Leviticus 10:1-3

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

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Leviticus 10:3-7

We may well think that when Nadab and Abihu were struck with death all about them were struck with horror, and every face, as well as theirs, gathered blackness. Great consternation, no doubt, seized them, and they were all full of confusion; but, whatever the rest were, Moses was composed, and knew what he said and did, not being displeased, as David was in a like case, 2 Sam. 6:8. But though it touched him in a very tender part, and was a dreadful damp to one of the greatest joys he ever... 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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 10:2

And there went out fire from the Lord ,.... They sinned by fire, and they were punished by fire, either from heaven, or from the most holy place, where the Lord dwelt between the cherubim; this was of the nature of lightning, as appears by what follows: and devoured them ; not reduced them to ashes, for neither their bodies nor their clothes were burnt with this fire, as is clear from Leviticus 10:4 but their lives were destroyed, they were lifeless, their souls were separated from... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 10:3

And Moses said unto Aaron ,.... Upon this awful occasion, and in order to quiet and humble him under the mighty hand of God: this is it that the Lord spoke, saying ; but when he spoke it, and where it is said and recorded, is not so very clear; it might have been said, and yet not recorded, or the substance of it may be recorded, though not in the express words here delivered; it may refer, as some think, to Exodus 19:22 or else to Exodus 29:43 which seems to come nearest to what... 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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Leviticus 10:3

And Aaron held his peace - אהרן וידם vaiyiddom Aharon , and Aaron was dumb. How elegantly expressive is this of his parental affection, his deep sense of the presumption of his sons, and his own submission to the justice of God! The flower and hope of his family was nipped in the bud and blasted; and while he exquisitely feels as a father, he submits without murmuring to this awful dispensation of Divine justice. It is an awful thing to introduce innovations either into the rites and... 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

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Leviticus 10:3

Verse 3 3.Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the Lord spake Moses restrains his brother from giving way to excessive grief; for this was a very bitter stroke after their recent joy to see himself at once deprived of two sons on the same day, and at the same moment, he might, too, have been disposed to murmur against God for the cause of their death. Lest, therefore, He should give way to such want of self-control, Moses reminds him that he must submit to the just judgment of God. We... 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

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