Leviticus 10:1

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu each took his own censer, put fire in it, placed incense on it, and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them to do.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיִּקְח֣וּ בְנֵֽי־אַ֠הֲרֹן נָדָ֨ב וַאֲבִיה֜וּא אִ֣ישׁ מַחְתָּת֗וֹ וַיִתְּנ֤וּ בָהֵן֙ אֵ֔שׁ וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ עָלֶ֖יהָ קְטֹ֑רֶת וַיַּקְרִ֜בוּ לִפְנֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ אֵ֣שׁ זָרָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹ֦א צִוָּ֖ה אֹתָֽם

Transliteration

And wə-yiqqəḥû bənê-ʾahărōn nāḏāḇ and-ʾăḇîhûʾ ʾîš maḥtātô and-wə-yittənû in-them ʾēš and-wə-yāśîmû upon-it qəṭōreṯ and-wə-yaqqriḇû before YHWH ʾēš zārâ which not ṣiwwâ them

Grammar Details

• *wə-yiqqəḥû*: waw-consecutive + Qal imperfect, 3rd masculine plural - and they took
• *bənê*: construct state, masculine plural - sons of
• *ʾahărōn*: proper noun, masculine singular - Aaron
• *nāḏāḇ*: proper noun, masculine singular - Nadab
• *ʾăḇîhûʾ*: proper noun, masculine singular - Abihu
• *ʾîš*: noun, masculine singular, absolute - each man
• *maḥtātô*: noun, feminine singular with 3rd masculine singular possessive suffix - his censer
• *wə-yittənû*: waw-consecutive + Qal imperfect, 3rd masculine plural - and they put
• *ʾēš*: noun, feminine singular, absolute - fire
• *wə-yāśîmû*: waw-consecutive + Qal imperfect, 3rd masculine plural - and they placed
• *qəṭōreṯ*: noun, feminine singular, absolute - incense
• *wə-yaqqriḇû*: waw-consecutive + Hiphil imperfect, 3rd masculine plural - and they offered/brought near
• *YHWH*: proper noun - the LORD
• *zārâ*: adjective, feminine singular - strange/unauthorized
• *ṣiwwâ*: Piel perfect, 3rd masculine singular - he commanded

Word Meanings

• *ʾîš*: each/man/each man
• *maḥtātô*: his censer/fire-pan
• *ʾēš*: fire/flame
• *qəṭōreṯ*: incense/smoke offering
• *zārâ*: strange/foreign/unauthorized/profane

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer, put fire in it, placed incense on it, and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

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

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  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.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  And Nadab and Abihu the sonnes of Aaron toke ether of them his censor ad put fyre therein and put cens apo, and broughte straunge fyre before the Lorde: which he comaunded the not

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And ye sonnes of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, toke ether of the his censoure, & put fyre therin, & layed incense vpon it, and brought straunge fyre before the LORDE, which he commauded them not.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Bvt Nadab and Abihu, the sonnes of Aaron, tooke either of them his censor, and put fire therein, and put incense thereupon, and offred strange fire before the Lorde, which hee had not commaunded them.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And Nadab and Abihu, the sonnes of Aaron, toke eyther of the his censar, and put fire therein, and put cense therevpon, and offred straunge fire before the Lorde, whiche he commaunded them not.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  ¶ 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.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer, and put fire in it, and laid incense on it, and offered strange fire before Yahweh, which he had not commanded them.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And the sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, take each his censer, and put in them fire, and put on it perfume, and bring near before Jehovah strange fire, which He hath not commanded them;

• American Standard Version (1901)

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

• American Standard Version (1901)

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

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their vessels and put fire in them and perfume, burning strange fire before the Lord, which he had not given them orders to do.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer, and put fire in it, and laid incense on it, and offered strange fire before Yahweh, which he had not commanded them.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Nadab and Abihu Then Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, each took his fire pan and put fire in it, set incense on it, and presented strange fire before the LORD, which he had not commanded them to do.

