The Sin of Nadab and Abihu (Numbers 3:1–4)
2 UDB So suddenly a fire from Yahweh appeared and burned them up in his own presence. BSB BSB: So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died in the presence of the LORD.
3 UDB Then Moses said to Aaron, "This is what Yahweh was talking about when he said, 'Those priests who come near to me— I will show them that they must honor me; in the presence of all the people I am the one whom they must honor.'" But Aaron said nothing. BSB BSB: Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD meant when He said: ‘To those who come near Me I will show My holiness, and in the sight of all the people I will reveal My glory.’” But Aaron remained silent.
4 UDB Then Moses summoned Mishael and Elzaphan, who were the sons of Aaron's uncle Uzziel, and said to them, "Take the corpses of your cousins outside the camp, away from being in front of the sacred tent." BSB BSB: Moses summoned Mishael and Elzaphan, sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel, and said to them, “Come here; carry the bodies of your cousins outside the camp, away from the front of the sanctuary.”
5 UDB So they carried the corpses, on which were still the special tunics, outside the camp, and buried them. BSB BSB: So they came forward and carried them, still in their tunics, outside the camp, as Moses had directed.
6 UDB Then Moses said to Aaron and his other two sons Eleazar and Ithamar, "You are sad because Nadab and Abihu died, but you must act like you always do. Do not allow the hair on your heads to remain uncombed, and do not tear your clothes. If you do, Yahweh will be angry with all the people. But you must let your relatives and all your fellow Israelites engage in mourning ceremonies for those whom Yahweh has destroyed by fire. BSB BSB: Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not let your hair become disheveled and do not tear your garments, or else you will die, and the LORD will be angry with the whole congregation. But your brothers, the whole house of Israel, may mourn on account of the fire that the LORD has ignited.
7 UDB But you must not leave the entrance of the sacred tent to join those who are mourning, because if you do that, you also will die. Do not forget that Yahweh has set you apart to work for him here, and he does not want you to become defiled by touching a corpse." So they obeyed Moses. BSB BSB: You shall not go outside the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, or you will die, for the LORD’s anointing oil is on you.” So they did as Moses instructed.
Restrictions for Priests 8 UDB Then Yahweh said to Aaron, BSB BSB: Then the LORD said to Aaron,
9 UDB "You and your two sons who are still alive must not drink wine or other fermented drinks before you enter the sacred tent. If you do that, you will die. That is a command that you and your descendants must obey forever. BSB BSB: “You and your sons are not to drink wine or strong drink when you enter the Tent of Meeting, or else you will die; this is a permanent statute for the generations to come.
10 UDB You must do that in order to learn what things are holy and what things are not holy; you must also learn what things I will accept and what I will not accept. BSB BSB: You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the clean and the unclean,
11 UDB And you must teach the Israelite people all the laws that I gave to them by telling them to Moses." BSB BSB: so that you may teach the Israelites all the statutes that the LORD has given them through Moses.”
12 UDB Moses said to Aaron and his two sons who were still alive, Eleazar and Ithamar, "Take the offering made from flour that is left after a portion of it has been offered to Yahweh to be burned, and eat it alongside the altar. It should not be eaten elsewhere, because it is very holy. BSB BSB: And Moses said to Aaron and his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, “Take the grain offering that remains from the food offerings to the LORD and eat it without leaven beside the altar, because it is most holy.
13 UDB Eat it in a holy place. It is the share for you and your sons from the meat that you have burned as offerings. Yahweh has commanded me to tell you this. BSB BSB: You shall eat it in a holy place, because it is your share and your sons’ share of the food offerings to the LORD; for this is what I have been commanded.
14 UDB But you and your sons and daughters are permitted to eat the breast and the thigh that were lifted up in front of Yahweh. Eat them in any place that is holy. They have been given to you and your descendants as your share of the offerings when the Israelites promise friendship with Yahweh. BSB BSB: And you and your sons and daughters may eat the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the contribution in a ceremonially clean place, because these portions have been assigned to you and your children from the peace offerings of the sons of Israel.
15 UDB The thigh and the breast that were lifted up in front of Yahweh must be brought with the portions of fat to be burned, to be lifted up and offered in his presence. They will be the regular share for you and your descendants, as Yahweh has commanded." BSB BSB: They are to bring the thigh of the contribution and the breast of the wave offering, together with the fat portions of the food offerings, to wave as a wave offering before the LORD. It will belong permanently to you and your children, as the LORD has commanded.”
16 UDB When Moses inquired about the goat that the priests had sacrificed for the people's sins, he found out that the priests had burned it all. So he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar and asked them, BSB BSB: Later, Moses searched carefully for the goat of the sin offering, and behold, it had been burned up. He was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s remaining sons, and asked,
17 UDB "Why did you not eat near the sacred tent the meat of the sin offering? It was very special for Yahweh; he gave it to you so he could forgive the sins of the people. BSB BSB: “Why didn’t you eat the sin offering in the holy place? For it is most holy; it was given to you to take away the guilt of the congregation by making atonement for them before the LORD.
18 UDB Since its blood was not taken into the holy place inside the sacred tent, you should have eaten the meat of the goat outside the sacred tent, as I commanded." BSB BSB: Since its blood was not brought inside the holy place, you should have eaten it in the sanctuary area, as I commanded.”
19 UDB Aaron replied to Moses, "Today the people brought to Yahweh their offering for him to forgive their sins, and also the offering we burned completely to please Yahweh. But think about the terrible thing that happened to my other two sons! Would Yahweh have been pleased if I had eaten some of the people's sin offering today?" BSB BSB: But Aaron replied to Moses, “Behold, this very day they presented their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD. Since these things have happened to me, if I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been acceptable in the sight of the LORD?”
20 UDB When Moses heard that, he was satisfied and said nothing more. BSB BSB: And when Moses heard this explanation, he was satisfied.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.