The Death of Nadab and Abihu

10 Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihua took their censers,b put fire in themc and added incense;d and they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord,e contrary to his command.f 2 So fire came outg from the presence of the Lord and consumed them,h and they died before the Lord.i 3 Moses then said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke of when he said:

“ ‘Among those who approach mej

I will be proved holy;k

in the sight of all the people

I will be honored.l’ ”

Aaron remained silent.

4 Moses summoned Mishael and Elzaphan,m sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel,n and said to them, “Come here; carry your cousins outside the camp,o away from the front of the sanctuary.p” 5 So they came and carried them, still in their tunics,q outside the camp, as Moses ordered.

6 Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar,r “Do not let your hair become unkempta s and do not tear your clothes,t or you will die and the Lord will be angry with the whole community.u But your relatives, all the Israelites, may mournv for those the Lord has destroyed by fire. 7 Do not leave the entrance to the tent of meetingw or you will die, because the Lord’s anointing oilx is on you.” So they did as Moses said.

8 Then the Lord said to Aaron, 9 “You and your sons are not to drink winey or other fermented drinkz whenever you go into the tent of meeting, or you will die. This is a lasting ordinancea for the generations to come, 10 so that you can distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean,b 11 and so you can teachc the Israelites all the decrees the Lord has given them through Moses.d”