The Deaths of Nadab and Abihu

1 But the sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, each took his fire pan and put fire in them, and put fragrant incense on the fire, and offered before the Lord unauthorized fire which He had not commanded them. 2 And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. 3 And Moses said to Aaron, This is what the Lord spoke, saying, Among those who approach Me I will be sanctified, and I will be glorified before all the people. And Aaron was silent. 4 And Moses called to Mishael and to Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, Come near, and carry your relatives from before the sanctuary outside the camp. 5 And they came near, and carried them in their clothes out of the camp, as Moses had spoken. 6 And Moses said to Aaron and to Eleazar and to Ithamar his sons, Do not let your hair grow long or tear your clothes, so that you do not die and bring anger on all the congregation; but let your brothers and all the house of Israel mourn the burning which the Lord has kindled; 7 and do not go out from the door of the Tent of Meeting, so that you do not die; for the anointing oil of the Lord is on you. And they did according to the word of Moses.

Priestly Responsibilities

8 And the Lord spoke with Aaron, saying: 9 Do not drink wine or strong drink, neither you nor your sons with you, when you enter into the Tent of Meeting, so that you do not die. It is an everlasting statute for your generations, 10 to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean; 11 and so that you may teach the sons of Israel all the statutes which the Lord has spoken to them through Moses. 12 And Moses spoke with Aaron and with Eleazar and with Ithamar his sons who were left: Take the mincha which remains from the offerings of the Lord, and eat it unleavened at the side of the altar, because it is most holy. 13 It shall be eaten in the holy place; for it is your portion, and the portion of your sons of the offerings of the Lord; for that is what I have been commanded. 14 But you and your sons and daughters may eat the breast of the uplifting and the shoulder of the separation in any clean place; for it is your portion, and the portion of your sons, which has been given of the hallowed sacrifices of the children of Israel. 15 They will bring the shoulder of the separation and the breast of the uplifting with the offering of fat to lift as a lifted offering before the Lord: and they shall be yours and your sons' with you by an everlasting statute, as the Lord has commanded. 16 But Moses asked about the goat of the sin offering; and, look, it had been burned; and he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar the sons of Aaron who were left, saying: 17 Why have you not eaten of the sin offering in the holy place, because it is most holy; and He has given it to you to obtain forgiveness for the sin of the congregation to make atonement for them before the Lord? 18 Look, some of its blood⁠a was not brought in within the sanctuary: you should certainly have eaten it in the holy place, as I had commanded. 19 And Aaron said to Moses, Look, today they have brought their sin offering and their burnt offering before the Lord; but such grief has come upon me. If I had eaten of the sin offering today, would it have been right before the Lord? 20 And Moses heard, and it was pleasing in his eyes.