Leviticus 10:2
in Leviticus 10So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died in the presence of the LORD.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And there came forth fire from before Jehovah, and devoured them, and they died before Jehovah.
KJV
And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord.
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This verse in Leviticus 10
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
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 2Co 2:16.
This site's exposition
and offered strange fire before the LORD
on Leviticus 10:1-2
Nadab and Abihu are Aaron's two eldest sons, and Exodus 24:9 has them going up Sinai with Moses and Aaron and the seventy elders. One verse earlier fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the offering on the altar, and here fire goes out from the LORD and devours the two men, in nearly the same words. The phrase strange fire occurs here for the first time in Scripture, and its only other occurrences, Numbers 3:4 and Numbers 26:61, both name these same two priests. The verse gives one reason, which he commanded them not, and never says what made the fire strange.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
A commentator
Philoxenus of Mabbug13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 7 -- Second Discourse on the Fear of God · Written before 523.
proposed
And that He might increase in them this fear, immediately, by the mouth of offence, the rod of His chastisement was revealed, and after the offence the Chastiser gave them no respite, because their servitude was not worthy of His longsuffering. Above their head the …
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
From the Lord - From heaven, or rather from the sanctuary. Devoured them - Destroyed their lives; for their bodies and garments were not consumed. Thus the sword is said to devour, 2 Sam. ii, 26.
A command not to drink wine or strong drink, and to distinguish between holy and unholy, ver. 8-11. Directions concerning the parts of the burnt-offerings which were to be eaten, ver. 12-15. Moses reproves the priests, but is pacified by Aaron, ver. 16-20.
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And there went out fire from the Lord,....
But here it was forbidden both to Aaron and his sons, because, (1.) They were now actually waiting, doing a great work, which must by no means cease ( Neh. vi. 3 ); and it was very much for the honour of God that their attendance on him should take place of their respects to their nearest relations, and that all services should give way to those of their ministry.
2 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
The wages of this sin was death. (2.) They died suddenly, in the very act of their sin, and had not time so much as to cry, "Lord, have mercy upon us!" Though God is long-suffering to us-ward, yet sometimes he makes quick work with sinners; sentence is executed speedily: presumptuous sinners bring upon themselves a swift destruction, and are justly denied even space to repent.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The expression, "from the Lord," indicates that this fire issued from the most holy place. In the destruction of these two young priests by the infliction of an awful judgment, the wisdom of God observed the same course, in repressing the first instance of contempt for sacred things, as he did at the commencement of the Christian dispensation (Ac 5:1-11).
The words behind it
9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַתֵּ֥צֵא | vatetze' | and it went out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| אֵ֛שׁ | ʾesh | fire | H784 → | 378 times |
| מִלִּפְנֵ֥י | milifnei | from to before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| יְהוָ֖ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וַתֹּ֣אכַל | vatokhal | and it consumed | H398 → | 810 times |
| אוֹתָ֑ם | ʾotam | <obj.> them | H853 → | 10935 times |
| וַיָּמֻ֖תוּ | vaiyamutu | and they died | H4191 → | 839 times |
| לִפְנֵ֥י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| יְהוָֽה׃ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
וַתֵּ֥צֵאand it went out
vatetze'H3318 →1067 times
אֵ֛שׁfire
ʾeshH784 →378 times
מִלִּפְנֵ֥יfrom to before
milifneiH6440 →2123 times
יְהוָ֖הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וַתֹּ֣אכַלand it consumed
vatokhalH398 →810 times
אוֹתָ֑ם<obj.> them
ʾotamH853 →10935 times
וַיָּמֻ֖תוּand they died
vaiyamutuH4191 →839 times
לִפְנֵ֥י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
יְהוָֽה׃Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 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
2 Samuel 6:7And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down on the spot for his irreverence, and he died there beside the ark of God.
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 6:19
But God struck down some of the people of Beth-shemesh because they looked inside the ark of the LORD. He struck down seventy men, and the people mourned because the LORD had struck them…
- 1 Chronicles 15:13
It was because you Levites were not with us the first time that the LORD our God burst forth in anger against us. For we did not consult Him about the proper order.”
- 1 Samuel 6:19
Through
Leviticus 9:24Fire 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…
it leads to
- 1 Kings 18:38–39
Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water in the trench.
- Judges 6:21
Then the angel of the LORD extended the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread. And fire flared from the rock and consumed the…
- 1 Chronicles 21:26
And there he built an altar to the LORD and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. He called upon the LORD, who answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering.
- Judges 13:19–20
Then Manoah took a young goat and a grain offering and offered them on a rock to the LORD. And as Manoah and his wife looked on, the LORD did a marvelous thing.
- Exodus 3:2
There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from within a bush. Moses saw the bush ablaze with fire, but it was not consumed.
- 1 Kings 18:38–39
Through
Numbers 16:35And fire came forth from the LORD and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense.
it leads to
- Numbers 26:10
And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them along with Korah, whose followers died when the fire consumed 250 men. They serve as a warning sign.
- Numbers 26:10
Where this verse is studied
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Studies3
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About Leviticus
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Philoxenus of Mabbug, 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 7 -- Second Discourse on the Fear of God.