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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Leviticus 10:1-2

Here is, I. The great sin that Nadab and Abihu were guilty of: and a great sin we must call it, how little soever it appears in our eye, because it is evident by the punishment of it that it was highly provoking to the God of heaven, whose judgment, we are sure, is according to truth. But what was their sin? All the account here given of it is that they offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not (Lev. 10:1), and the same Num. 3:4. 1. It does not appear the they had any... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 10:1

And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron ,.... His two eldest sons, as seems from Exodus 6:23 , took either of them his censer ; a vessel in which coals of fire were put, and incense upon them, and burnt it, and so it follows: and put fire therein, and put incense thereon ; which, as Aben Ezra says, was on the eighth day, that is, of their consecration, the day after their consecration was completely finished, and the same day that Aaron had offered the offerings for himself and for... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Leviticus 10:1

And Nadab and Abihu - took either of them his censer - The manner of burning incense in the temple service was, according to the Jews, as follows: - "One went and gathered the ashes from off the altar into a golden vessel, a second brought a vessel full of incense, and a third brought a censer with fire, and put coals on the altar, and he whose office it was to burn the incense strewed it on the fire at the command of the governor. At the same time all the people went out of the temple... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Leviticus 10:1

Verse 1 1.And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron A memorable circumstance is here recorded, from whence it appears how greatly God abominates all the sins whereby the purity of religion is corrupted. Apparently it was a light transgression to use strange fire for burning incense; and again their thoughtlessness would seem excusable, for certainly Nadab and Abihu did not wantonly or intentionally desire to pollute the sacred things, but, as is often the case in matters of novelty, when they were... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 10:1

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 27:3 , 23; Exodus 28:3 ). 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... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 10:1-2

The sinfulness of man mars the full effect of the good purposes of God on the very day of the consecration of the priests. I. THE SIN OF NADAB AND ABIHU . Presumption. They chose their own method of returning thanks and giving praise to God, a method unsanctioned by God's command, unauthorized by their official superiors. II. THEIR PUNISHMENT . Death. We might have thought that a lesser penalty would have sufficed for such a sin, if we had not had their example... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 10:1-2

Disobedience swiftly punished. What a contrast between the two scenes! Aaron and Moses entering the tabernacle and returning to bless the people and to participate in the rejoicing caused by the appearance of God's glory, and Nadab and Abihu approaching the same sacred place only to be consumed by the fire of judgment, their offerings rejected, themselves destroyed! The judgments of God are not pleasing to contemplate, but they are necessary to completeness of view, and to the begetting in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 10:1-2

The sinfulness of man mars the full effect of the good purposes of God on the very day of the consecration of the priests. I. THE SIN OF NADAB AND ABIHU . Presumption. They chose their own method of returning thanks and giving praise to God, a method unsanctioned by God's command, unauthorized by their official superiors. II. THEIR PUNISHMENT . Death. We might have thought that a lesser penalty would have sufficed for such a sin, if we had not had their example... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 10:1-2

Disobedience swiftly punished. What a contrast between the two scenes! Aaron and Moses entering the tabernacle and returning to bless the people and to participate in the rejoicing caused by the appearance of God's glory, and Nadab and Abihu approaching the same sacred place only to be consumed by the fire of judgment, their offerings rejected, themselves destroyed! The judgments of God are not pleasing to contemplate, but they are necessary to completeness of view, and to the begetting in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 10:1-3

Sin and penalty in sacred things. The story of the guilt and doom of the sons of Aaron constitutes a sad episode in the recital of the sacred precepts of the Law. We look at— 1. THE CHARACTER OF THE TRANSGRESSION . It appears (from Leviticus 10:16 , compared with Le Leviticus 9:15 ) that this forbidden act was done very soon indeed after the solemnities described in the preceding chapter (9). Otherwise we should have inferred that it was familiarity with sacred rites... read more

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