Referenced Verses

• Lev 16:12 : 12 Then he shall take a censer full of burning coals from the altar before the LORD, and two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense, and bring them inside the curtain.
• Num 26:61 : 61 But Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord.
• Exod 24:1 : 1 The LORD said to Moses, "Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of Israel's elders, and worship from a distance."
• Exod 24:9 : 9 Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up.
• Exod 6:23 : 23 Aaron married Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
• Lev 16:1 : 1 The LORD spoke to Moses after the death of Aaron's two sons, who approached the presence of the LORD and died.
• Exod 28:1 : 1 Now bring near to you your brother Aaron and his sons from among the Israelites, to serve me as priests—Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron.
• Exod 30:1-9 : 1 You shall make an altar for burning incense; you shall make it of acacia wood. 2 Its length shall be one cubit and its width one cubit—it shall be square—and its height shall be two cubits, with its horns being of one piece with it. 3 You shall overlay it with pure gold—its top, its sides all around, and its horns—and you shall make a gold border around it. 4 You shall make two gold rings for it under its border on its two sides. Place them on each side to hold the poles for carrying it. 5 You shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 6 You shall place it in front of the veil that is before the ark of the testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with you. 7 Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it every morning when he trims the lamps. 8 When Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense on it. This shall be a perpetual incense offering before the LORD throughout your generations. 9 You shall not offer unauthorized incense on it, nor any burnt or grain offering, nor shall you pour a drink offering on it.
• Exod 30:34-36 : 34 Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Take fragrant spices—stacte, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense—in equal measures. 35 Make them into incense, blended as the work of a perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy. 36 Grind some of it into powder and place it in front of the testimony in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you.
• Exod 31:11 : 11 and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense for the holy place. They must do everything just as I have commanded you.
• Exod 37:29 : 29 He made the holy anointing oil and the pure, fragrant incense, the work of a perfumer.
• Exod 38:3 : 3 He made all the utensils of the altar—the pots, the shovels, the basins, the forks, and the firepans. He made all its utensils of bronze.
• Exod 40:27 : 27 He burned fragrant incense on it, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
• Lev 9:24 : 24 Fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown.
• Exod 27:3 : 3 You shall make pots to remove its ashes, along with its shovels, basins, forks, and firepans. All its utensils shall be made of bronze.
• Lev 22:9 : 9 They must keep My commands and not bear guilt by treating the holy things improperly, for if they do, they will die because of it. I am the LORD who sanctifies them.
• Num 3:2-4 : 2 And these are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed priests, who were set apart to serve as priests. 4 Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD when they offered unauthorized fire before Him in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.
• Num 16:6-7 : 6 "Do this: Take censers for yourselves, Korah and all your followers. 7 Put fire in them and place incense on them in the presence of the Lord tomorrow. The man the Lord chooses will be the holy one. You have gone too far, sons of Levi!"
• Num 16:16-18 : 16 Moses said to Korah, "You and all your followers are to appear before the Lord tomorrow—you, they, and Aaron. 17 Each man is to take his censer, put incense in it, and present it before the Lord—250 censers in all. You and Aaron are also to do the same, each with his censer. 18 So each of them took his censer, put fire and incense in it, and stood with Moses and Aaron at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
• Deut 4:2 : 2 Do not add to the command that I am giving you, and do not take away from it, so that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God that I am commanding you.
• Deut 17:3 : 3 and they go and worship other gods, bowing down to them, or to the sun, the moon, or the stars in the sky, which I have not commanded,
• 1 Kgs 13:1-2 : 1 Behold, a man of God came from Judah by the word of the LORD to Bethel, and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to offer incense. 2 He cried out against the altar by the word of the LORD and said, 'Altar, altar! This is what the LORD says: Behold, a son will be born to the house of David; his name will be Josiah. He will sacrifice on you the priests of the high places who offer incense on you, and human bones will be burned on you.'
• 2 Chr 26:16-20 : 16 But after Uzziah became strong, his heart was lifted up with pride, leading to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. 17 Azariah the priest, along with eighty brave priests of the Lord, followed him in. 18 They confronted King Uzziah and said to him, 'It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord. That is for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who have been consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful, and you will not be honored by the Lord God.' 19 Uzziah, who was holding a censer to burn incense, became angry. While he was raging at the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead in the presence of the priests in the house of the Lord, near the altar of incense. 20 Azariah the chief priest and all the other priests looked at him, and they saw that he had leprosy on his forehead. So they hurried him out, and he himself was eager to leave because the Lord had afflicted him.
• Ps 141:2 : 2 May my prayer be set before You like incense, and the lifting of my hands like the evening offering.
• Jer 7:31 : 31 They have built the high places of Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to burn their sons and daughters in the fire—something I did not command, nor did it enter my mind.
• Jer 19:5 : 5 They have built high places to Baal to burn their children in the fire as offerings to Baal—something I did not command or speak of, nor did it ever enter My mind.
• Jer 32:35 : 35 They built high places for Baal in the Valley of Hinnom’s Son to sacrifice their sons and daughters to Molech, something I never commanded nor even considered in My heart. They committed this detestable act to make Judah sin.
• Jer 44:8 : 8 You provoke me to anger with the works of your hands by burning incense to other gods in the land of Egypt, where you have come to live, so as to destroy yourselves and make yourselves a curse and a disgrace among all the nations of the earth.
• Jer 44:15 : 15 Then all the men who knew that their wives were burning incense to other gods answered Jeremiah, along with all the women standing there in a large assembly, and all the people living in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, saying:
• Jer 44:19-21 : 19 And when we burned incense to the Queen of Heaven and poured drink offerings to her, did we do it without our husbands’ approval? Were they not with us when we made cakes shaped like her and poured drink offerings to her? 20 Then Jeremiah said to all the people, both the men and the women, who had given him this answer: 21 Does the burning of incense you, your ancestors, your kings, your officials, and the people of the land did in the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem not remain in the LORD's memory and come to his attention?
• Luke 1:9-9 : 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 At the time of the incense offering, the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. 11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.
• Heb 9:4 : 4 It had the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered with gold on all sides. Inside the ark were a golden jar containing the manna, Aaron's staff that had budded, and the tablets of the covenant.
• Rev 8:3-5 : 3 Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all God's people on the golden altar before the throne. 4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God's people, went up before God from the angel's hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it upon the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.