Leviticus

And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.

1Nadab and Abihu were sons of Aaron, the chief priest. Each one took his censer, a pan for burning incense. They put fire in the pans. Then they added incense, which makes sweet smoke. They offered this fire to the LORD. But God had not told them to do it.

Note"Strange fire" in the old wording means fire that was not asked for. It was fire God had not told them to bring.

2And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.

2Fire came out from the LORD. It burned them up. They died right there in front of the LORD.

3Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.

3Then Moses said to Aaron, "The LORD told us this would be so. He said, 'People who come close to me must treat me as holy. All the people will see how great I am.'" Aaron did not say a word.

4And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp.

4Moses called for Mishael and Elzaphan. They were sons of Uzziel, Aaron's uncle. Moses said, "Come here. Carry your cousins away from the holy tent. Take them outside the camp."

5So they went near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp; as Moses had said.

5So they came and picked them up. The two men were still in their long shirts. They carried them outside the camp, just as Moses said.

6And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the LORD hath kindled.

6Moses spoke to Aaron and to his sons Eleazar and Ithamar. He said, "Do not let your hair hang loose. Do not tear your clothes to show sadness. If you do, you will die. And God will be angry with all the people. Your relatives, all of Israel, may cry for the two men. The LORD sent the fire that burned them.

NoteIn those days, people showed deep sadness by letting their hair hang loose and tearing their clothes.

7And ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you. And they did according to the word of Moses.

7"Do not go out the door of the meeting tent. If you do, you will die. The LORD's special oil is on you." So they did what Moses said.

8And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying,

8Then the LORD spoke to Aaron. He said,

9Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:

9"You and your sons must not drink wine or any strong drink. Do not drink it when you go into the meeting tent. If you do, you will die. This rule will last for all time, in every family after you.

10And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;

10"You must know the difference between what is holy and what is not. You must know what is clean and what is unclean.

11And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.

11"And you must teach the people of Israel every rule the LORD gave them through Moses."

12And Moses spake unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons that were left, Take the meat offering that remaineth of the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and eat it without leaven beside the altar: for it is most holy:

12Moses spoke to Aaron and to his two sons who were still alive, Eleazar and Ithamar. He said, "Take the grain offering that is left over. It comes from the gifts burned for the LORD. Eat it beside the altar, with no yeast in it. It is very holy.

NoteThe old wording says "meat offering," but it was made of grain, not meat. In 1611, "meat" meant any kind of food.

13And ye shall eat it in the holy place, because it is thy due, and thy sons’ due, of the sacrifices of the LORD made by fire: for so I am commanded.

13"Eat it in a holy place. It is your share and your sons' share. It comes from the gifts burned for the LORD. That is what I was told to say.

14And the wave breast and heave shoulder shall ye eat in a clean place; thou, and thy sons, and thy daughters with thee: for they be thy due, and thy sons’ due, which are given out of the sacrifices of peace offerings of the children of Israel.

14"You may also eat the breast that was lifted up and the leg that was given. Eat them in a clean place. You and your sons and your daughters may eat them. They are your share from the peace offerings of the people of Israel.

15The heave shoulder and the wave breast shall they bring with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before the LORD; and it shall be thine, and thy sons’ with thee, by a statute for ever; as the LORD hath commanded.

15"The people must bring the leg and the breast. They bring them along with the fat that is burned as a gift. The priest lifts them up before the LORD. Then they belong to you and your sons for all time. The LORD has commanded this."

16And Moses diligently sought the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burnt: and he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron which were left alive, saying,

16Later Moses looked hard for the goat of the sin offering. He found that it had been burned up. He was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's two sons who were still alive. He asked them,

17Wherefore have ye not eaten the sin offering in the holy place, seeing it is most holy, and God hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD?

17"Why did you not eat the sin offering in the holy place? It is very holy. God gave it to you to carry away the people's guilt. It makes things right between them and the LORD.

18Behold, the blood of it was not brought in within the holy place: ye should indeed have eaten it in the holy place, as I commanded.

18"Look, its blood was not brought inside the holy place. So you should have eaten it there, as I told you."

19And Aaron said unto Moses, Behold, this day have they offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD; and such things have befallen me: and if I had eaten the sin offering to day, should it have been accepted in the sight of the LORD?

19Aaron answered Moses. "Today my sons brought their sin offering and their burnt offering to the LORD. And then this happened to me. If I had eaten the sin offering today, would the LORD have been pleased?"

20And when Moses heard that, he was content.

20When Moses heard this, he was satisfied with the answer.