Bible Commentaries

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.

And Nadab and Abihu. — These jolly young priests, overjoyed haply of their new employment and overwarmed with wine, as some gather out of Leviticus 10:9 , over did themselves the very day of their service, Leviticus 10:19 and are suddenly surprised by a doleful death. So was that inconsiderate priest of Naples, Anno Dom. 1457, of whom Wolphius Wolph., Memorab. Lect., cent. 15. reports, that when the hill Vesuvius had sent huge flames, and done great spoil, he, to make proof of his piety, read a mass, and would needs go up the hill to find out the cause of such a calamity. But for a reward of his foolhardiness, he perished in the flames, and was never heard of any more.

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And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.

And there went out fire. — By fire they sinned, and by fire they perished.

“ Per quod quis peccat, per idem punitur et ipse:

Nestorii lingua vermibus exesa est. ” - Evag., lib. i.

So Archbishop Arundel’s tongue rotted in his head. The Archbishop of Tours in France made suit for the erection of a court called Chambre Ardent, wherein to condemn the Protestants to the fire. He was afterwards stricken with a disease called the fire of God, which began at his feet and so ascended upward, that he caused one member after another to be cut off, and so he died miserably. Act. and Mon., fol. 1911.

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Then Moses said unto Aaron, This [is it] that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.

This is it that the Lord spake. — Where? and when? Leviticus 8:35 Exodus 19:22 . Or perhaps nowhere written, but at some other time spoken by God. Moses might but set down the short notes of his discourses, as the prophets used to do.

I will be sanctified. — Either actively or passively, Aut a nobis, aut in nos, either in us, or upon us; sure it is, that he will be no loser by us. Sanctified he will be, either in the sincerity of men’s conversation, or else in the severity of their condemnation. Singular things are expected of all that draw nigh to God in any duty, but especially in the office of the ministry. Those that stand in the presence of princes must be exact in their carriages. God appointed both the weights and measures of the sanctuary to be twice as large as those of the commonwealth; to show, that he expects much more of those that serve him there, than he doth of others. The souls of priests must be purer than the sunbeams, saith Chrysostom.

And Aaron held his peace. — He bridled his passions, and submitted to the divine justice. The like did David, Psalms 39:9 which words were taken up by Duplessis in the loss of his only son. Dr Hakw., on Psalm ci

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And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp.

And Moses called Mishael, … — Aaron’s first cousins were called, to carry these two unhappy brethren out for burial: their brethren the priests might not leave their ministry to do it. Accordingly we read of one Pulvillus, a heathen, that he was about to consecrate a temple to Jupiter, and when news was brought him of the death of his son, he would not desist from his enterprise; but with much composure of mind gave order for decent burial.

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So they went near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp; as Moses had said.

In their coats. — These were not burnt, as neither were their bodies: the fire, being of a celestial and subtile nature, might pierce their inward parts, not touching their outward; as lightning kills by piercing, not by burning. Tostat.

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And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the LORD hath kindled.

And Moses said unto Aaron. — Philo reporteth that the high priest of the Jews, to keep always his soul pure, never saw any mournful object. Tiberius, counterfeiting grief at the funeral of Drusus, had a vail laid betwixt the dead and him, that he might not see the body, because he was, as the rest of the emperors also were, pontifex maximus, or the high priest; and therefore a sacred person. Mourning in Aaron might have seemed murmuring; he is therefore forbidden it, and accordingly he forbears. So did Luther when he buried his daughter; he was not seen to shed a tear. Manlii, loc. com., p. 215. No more did Rev. William Whately, late pastor of Banbury, when, after he had preached his own child’s funeral upon this text, "The will of the Lord be done," he and his wife laid the child in the grave with their own hands.

Bewail the burning. — It is fit enough, ordinarily, that the body, when sown in corruption, be watered by the tears of those that plant it in the earth.

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And ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: for the anointing oil of the LORD [is] upon you. And they did according to the word of Moses.

For the anointing oil of the Lord is upon you. — This is every true Christian’s case, who should therefore carry himself accordingly. There is a το πρεπον , a seemly carriage, belongs to every calling. "You have an unction," … 1 John 2:20

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Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: [it shall be] a statute for ever throughout your generations:

Do not drink wine, nor strong drink. — As some are of opinion Nadab and Abihu had done; which miscarriage of theirs occasioned this precept. Ex malis moribus bonae leges. The perpetual equity whereof is, that ministers be no wine bibbers or tipplers or drunken sots . 1 Timothy 3:3 Why should it be said as of old, "They have erred because of wine, and have gone out of the way because of strong drink, even the priest and the prophet?" Isaiah 28:7 Drunkenness is a crime in all, but it is a kind of sacrilege in ministers. And if other drunkards deserve double punishments for their misdemeanours, as Aristotle διπλα τα επιτιμια . - Arist., Ethic., lib. iii. cap. 5. judgeth, first for their drunkenness, and then for the sin committed in and by their drunkenness what do drunken priests? Isaiah 56:12

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