Charles Ellicott Commentary Leviticus 10

And Nadab and Abihu. — Immediately after the divine manifestation of God’s acceptance of the services connected with the institution of the priesthood, and while the congregation were still expressing their profound thankfulness and joy, the assembled people saw a most daring act of sacrilege committed by two of the five newly-installed priests. They then had to witness the most awful punishment that befell the offenders.

The offenders were the two eldest sons of Aaron, who had received the high distinction of being invited to accompany their father and Moses to the summit of the hallowed mount (Exodus 24:1). The lesson for the Israelites was 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.

Each of them took 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 burned incense in a censer. (Numbers 17:11). The ordinary priests only burned it on the golden altar in the holy place (Exodus 30:7–8), or on the bronze altar as a part of the memorial (See Leviticus 2:2-3, Leviticus 2:16, and so on). The case of Korah and his company was an exception, since it was ordered by Moses for a special purpose (Numbers 16:6–25).
4. They offered the incense at an unauthorized time, since it was apart from the morning and evening sacrifice.

And offered strange fire. — They filled their vessels with common fire instead of taking it from the holy fire of the altar, which was always to be used in burning incense (Leviticus 16:12). It is with reference to this practice that we are told, And the angel took the censer and filled it with fire off the altar (Revelation 8:5). Ancient tradition says that Nadab and Abihu had partaken too freely of the drink offering and performed their service in a state of intoxication, when they were incapable of distinguishing between what was legal and illegal.

So general was this tradition that it is actually embodied in the Palestinian Chaldee Version of Leviticus 10:9, which contains the solemn warning against wine for those engaged in the service of the sanctuary, and which is regarded as a sequel to this awful catastrophe. Others, however, suppose that the phrase “strange fire” denotes fire that was not offered according to the prescribed law, just as “strange incense” is used to mean incense not prepared in the manner ordered by the Law (Exodus 30:9).

Before the Lord. — This may mean before the door of the sanctuary , or in front of the Holy of Holies . As the dead bodies are said in Leviticus 10:4 to have lain in the court of the tabernacle, the former must be the meaning in this passage.

Which he commanded them not. — According to a figure of speech frequently used in Hebrew, where the negative form is used for the emphatic affirmative, this phrase is better rendered, “which he had strongly forbidden them.” Though the command is only expressed in Leviticus 16:12, there can hardly be any doubt that it was previously given by Moses, since it is implied in Leviticus 1:7; Leviticus 6:12. We find a similar reference to a well-known statement, though not recorded here, in the following verse.

And there went out fire from the Lord. —By fire they sinned, and by fire they died. The Divine fire which issued forth to consume the sacrifices as a token of acceptance, now descended as the avenger of sin to consume the sacrificers, just as the same gospel is to one a savour of life unto life, and to another a savour of death unto death (2 Corinthians 2:16).

And devoured them. —That is, slay them, since we are told in Leviticus 10:5 that not only were their bodies in a perfect state of preservation, but even their garments were not burnt. The word consume, however, is used here to keep up the connection between this verse and Leviticus 9:24.

They died before the Lord. —That is, in the court of the sanctuary , on the very spot where the sin was committed.

Then Moses said ... This is what the Lord spoke. —Here we have another instance of a reference to a well-known Divine communication made through Moses, which has not been previously recorded in the Pentateuch. Moses cites this declaration to explain to the bereaved father the judgment of God.

I will be sanctified in them that come near me.—Better. I will sanctify myself in them that come near to me. God had sanctified to Himself Aaron and his sons by the holy unction (Leviticus 8:12), so that they might sanctify Him in the strict performance of their sacred duties as the mediators between God and man. Having failed to do this, God sanctified Himself in them by the awful punishment inflicted upon them for their transgression. (Ezekiel 38:16; Ezekiel 38:23.) The phrase, “that come near to God,” is a frequent designation for the priest (Exodus 19:22; Numbers 16:5; Ezekiel 42:13; Ezekiel 43:19).

And before all the people I will be glorified. —Better, and I will glorify myself before all the people. By this judgment God vindicated His law, showing that it cannot be violated with impunity, and thus glorified Himself as the Holy One of Israel.

And Aaron held his peace. —He silently submitted to the righteous judgment which bereft him of his two sons. So the Psalmist, I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it (Psalms 39:9).

And Moses called ... the sons of Uzziel.—Uzziel was the son of Kohath, the younger brother of Amram. Since Amram was the father of Aaron, Uzziel was Aaron's uncle. Uzziel had three sons, of whom Mishael and Elzaphan were two (Exodus 6:18, 22). Eleazar and Ithamar, as ordinary priests, might have been employed in removing the remains of their slain brothers . Naturally, they were too deeply affected by this appalling scene; Moses therefore wanted to spare their feelings, and thus charged their first cousins with the task of carrying away the dead bodies.

The reason Izar and Hebron, Aaron's two older uncles, were passed over here is that the discontent of their children with the choice of Aaron and his sons for the priesthood—discontent that later broke out in open rebellion on the part of Korah, Izar’s son (Numbers 16:17)—had evidently begun to show itself when they witnessed the imposing ceremonies of the consecration. It was necessary that those who suffered so notably for transgressing the divine institutions should be buried by men whose allegiance to God’s law was unimpeachable.

Carry your brethren.—That is, your kinsmen. The expression "brother" is frequently used in the Bible in the sense of a near relation (Genesis 14:6; Genesis 24:48; Genesis 29:12–15, and other similar passages).

From before the sanctuary.—In the courtyard of the sanctuary, where the incense was offered in the midst of the rejoicing people, and where they were struck dead .

And carried them in their coats. — More accurately, and they carried them in their tunics, the long, white garments in which they ministered, and which were the most characteristic part of the sacerdotal vestments. In ordinary cases, the cast-off garments of the priests were converted into wick for the lamps of the sanctuary. However, in this instance, they were buried with the bodies because, aside from their having become unclean through contact with the corpses, no one would have used them, as they had been worn at a time of such a dreadful visitation.

Out of the camp. — Burial places in ancient times were outside the towns in open fields (Genesis 23:17; Matthew 27:7; Luke 8:27).