Leviticus 16:1

The Day of Reconciliation

1 After the death of Aaron's two sons, which happened when they approached the LORD and died, the LORD spoke to Moses:

Leviticus 16:1 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 16:1

And the Lord spake unto Moses, after the death of the two sons
of Aaron
That is, either immediately after their death, and so this chapter would have stood in its natural order next to the tenth; or else after the above laws concerning uncleanness on various accounts were delivered out, designed to prevent the people entering into the tabernacle defiled, whereby they would have incurred the penalty of death; wherefore, as Aben Ezra observes, after the Lord had given cautions to the Israelites, that they might not die, he bid Moses to caution Aaron also, that he might not die as his sons died; these were Nadab and Abihu: when they offered before the Lord, and died;
offered strange fire, and died by flaming fire, as the Targum of Jonathan; or fire sent down from heaven, as Gersom, by lightning; see ( Leviticus 10:1 Leviticus 10:2 ) .

Leviticus 16:1 In-Context

1 After the death of Aaron's two sons, which happened when they approached the LORD and died, the LORD spoke to Moses:

2 Tell your brother Aaron that he cannot come whenever he wants into the holy area inside the inner curtain, to the front of the cover that is on the chest, or else he will die, because I am present in the cloud above the cover.

3 No, but Aaron must enter the holy area as follows: with a bull from the herd as a purification offering and a ram as an entirely burned offering.

4 Aaron must dress in a holy linen tunic and wear linen undergarments on his body. He must tie a linen sash around himself and wrap a linen turban around his head. These are holy clothes—Aaron will first bathe his body in water and then put them on.

5 He will take from the Israelite community two male goats for a purification offering and one ram for an entirely burned offering.