Nadav and Avihu's Sacrilege
10:1 And Nadav and Avihu, Ben Aharon, each took his fire pan, put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered eish zarah (unauthorised fire) before YHWH (יהוה), which he commanded them not.
10:2 And there went out fire from YHWH (יהוה), and devoured them, and they died before YHWH (יהוה).
Then Mosheh said unto Aharon:
This [is it] that YHWH (יהוה) spake, saying:
I will be sanctified in them that come nigh Me, and before all the people I will be glorified.
And Aharon held his peace.
10:4 And Mosheh called Misha'el and Eltzafan Benai Uzi'el Dod (uncle) Aharon, and said unto them:
Come near, carry your brethren from before the mikdash (sanctuary) out of the camp.
10:5 So they went near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp; as Mosheh had said.
10:6 And Mosheh said unto Aharon, and unto Ele'azar and unto Itamar, his son, 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 beit Yisrael, bewail the burning which YHWH (יהוה) hath kindled.
10:7 And ye shall not go out from the door of the Ohel Moed (tent of meeting), lest ye die: for the anointing oil of YHWH (יהוה) [is] upon you. And they did according to the word of Mosheh.
10:8 And YHWH spake unto Aharon, saying:
10:9 Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy ben with thee, when ye go into the Ohel Moed (tent of meeting), lest ye die: [it shall be] a statute for ever throughout your generations:
10:10 And that ye may put difference between kodesh and Chol (unholy) , and between Tamei and Tahor (clean);
10:11 And that ye may teach the benai Yisrael all the statutes which YHWH (יהוה) hath spoken unto them by the hand of Mosheh.
10:12(iv) And Mosheh spake unto Aharon, and unto Ele'azar and unto Itamar, his banim that were left, Take the minchah that remaineth of the offerings of YHWH (יהוה) made by fire, and eat it without leaven beside the altar: for it [is] most kodesh:
10:13 And ye shall eat it in the kodesh place, because it [is] thy due, and thy son' due, of the sacrifices of YHWH (יהוה) made by fire: for so I am commanded.
10:14 And the wave breast and heave shoulder shall ye eat in a Tahor (clean) place; thou, and thy son, and thy daughters with thee: for [they be] thy due, and thy son' due, [which] are given out of the sacrifices of shelamims of the benai Yisrael.
10:15 The heave shoulder and the wave breast shall they bring with the offerings made by fire of the chelev, to wave [it for] a wave offering before YHWH (יהוה); and it shall be thine, and thy ben' with thee, by a statute for ever; as YHWH (יהוה) hath commanded.
10:16(v) And Mosheh diligently sought the goat of the chattat, and, Hinnei, it was burnt: and he was angry with El'azar and Itamar, the son of Aharon [which were] left [alive], saying,
10:17 Wherefore have ye not eaten the chattat in the kodesh place, seeing it [is] most kodesh, and [Elohim] hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before YHWH (יהוה)?
10:18 Hinnei, the blood of it was not brought in within the kodesh [place]: ye should indeed have eaten it in the kodesh [place], as I commanded.
10:19 And Aharon said unto Mosheh:
Hinnei, this day have they offered their chattat and their Olah before YHWH (יהוה); and such things have befallen me: and [if] I had eaten the chattat to day, should it have been accepted in the sight of YHWH (יהוה)?
10:20 And when Mosheh heard [that], he was content.
fire pans To carry fire to the inside altar (Rashi). Some say that they were like large spoons (Ralbag). According to others, they were pokers for the ashes on the altar (Rashbam; Midrash HaGadol).