Albert Barnes Commentary Leviticus 10
Albert Barnes Commentary
Leviticus 10
Albert Barnes Commentary
Leviticus 10
"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." — Leviticus 10:1 (ASV)
Nadab and Abihu - The two elder sons of Aaron (Exodus 6:23; Numbers 3:2), who were among those invited to accompany Moses when he was going up Mount Sinai, but who were to worship afar off, and not come near the Lord. (Exodus 24:1–2).
Censer - See (Exodus 25:38 note).
Strange fire - The point of their offence is evidently expressed in this term. This may very probably mean that the incense was lighted at an unauthorized time. And we may reasonably unite with this the supposition that they were intoxicated , as well as another conjecture, that they made their offering of incense an accompaniment to the exultation of the people on the manifestation of the glory of the Lord (Leviticus 9:24).
Since they did not perish within the tabernacle but in front of it, it seems likely that they may have been making an ostentatious and irreverent display of their ministration to accompany the shouts of the people on their way toward the tabernacle.
The offence for which they were immediately visited with outward punishment was thus a flagrant outrage on the solemn order of the divine service, while the cause of their offence may have been their guilty excess.
"And there came forth fire from before Jehovah, and devoured them, and they died before Jehovah." — Leviticus 10:2 (ASV)
The fire which had just before sanctified the ministry of Aaron as well pleasing to God, now brought to destruction his two eldest sons because they did not sanctify Yahweh in their hearts, but dared to perform a self-willed act of worship; just as the same Gospel is to one a savor of life unto life, and to another a savor of death unto death (2 Corinthians 2:16).
"Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that Jehovah spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace." — Leviticus 10:3 (ASV)
Rather, I will sanctify myself in them that come near to me (that is, the priests), and I will glorify myself before all the people. The words used by Moses on this occasion are not found elsewhere in the Pentateuch. But the sense is implied in such passages as (Exodus 19:22; Exodus 28:41; Exodus 29:1, Exodus 29:44).
Aaron’s silence on this occasion may be compared with his reasonable and natural expostulation with Moses when his surviving sons were rebuked for not having eaten the flesh of the sin-offering (Leviticus 10:19).
"And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Draw near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp." — Leviticus 10:4 (ASV)
The first cousins of Aaron (Exodus 6:22) are selected by Moses to convey the bodies of Nadab and Abihu out of the camp and bury them, probably because they were the nearest relations who were not priests. See (Numbers 9:6).
"So they drew near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp, as Moses had said." — Leviticus 10:5 (ASV)
Coats - See Exodus 28:39. Life had been extinguished as if by a flash of lightning, but neither the bodies nor the dresses were destroyed.
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