the Holy Scriptures once Every Year ...
... us by repeating so often, "Be ye holy, for I am holy." (Leviticus 21:44; xix.2;
xx.7.) And when he devoured with a sudden fire Nadab and Abihu, for offering to ...
/.../bayly/the practice of piety/brief directions how to read.htm

Abihu (12 Occurrences)
...ABIHU. a-bi'-hu ('abhihu', "father he is," or "my father he is"): Second son
of Aaron, the high priest (Exodus 6:23). ...Abihu (12 Occurrences). ...
/a/abihu.htm - 12k

Abi'hu (12 Occurrences)
Abi'hu. Abihu, Abi'hu. Abihud . ... Exodus 24:9 Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab,
and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; (See RSV). ...
/a/abi'hu.htm - 9k

Nadab (21 Occurrences)
... 6:23; Numbers 3:2). He with his brothers and their father were consecrated as priests
of Jehovah (Exodus 28:1). He afterwards perished with Abihu for the sin ...
/n/nadab.htm - 16k

Ith'amar (20 Occurrences)
... Exodus 6:23 And Aaron took him Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab, the sister of
Nahshon, to wife; and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. ...
/i/ith'amar.htm - 12k

Ithamar (20 Occurrences)
... son of Aaron (1 Chronicles 6:3). He was consecrated to the priesthood along with
his brothers (Exodus 6:23); and after the death of Nadab and Abihu, he and ...
/i/ithamar.htm - 16k

Elea'zar (72 Occurrences)
... Exodus 6:23 And Aaron took him Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab, the sister of
Nahshon, to wife; and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. ...
/e/elea'zar.htm - 27k

Unauthorized (4 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 10:1 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 ...
/u/unauthorized.htm - 7k

Unholy (23 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 10:1 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 ...
/u/unholy.htm - 13k

Leviticus (1 Occurrence)
... 8-10), giving an account of the consecration of Aaron and his sons (8); Aaron's
first offering for himself and the people (9); Nadab and Abihu's presumption in ...
/l/leviticus.htm - 42k

Eleazar (74 Occurrences)
... After the death of Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:12; Numbers 3:4) he was
appointed to the charge of the sanctuary (Numbers 3:32). ...
/e/eleazar.htm - 39k

Who were Nadab and Abihu? | GotQuestions.org

What is the meaning of the strange fire in Leviticus 10:1? | GotQuestions.org

Why was it bad that Aaron and his sons burned the sin offering in Leviticus 10:16 20? | GotQuestions.org

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