1 Chronicles 24:2
in 1 Chronicles 24But Nadab and Abihu died before their father did, and they had no sons; so Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no children: therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest’s office.
KJV
But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no children: therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest’s office.
⋯
This verse in 1 Chronicles 24
Commentary
5 notes on this verseBut Nadab and Abihu died before their father,.... While he was living, see Lev 10:1. and had no children, therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priests' office: otherwise, as Jarchi observes, had their brethren left children, they would have come into the office before them.
This site's exposition
These were the divisions of the descendants of Aaron
on 1 Chronicles 24:1-3
Aaron had four sons, but Nadab and Abihu died without children under the fire of Leviticus 10. David divides the courses “With the help of Eleazar’s descendant Zadok and Ithamar’s descendant Ahimelech”. Some texts of Samuel name Abiathar beside Zadok, a detail the commentators note without resolving it.
This site's exposition
Nadab and Abihu died before
Nadab and Abihu died childless while Aaron still lived, so the priesthood passed through Eleazar and Ithamar. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown point to Numbers 3:4 and 26:61. Adam Clarke adds that Eleazar later became high priest, and Ithamar's family returned to that office under Eli.
The record, by era
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Nadab and Abihu died before their father - That is, during his lifetime. Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest’s office - These two served the office during the life of their father Aaron; after his death Eleazar succeeded in the high priesthood. And under Eli the high priest, the family of Ithamar re-entered into that office.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Nadab and Abihu died before their father--that is, not in his presence, but during his lifetime (see Nu 3:4; 26:61). therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest's office--In consequence of the death of his two oldest sons without issue, the descendants of Aaron were comprised in the families of Eleazar and Ithamar.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
And of the sons of Aaron The meaning is: These are the sons of Aaron, etc. according to their divisions.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
and Ahimelech was of the sons of Ithamar This is Ahimelech the son of Ebiathar, as is proven immediately following (verse 6): “And Shemaiah, etc. wrote them..” until “and Ahimelech the son of Ebiathar.”
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
12 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיָּ֨מָת | vaiyamot | and he died | H4191 → | 839 times |
| נָדָ֤ב | nadav | Nadab | H5070 → | 20 times |
| וַאֲבִיהוּא֙ | vaavihu' | and Abihu | H30 → | 12 times |
| לִפְנֵ֣י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| אֲבִיהֶ֔ם | ʾavihem | father their | H1 → | 1212 times |
| וּבָנִ֖ים | uvanim | and sons | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| הָי֣וּ | hayu | they belonged | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לָהֶ֑ם | lahem | to them | ||
| וַֽיְכַהֲנ֔וּ | vaykhahanu | and they served as priests | H3547 → | |
| אֶלְעָזָ֖ר | ʾelazar | Eleazar | H499 → | 72 times |
| וְאִיתָמָֽר׃ | veitamar | and Ithamar | H385 → | 21 times |
וַיָּ֨מָתand he died
vaiyamotH4191 →839 times
נָדָ֤בNadab
nadavH5070 →20 times
וַאֲבִיהוּא֙and Abihu
vaavihu'H30 →12 times
לִפְנֵ֣י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
אֲבִיהֶ֔םfather their
ʾavihemH1 →1212 times
וּבָנִ֖יםand sons
uvanimH1121 →4930 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
הָי֣וּthey belonged
hayuH1961 →3559 times
לָהֶ֑םto them
lahem
וַֽיְכַהֲנ֔וּand they served as priests
vaykhahanuH3547 →
אֶלְעָזָ֖רEleazar
ʾelazarH499 →72 times
וְאִיתָמָֽר׃and Ithamar
veitamarH385 →21 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Leviticus 10:2So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died in the presence of the LORD.
it leads to
- Numbers 26:61
but Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Numbers 16:35
And fire came forth from the LORD and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense.
- Leviticus 9:24
Fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell…
- Numbers 26:61
Through
Numbers 3:4Nadab and Abihu, however, died in the presence of the LORD when they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai. And since they had no sons, only Eleazar and Ithamar…
it leads to
- Leviticus 10:1–2
Now Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense, and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to His command.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Leviticus 10:1–2
Through
Exodus 24:1Then the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to the LORD—you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of Israel’s elders—and you are to worship at a distance.
it leads to
- Numbers 11:16
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Bring Me seventy of the elders of Israel known to you as leaders and officers of the people. Bring them to the Tent of Meeting and have them…
- Exodus 6:23
And Aaron married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
- Numbers 11:16
Through
Leviticus 10:12And Moses said to Aaron and his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, “Take the grain offering that remains from the offerings made by fire to the LORD and eat it without leaven beside the…
it leads to
- Leviticus 21:22
He may eat the most holy food of his God as well as the holy food,
- Leviticus 21:22
Through
Numbers 26:61but Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD.
it leads to
- Numbers 3:4
Nadab and Abihu, however, died in the presence of the LORD when they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai. And since they had no sons, only Eleazar and Ithamar…
- Numbers 3:4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
On this verse
On this chapter
About 1 Chronicles
Who and where
4 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonWildernessNadabAaron's eldest son, ordained in Leviticus 8 and killed with his brother Abihu for offering strange fire before Jehovah on the prie…
- PersonWildernessAbihuAaron's second son, killed alongside Nadab for the strange fire Jehovah had not commanded — "I will be sanctified in them that com…
- PersonWildernessEleazarAaron's third son who succeeded him as high priest on Mount Hor, founding the line that runs to Phinehas and Zadok.
- PersonWildernessIthamarAaron's fourth son, ordained priest in Leviticus 8; overseer of the tabernacle's accounts and the Gershonite and Merarite service.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament.