The Sin of Nadab and Abihu

1And the two sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abiud, took each his censer, and put fire therein, and threw incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which the Lord did not command them, 2and fire came forth from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord.

3And Moses said to Aaron, This is the thing which the Lord spoke, saying, I will be sanctified among them that draw night to me, and I will be glorified in the whole congregation; and Aaron was pricked in his heart.

4And Moses called Misadae, and Elisaphan, sons of Oziel, sons of the brother of Aaron's father, and said to them, Draw near and take your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp. 5And they came near and took them in their coats out of the camp, as Moses said. 6And Moses said to Aaron, and Eleazar and Ithamar his sons that were left, Ye shall not make bare your heads, and ye shall not tear your garments; that ye die not, and so there should be wrath on all the congregation: but your brethren, even all the house of Israel, shall lament for the burning, with which they were burnt by the Lord. 7And ye shall not go forth from the door of the tabernacle of witness, that ye die not; for the Lord's anointing oil is upon you: and they did according to the word of Moses.

Restrictions for Priests

8And the Lord spoke to Aaron, saying, 9Ye shall not drink wine nor strong drink, thou and thy sons with thee, whensoever ye enter into the tabernacle of witness, or when ye approach the altar, so shall ye not die; it is a perpetual statute for your generations, 10to distinguish between sacred and profane, and between clean and unclean, 11and to teach the children of Israel all the statutes, which the Lord spoke to them by Moses.

12And Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron who survived, Take the sacrifice that is left of the burnt-offerings of the Lord, and ye shall eat unleavened bread by the altar: it is most holy. 13And ye shall eat it in the holy place; for this is a statute for thee and a statute for thy sons, of the burnt-offerings to the Lord; for so it has been commanded me. 14And ye shall eat the breast of separation, and the shoulder of the choice-offering in the holy place, thou and thy sons and thy house with thee; for it has been given as an ordinance for thee and an ordinance for thy sons, of the sacrifices of peace-offering of the children of Israel. 15They shall bring the shoulder of the choice-offering, and the breast of the separation upon the burnt-offerings of the fat, to separate for a separation before the Lord; and it shall be a perpetual ordinance for thee and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, as the Lord commanded Moses.

16And Moses diligently sought the goat of the sin-offering, but it had been consumed by fire; and Moses was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar the sons of Aaron that were left, saying, 17Why did ye not eat the sin-offering in the holy place? for because it is most holy he has given you this to eat, that ye might take away the sin of the congregation, and make atonement for them before the Lord. 18For the blood of it was not brought into the holy place: ye shall eat it within, before the Lord, as the Lord commanded me. 19And Aaron spoke to Moses, saying, If they have brought nigh to-day their sin-offerings, and their whole-burnt-offerings before the Lord, and these events have happened to me, and yet I should eat to-day of the sin-offerings, would it be pleasing to the Lord? 20And Moses heard it, and it pleased him.