Nadabs og Abihus overmod og ulydighed
1En dag tog Arons sønner Nadab og Abihu hver sit røgelseskar og ville bringe et røgoffer. Men da de kom frem for Herren med offeret, som ikke var i overensstemmelse med hans forskrifter, 2sendte Herren ild imod dem og dræbte dem.
3Da sagde Moses til Aron: „Det er et alvorligt eksempel på, hvad Herren mente, da han sagde: ‚Jeg viser min hellighed på dem, der står mig nærmest. Hele folket skal se min herlighed.’ ” Men Aron var stum af forfærdelse.
4Moses kaldte på Mishael og Elsafan, der var sønner af Arons farbror Uzziel, og sagde: „Kom og fjern jeres slægtninge fra helligdommen og bær dem uden for lejren.” 5De kom straks og bar de døde bort ved at tage fat i deres kjortler, sådan som Moses havde befalet dem.
6Moses sagde nu til Aron og hans to efterladte sønner, Eleazar og Itamar: „I må ikke vise jeres sorg ved at tage jeres hovedbeklædning af og lade jeres hår hænge løst10,6 Mere ordret: „Frigør ikke jeres hoveder.” Betydningen er omstridt. eller rive jeres tøj i stykker.10,6 Som tegn på sorg eller vrede. Gør I det, vil Herren også slå jer ihjel, og hans vrede vil få konsekvenser for hele Israels folk. Lad i stedet folket sørge over Nadab og Abihu. Lad dem begræde den ulykke, Herrens ild har påført os. 7Bliv her ved indgangen til åbenbaringsteltet, for I er salvet med Herrens olie til at tjene ham i hellighed. Ellers risikerer I også at dø.” Så gjorde de, som Moses befalede.
Regler for præsterne
8Nu talte Herren til Aron: 9„Hverken du eller dine sønner må drikke vin eller øl, når I går ind i åbenbaringsteltet. Hvis I gør det, skal I dø! Det samme gælder dine efterkommere i fremtiden. 10I må kunne skelne mellem, hvad der er helligt, og hvad der ikke er helligt, og mellem hvad der er rent, og hvad der er urent, 11så I kan vejlede folket i alle de love, jeg har givet jer gennem Moses.”
12Derpå sagde Moses til Aron og hans to tilbageblevne sønner: „Tag den del af afgrødeofferet, som er tilbage, efter at en håndfuld af det er blevet brændt på Herrens alter. Bag brød af det uden at bruge surdej, og spis så brødet tæt ved alteret. Denne del af offeret er også hellig, 13og derfor skal I spise det i helligdommens forgård. Det skal være jeres andel af de afgrødeofre, som bringes til Herren. Det har Herren selv givet mig besked på. 14Men bryststykket og lårstykket, som blev ofret til Herren, ved at I svingede det frem og tilbage foran hans alter, kan I spise sammen med jeres familie på et indviet sted. Det skal være jeres andel af de takofre, som Israels folk bringer Herren. 15Ligesom fedtet gives til Herren som et ildoffer, skal lårstykket og bryststykket symbolsk gives til Herren, ved at I svinger dem foran Herrens alter. Derefter skal de stykker tilhøre dig og din familie, for sådan har Herren befalet det.”
16Moses spurgte nu, hvad der var blevet af kødet fra den buk, der var ofret som syndoffer for folket. Da han fik at vide, at kødet var blevet brændt uden for lejren, blev han vred på Eleazar og Itamar, som havde gjort det, for det var imod reglerne.
17„Hvorfor har I ikke spist kødet fra folkets syndoffer i helligdommen?” spurgte han vredt. „Det er jo et helligt offer, og det er givet til jer, for at I skal fjerne folkets skyld og skaffe soning for dem foran Herrens ansigt. 18Det er kun, når syndofferets blod bringes ind i åbenbaringsteltet, at kødet skal brændes.10,18 Se 3.Mos. 6,22-23. Ellers skal det spises i helligdommen, sådan som jeg gav jer besked på.”
19Aron svarede: „Ja, men tænk på, hvad der er overgået mig i dag. Mine to sønner syndede og døde for Herrens ansigt. Hvis jeg havde spist af et helligt offer på en dag som denne, ville Herren så have godtaget det?” 20Det argument accepterede Moses.
The Lord Kills Nadab and Abihu
1Nadab and Abihu were two of Aaron’s sons. They got their shallow cups for burning incense. They put fire in them. They added incense to it. They made an offering to the Lord by using fire that wasn’t allowed. They did it against his command. 2So the Lord sent fire on them. It burned them up. They died in front of the Lord. 3Then Moses spoke to Aaron. He said, “That’s what the Lord was talking about when he said,
“ ‘Among those who approach me
I will show that I am holy.
In the sight of all the people
I will be honored.’ ”
So Aaron remained silent.
4Moses sent for Mishael and Elzaphan. They were sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel. Moses said to them, “Come here. Carry the bodies of your cousins outside the camp. Take them away from in front of the Holy Room.” 5So they came and carried them outside the camp. It was just as Moses had ordered. The bodies of Nadab and Abihu still had their inner robes on them.
6Moses spoke to Aaron and to Eleazar and Ithamar. They were Aaron’s sons. Moses said, “Don’t let your hair hang loose. Don’t tear your clothes. If you do, you will die. And the Lord will be angry with the whole community. But all the Israelites are allowed to show they are sad. They are your relatives. They may mourn for those the Lord has destroyed with fire. 7Don’t leave the entrance to the tent of meeting. If you do, you will die. That’s because the Lord’s anointing oil has made you holy.” So they did what Moses told them to do.
8Then the Lord spoke to Aaron. He said, 9“You and your sons will go into the tent of meeting. When you do, you must not drink any kind of wine. If you do, you will die. This is a law that will last for all time to come. 10This is so that you can tell the difference between what is holy and what is not. You must be able to tell the difference between what is ‘clean’ and what is not. 11Then you will be able to teach the Israelites all the rules I have given them through Moses.”
12Moses spoke to Aaron and to Eleazar and Ithamar. They were Aaron’s two remaining sons. Moses said, “Take the grain offering left over from the food offerings presented to the Lord. It is very holy. Make bread without yeast from it. Eat it beside the altar. 13Eat it in the holy area. It’s your share and your sons’ share of the food offerings presented to the Lord. These rules are in keeping with the command the Lord gave me. 14But you and your sons and your daughters can eat the breast that was waved. You can also eat the thigh that was offered. Eat them in a ‘clean’ place. They have been given to you and your children. They are your share of the friendship offerings the Israelites bring. 15The thigh that was offered must be brought together with the fat parts of the food offerings. The breast that was waved must be brought in the same way. All of it must be lifted up and waved in front of the Lord as a wave offering. It will be the share for you and your children for all time to come. That’s what the Lord has commanded.”
16Moses asked about the goat that was brought as the sin offering. He found out that it had been burned up. So he became angry with Eleazar and Ithamar. They were Aaron’s two remaining sons. Moses asked them, 17“Why didn’t you eat the sin offering in a place near the Holy Room? The offering is very holy. It was given to you to take the people’s guilt away. It paid for their sin in the sight of the Lord. 18The blood of the offering wasn’t taken into the Holy Room. So you should have eaten the goat in a place near the Holy Room. That’s what I commanded.”
19Aaron replied to Moses, “Today the people sacrificed their sin offering to the Lord. They also sacrificed their burnt offerings to him. But a terrible thing has happened to me. Two of my sons have died. Would the Lord have been pleased if I had eaten the sin offering today?” 20When Moses heard that, he was satisfied.
