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Leviticus 10:2

2 So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD.

Leviticus 10:2 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
2 And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
2 And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD.
New Living Translation (NLT)
2 So fire blazed forth from the LORD ’s presence and burned them up, and they died there before the LORD .
The Message Bible (MSG)
2 Fire blazed out from God and consumed them - they died in God's presence.
American Standard Version (ASV)
2 And there came forth fire from before Jehovah, and devoured them, and they died before Jehovah.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
2 A fire flashed from the LORD and burned them, and they died in the presence of the LORD.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
2 Then flames leaped from the Lord's presence and burned them to death before the Lord.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
2 So the LORD sent fire on them. It burned them up. They died in front of the Lord.

Leviticus 10:2 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 10:2

And there went out fire from the Lord
They sinned by fire, and they were punished by fire, either from heaven, or from the most holy place, where the Lord dwelt between the cherubim; this was of the nature of lightning, as appears by what follows:

and devoured them;
not reduced them to ashes, for neither their bodies nor their clothes were burnt with this fire, as is clear from ( Leviticus 10:4 Leviticus 10:5 ) but their lives were destroyed, they were lifeless, their souls were separated from their bodies by it, and they died; which is often the case by the lightning, that the clothes of those who are killed with it are untouched, and scarce any marks of violence on their bodies; and so the Targum of Jonathan says of these, their bodies were not burnt:

and they died before the Lord;
upon the spot where they were offering incense, in the holy place, over against the most holy place. This was very awful, like the case of Ananias and Sapphira, and may seem severe: it was for the terror of others in the priesthood, or who should come after, to take care that they performed their office according to the divine precepts, and brought in no innovation into their service. And when it is considered that these were the sons of the high priest, newly invested with an high and honourable office, and just had the laws of the priesthood delivered unto them, and yet deviated from them as soon as in their office, and very probably, from what follows, went drunk into their service, their sin will appear aggravated, and the punishment less severe. This shows there is nothing in carnal descent, these were the sons of Aaron the high priest, that acted this part, and came to this end; the proneness of men to transgress the laws of God as soon as given them; thus the people of Israel fell into idolatry as soon as the moral law was given; and here the priests, as soon as the ceremonial laws, relating to the priesthood, were delivered to them; and also that the law made sinful men priests, and that the Levitical priesthood was imperfect; and that no order of men are free from sin, or exempt from punishment: and the whole of the divine conduct in this affair may lead us to observe how jealous God is in matters of worship; how much he dislikes hypocrites, and formal professors; how severe he will be against such who bring in strange doctrines; what will be the fate of the contemners of Gospel doctrines and ordinances; and how much he resents those who trust in themselves, and their works, and bring in anything of their own in the business of salvation, which is strange fire, sparks of their own kindling, a burning incense to their own drag, and sacrificing to their own net.

Leviticus 10:2 In-Context

1 Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to his command.
2 So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD.
3 Moses then said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD spoke of when he said: “ ‘Among those who approach me I will be proved holy; in the sight of all the people I will be honored.’ ” Aaron remained silent.
4 Moses summoned Mishael and Elzaphan, sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel, and said to them, “Come here; carry your cousins outside the camp, away from the front of the sanctuary.”
5 So they came and carried them, still in their tunics, outside the camp, as Moses ordered.

Cross References 3

  • 1. Psalms 106:18
  • 2. Numbers 3:4; Numbers 11:1; Numbers 16:35; Numbers 26:61; Psalms 2:12; Psalms 50:3; Isaiah 29:6
  • 3. S Genesis 19:24; S Genesis 38:7; Numbers 16:35; 1 Chronicles 24:2; Job 1:16
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