Leviticus

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Leviticus 10 – Skeptic's Annotated Bible answered

A response and reply to the notes on Leviticus 10 in the Skeptic's Annotated Bible (SAB).

King James Version

SAB comment

My comment

1 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.

(10:1-2) "And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD."
God killed two of Aaron's sons for offering "strange fire before the Lord."
God's 14th Killing
What the Bible says about fathers and burning people to death.

Aaron's sons didn't have to accept this job. With the job came certain responsibilities such as doing it exactly as commanded, as it was not theirs to do as they pleased, but they had to please God. But instead they did things as they saw fit. That is never acceptable to God when doing his service. We are not free to invent ways on how we worship God, but we have to follow what he has told us.

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

3 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.

(10:3) "I will be sanctified in them ... and ... glorified."
Moses tells Aaron that his sons were burned to death to sanctify and glorify God.
(10:3) "And Aaron held his peace."
Aaron watched in silence as God burned to death his sons.

The phrase “I will be sanctified” means that God required obedience and following the instructions for his service: that obedience would be given freely and willingly, or punishment would be surely follow.
In this case punishment was immediate and swift: we read no other case where punishment as meted out so quickly. No doubt this was because the instructions were so fresh, God's presence so near and visible, and the disobedience so flagrant and public.
The author of the SAB also claims that Aaron's two sons were killed in order to “glorify God.” That was not the intended purpose. God' name will be glorified, one way or another is the meaning: so Aaron's sons would glorify God if they served him according to his commandments, or they would glorify God as examples of the punishment God had clearly foretold would happen if they disobeyed.
The author of the SAB claims that the phrase “Aaron held his peace” means that “Aaron watched in silence as God burned to death his sons.” That is incorrect, his sons were already dead, and quite probably Aaron was not present when his two sons took the matter of worshipping God in their own hands, so he did not see the punishment. No, the phrase means that he accepted that the punishment was just and fitted the sin.

4 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.

(10:4-6) "Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people."
Moses tells Aaron's cousins to drag the burned bodies out of the camp, and he warns Aaron not to mourn the death of his sons or God will kill him too, along with everyone else.

Bodies had to be buried quickly, because of decay and spreading of diseases. On why Aaron and his sons could not leave, see verse 7.

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

6 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.

7 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.

(10:7) " And ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die"
God will kill any priest that leaves the tabernacle.

When Aaron and his sons accepted the call, they accepted the privileges and the duties. In chapter 8:33 they were commanded not to leave for seven days (not in general as the author of the SAB seems to imply). Their duty to God was more important than any other consideration and they had accepted it willingly.

8 And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying,

9 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:

(10:9) "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."
If priests misbehave at the tabernacle by drinking "wine or strong drink," then God will kill them and send his wrath on "all the people." "It shall be a statute for ever."

Using alcohol on the job means instant dismissal in many critical jobs. And what should the punishment be for serving not just man, but God? And to be honest, it isn't really the hardest thing in the world not to drink wine for a few days while on duty.

10 And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;

11 And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.

12 And Moses spake unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons that were left, Take the meat offering that remaineth of the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and eat it without leaven beside the altar: for it is most holy:

13 And ye shall eat it in the holy place, because it is thy due, and thy sons’ due, of the sacrifices of the LORD made by fire: for so I am commanded.

14 And the wave breast and heave shoulder shall ye eat in a clean place; thou, and thy sons, and thy daughters with thee: for they be thy due, and thy sons’ due, which are given out of the sacrifices of peace offerings of the children of Israel.

(10:14-15) Keep doing these wave and heave offerings "by a statute forever."
(10:14) "And the wave breast and heave shoulder shall ye eat in a clean place."

Forever means until repealed or fulfilled.

15 The heave shoulder and the wave breast shall they bring with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before the LORD; and it shall be thine, and thy sons’ with thee, by a statute for ever; as the LORD hath commanded.

(10:15a) "The heave shoulder and the wave breast ... bring with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before the LORD."
(10:15b) "A statute for ever as the LORD hath commanded"
Does God desire animal sacrifices?

See verse 14.
On animal sacrifices, see Psalm 40:6.

16 And Moses diligently sought the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burnt: and he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron which were left alive, saying,

17 Wherefore have ye not eaten the sin offering in the holy place, seeing it is most holy, and God hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD?

18 Behold, the blood of it was not brought in within the holy place: ye should indeed have eaten it in the holy place, as I commanded.

19 And Aaron said unto Moses, Behold, this day have they offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD; and such things have befallen me: and if I had eaten the sin offering to day, should it have been accepted in the sight of the LORD?

20 And when Moses heard that, he was content.