Leviticus 10:1

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.

📖 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

• 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.

• 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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And Nadab{H5070} and Abihu,{H30} the sons{H1121} of Aaron,{H175} took{H3947} each{H376} of them his censer,{H4289} and put{H5414} fire{H784} therein,{H2004} and laid{H7760} incense{H7004} thereon, and offered{H7126} strange{H2114} fire{H784} before{H6440} Jehovah,{H3068} which he had not commanded{H6680} them.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And Nadab{H5070} and Abihu{H30}, the sons{H1121} of Aaron{H175}, took{H3947}{(H8799)} either{H376} of them his censer{H4289}, and put{H5414}{(H8799)} fire{H784} therein{H2004}, and put{H7760}{(H8799)} incense{H7004} thereon, and offered{H7126}{(H8686)} strange{H2114}{(H8801)} fire{H784} before{H6440} the LORD{H3068}, which he commanded{H6680}{(H8765)} 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 And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten fine, and bring it within the veil:
• Num 26:61 : 61 And Nadab and Abihu died, when they offered strange fire before the LORD.
• Exod 24:1 : 1 And he said to Moses, Come up to the LORD, you, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship afar off.
• Num 16:46 : 46 And Moses said to Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire in it from the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly to the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague has begun.
• Exod 24:9 : 9 Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel:
• Exod 6:23 : 23 And Aaron took Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Naashon, as his wife; and she bore him Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
• Lev 16:1 : 1 And the LORD spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died;
• Exod 28:1 : 1 Take Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may serve Me as priest, along with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons.
• Exod 30:1-9 : 1 And you shall make an altar to burn incense on: of acacia wood you shall make it. 2 A cubit shall be its length, and a cubit its breadth; it shall be square: and its height shall be two cubits: its horns shall be of one piece with it. 3 And you shall overlay it with pure gold, its top, and its sides all around, and its horns; and you shall make a crown of gold around it. 4 And you shall make two golden rings for it under its crown, on its two sides you shall make them, on its two corners; and they shall be holders for the staves to carry it with. 5 And you shall make the staves of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. 6 And you shall put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with you. 7 And Aaron shall burn on it sweet incense every morning: when he prepares the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. 8 And when Aaron lights the lamps at evening, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations. 9 You shall offer no strange incense on it, nor burnt sacrifice, nor grain offering; neither shall you pour a drink offering on it.
• Exod 30:34-36 : 34 And the LORD said to Moses, Take sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum, sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be equal amounts: 35 And you shall make of it a perfume, a compound according to the art of the perfumer, mixed together, pure and holy: 36 And you shall beat some of it very fine, and put it before the testimony in the tabernacle of meeting, where I will meet with you: it shall be most holy to you.
• Exod 31:11 : 11 The anointing oil, and sweet incense for the holy place: according to all that I have commanded you shall they do.
• Exod 37:29 : 29 And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of sweet spices, according to the art of the perfumer.
• Exod 38:3 : 3 He made all the vessels of the altar, the pots, the shovels, the basins, the forks, and the fire pans; all its vessels he made of bronze.
• Exod 40:27 : 27 And he burned sweet incense upon it, as the LORD commanded Moses.
• Lev 9:24 : 24 And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.
• Exod 27:3 : 3 And you shall make its pans to receive its ashes, and its shovels, and its basins, and its forks, and its firepans; all its vessels you shall make of bronze.
• Lev 22:9 : 9 They shall therefore keep my ordinance, lest they bear sin for it, and die thereby, if they profane it: I the LORD do sanctify 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 priests who were anointed, whom he consecrated to serve in the priest's office. 4 But Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD when they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai; and they had no children: so Eleazar and Ithamar served in the priest's office in the presence of Aaron their father.
• Num 16:6-7 : 6 This do; Take your censers, Korah, and all his company. 7 And put fire in them, and put incense in them before the LORD tomorrow: and it shall be that the man whom the LORD chooses, he shall be holy: you take too much upon you, sons of Levi.
• Num 16:16-18 : 16 And Moses said to Korah, Be here with all your company before the LORD, you, and they, and Aaron, tomorrow. 17 And take each man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring them before the LORD, each man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; you also, and Aaron, each of you his censer. 18 And they took each man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense on them, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron.
• Deut 4:2 : 2 You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take anything from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
• Deut 12:32 : 32 Whatever I command you, be careful to do it; you shall not add to it, nor take away from it.
• Deut 17:3 : 3 and has gone and served other gods and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded,
• 1 Kgs 13:1-2 : 1 And, behold, a man of God came out of Judah by the word of the LORD to Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense. 2 And he cried against the altar by the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus says the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born to the house of David, Josiah by name; and on you shall he offer the priests of the high places who burn incense upon you, and men's bones shall be burnt upon you.
• 2 Chr 26:16-20 : 16 But when he became strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction. He transgressed against the LORD his God by entering the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense. 17 Azariah the priest went in after him, with eighty priests of the LORD who were valiant men. 18 They confronted King Uzziah and said to him, "It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the sanctuary, for you have trespassed! This will not bring you honor from the LORD God." 19 Then Uzziah was angry, and he held a censer in his hand to burn incense. While he was angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead in the presence of the priests in the house of the LORD, beside the incense altar. 20 Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and he was leprous on his forehead. So they hurried him out of there. Indeed, he also hurried to leave, because the LORD had struck him.
• Ps 141:2 : 2 Let my prayer be set before you as incense, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
• Jer 7:31 : 31 And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I did not command, nor did it enter into my heart.
• Jer 19:5 : 5 They have also built the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings to Baal, which I commanded not, nor spoke it, nor did it come into my mind:
• Jer 32:35 : 35 And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.
• Jer 44:8 : 8 In that you provoke me to wrath with the works of your hands, burning incense to other gods in the land of Egypt, where you have gone to dwell, that you might cut yourselves off, and that you might be a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth?
• Jer 44:15 : 15 Then all the men who knew that their wives had burned incense to other gods, and all the women who stood by, a great multitude, even all the people who dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying,
• Jer 44:19-21 : 19 And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings to her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings to her, without our husbands? 20 Then Jeremiah said to all the people, to the men, and to the women, and to all the people who had given him that answer, saying, 21 The incense that you burned in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, you, and your fathers, your kings, and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the LORD remember them, and did it not come into his mind?
• Luke 1:9-9 : 9 According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the time of incense. 11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
• Heb 9:4 : 4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant covered all around with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
• Rev 8:3-5 : 3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, along with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel's hand. 5 And the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and cast it to the earth; and there were voices, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.