Episode 45: God burns Aaron's sons

(Leviticus 8-10)

8 ¹ God said to Moses,

² Take Aaron and his sons, along with the garments, anointing oil, a bullock for a sin offering, two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread to the door of the tabernacle.

³ Have all the people meet you there.

^6-8 Moses girded Aaron and his sons with the curious girdle of the ephod and the Urim and Thummim, as God commanded.

²³ He killed a ram, took some of its blood and wiped it on the tip of Aaron and his sons' right ears, thumbs, and big toes, ²⁴ sprinkling the rest round about on the altar.

²⁵ He then took the fat, rump, intestines, liver, unleavened cake, oiled bread, wafer, and right shoulder and put it in Aaron and his sons' hands to wave for a wave offering before the Lord.

³⁰ Then he mixed the blood on the altar with the anointing oil and sprinkled it on Aaron and his garments and upon his sons and their garments.

³¹ Moses told Aaron and his sons to boil the flesh and eat it with bread, and then burn any leftovers.

More animal sacrifices

9 ³ Moses told Aaron to speak to the people, saying,

³ Take a young goat for a sin offering, an unblemished first-year calf and lamb for a burnt offering, ⁴ a bullock and ram for peace offerings, and a meat offering mingled with oil.

⁶ Today the glory of the Lord will appear to you.

⁸ Aaron went to the altar and killed the calf for his sin offering.

⁹ Aaron's sons brought the calf's blood to Aaron, who dipped his finger in the blood, smeared it on the horns of the altar, and poured the rest at the bottom of the altar.

²¹ Aaron waved the breasts and right shoulder for a wave offering in front of God, as Moses commanded.

The glory of the Lord

²³ The glory of the Lord appeared to all the people.

²⁴ A fire came from God and burned the fat and burnt offerings. And all the people shouted and fell on their faces.

God burns Aaron's sons to death

10 ¹ Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, offered strange fire in front of God, which he commanded them not to do. ² So God burned them to death.

³ Aaron watched in silence as God burned his sons to death.

⁶ Moses said to Aaron and his two remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar,

Don't mourn the death of Nadab and Abihu -- or God will kill you, along with everyone else.

⁷ So they did what Moses said.

Don't drink in the tabernacle (or you'll die)

⁸ God said to Aaron,

⁹ You and your sons must not drink wine or strong alcoholic beverages when you go into the tabernacle, or you will die. This is a statute forever.