¹亚伦 的儿子 拿答 、亚比户 各 拿 自己的香炉 ，盛上 火 ，加上 香 ，在耶和华面前 献上 凡 火 ，是耶和华 没有吩咐 他们的，

¹And 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.

¹ CHAPTER X

Nadab and Abihu offer strange fire before the Lord, and are

destroyed, 1-5.

Aaron and his family forbidden to mourn for them, 6, 7.

He and his family are forbidden the use of wine, 8-11.

Directions to Aaron and his sons concerning the eating of the

meat-offerings, &c., 12-15.

Moses chides Aaron for not having eaten the sin-offering, 16-18.

Aaron excuses himself, and Moses is satisfied, 19, 20.

NOTES ON CHAP. X



Verse 1. And Nadab and Abihu-took either of them his censer]

The manner of burning incense in the temple service was,

according to the Jews, as follows:-"One went and gathered the

ashes from off the altar into a golden vessel, a second brought a

vessel full of incense, and a third brought a censer with fire,

and put coals on the altar, and he whose office it was to burn

the incense strewed it on the fire at the command of the

governor. At the same time all the people went out of the temple

from between the porch and the altar. Each day they burned the

weight of a hundred denaries of incense, fifty in the morning,

and fifty in the evening. The hundred denaries weighed fifty

shekels of the sanctuary, each shekel weighing three hundred and

twenty barleycorns; and when the priest had burned the incense,

he bowed himself down and went his way out. See Maimonides'

Treatise of the Daily Service, chap. iii. So when Zacharias, as

his lot fell, burned incense in the temple, the whole multitude

of the people were without at prayer while the incense was

burning, Lu 1:9,10. By this service God taught them that the

prayers of his faithful people are pleasing to him, whilst our

High Priest, Christ Jesus, by his mediation puts incense to their

prayers; (see Ps 141:2; Ro 8:34; Heb 8:1,2; 9:24; Re 8:3,4;) for

the priests under the law served unto the example and shadow of

heavenly things; Heb 8:5."

See Ainsworth in loco.



In the preceding chapter we have seen how God intended that

every part of his service should be conducted; and that every

sacrifice might be acceptable to him, he sent his own fire as the

emblem of his presence, and the means of consuming the

sacrifice.-Here we find Aaron's sons neglecting the Divine

ordinance, and offering incense with strange, that is, common

fire,-fire not of a celestial origin; and therefore the fire of

God consumed them. So that very fire which, if properly applied,

would have sanctified and consumed their gift, became now the

very instrument of their destruction! How true is the saying,

The Lord is a consuming fire! He will either hallow or destroy

us: he will purify our souls by the influence of his Spirit, or

consume them with the breath of his mouth! The tree which is

properly planted in a good soil is nourished by the genial

influences of the sun: pluck it up from its roots, and the sun

which was the cause of its vegetative life and perfection now

dries up its juices, decomposes its parts, and causes it to

moulder into dust. Thus must it be done to those who grieve and

do despite to the Spirit of God. Reader, hast thou this heavenly

fire? Hear then the voice of God, QUENCH not the SPIRIT.



Some critics are of opinion that the fire used by the sons of

Aaron was the sacred fire, and that it is only called strange

from the manner of placing the incense on it. I cannot see the

force of this opinion.



Which he commanded them not.] Every part of the religion of

God is Divine. He alone knew what he designed by its rites and

ceremonies, for that which they prefigured-the whole economy of

redemption by Christ-was conceived in his own mind, and was out

of the reach of human wisdom and conjecture. He therefore who

altered any part of this representative system, who omitted or

added any thing, assumed a prerogative which belonged to God

alone, and was certainly guilty of a very high offence against

the wisdom, justice, and righteousness of his Maker. This

appears to have been the sin of Nadab and Abihu, and this at once

shows the reason why they were so severely punished. The most

awful judgments are threatened against those who either add to,

or take away from, the declarations of God.

See De 4:2; Pr 30:6; and Re 22:18,19.

²就有火 从耶和华 面前出来 ，把他们烧灭 ，他们就死 在耶和华 面前 。

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

³于是摩西 对亚伦 说 ：这就是耶和华 所说 ：我在亲近 我的人中要显为圣 ；在众民 面前 ，我要得荣耀 。亚伦 就默默不言 。

³Then 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.

³ Verse 3. And Aaron held his peace.] vaiyiddom

Aharon, and Aaron was dumb. How elegantly expressive is this of

his parental affection, his deep sense of the presumption of his

sons, and his own submission to the justice of God! The flower

and hope of his family was nipped in the bud and blasted; and

while he exquisitely feels as a father, he submits without

murmuring to this awful dispensation of Divine justice. It is an

awful thing to introduce innovations either into the rites and

ceremonies, or into the truths, of the religion of Christ: he who

acts thus cannot stand guiltless before his God.



It has often been remarked that excessive grief stupefies the

mind, so that amazement and deep anguish prevent at once both

tears and complaints; hence that saying of Seneca, Curae leves

loquantur; graviores silent. "Slight sorrows are loquacious;

deep anguish has no voice. See Clarke on Le 10:19.

⁴摩西 召了 亚伦 叔父 乌薛 的儿子 米沙利 、以利撒反 来，对他们说 ：上前来 ，把你们的亲属 从圣所 前 抬到 营 外 。

⁴And 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.

⁴ Verse 4. Uzziel the uncle of Aaron] He was brother to Amram

the father of Aaron; see Ex 6:18-22.

⁵于是二人上前来 ，把他们穿着袍子 抬到 营 外 ，是照摩西 所吩咐的 。

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

⁵ Verse 5. Carried them in their coats out of the camp] The

modern impropriety of burying the dead within towns, cities, or

places inhabited, had not yet been introduced; much less that

abomination, at which both piety and common sense shudder,

burying the dead about and even within places dedicated to the

worship of God!

⁶摩西 对亚伦 和他儿子 以利亚撒 、以他玛 说 ：不可蓬头 散发 ，也不可撕裂 衣裳 ，免得你们死亡 ，又免得耶和华向会众 发怒 ；只要你们的弟兄 以色列 全家 为耶和华所发的 火 哀哭 。

⁶And 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.

⁶ Verse 6. Uncover not your heads, &c.] They were to use no

sign of grief or mourning, 1. Because those who were employed in

the service of the sanctuary should avoid every thing that might

incapacitate them for that service; and, 2. Because the crime of

their brethren was so highly provoking to God, and so fully

merited the punishment which he had inflicted, that their

mourning might be considered as accusing the Divine justice of

undue severity.

⁷你们也不可出 会 幕 的门 ，恐怕你们死亡 ，因为耶和华 的膏 油 在你们的身上。他们就照摩西 的话 行了 。

⁷And 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.

⁷ Verse 7. The anointing oil of the Lord is upon you.] They

were consecrated to the Divine service, and this required their

constant attendance, and most willing and cheerful service.

⁸耶和华 晓谕 亚伦 说 ：

⁸ ¶ And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying,

⁹你和你儿子 进 会 幕 的时候，清酒 、浓酒 都不可喝 ，免得你们死亡 ；这要作你们世世代代 永远的 定例 。

⁹Do 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:

⁹ Verse 9. Do not drink wine nor strong drink] The

cabalistical commentator, Baal Hatturim, and others, have

supposed, from the introduction of this command here, that

Aaron's sons had sinned through excess of wine, and that they had

attempted to celebrate the Divine service in a state of

inebriation.



Strong drink.-The word shechar, from shachar, to

inebriate, signifies any kind of fermented liquors. This is

exactly the same prohibition that was given in the case of John

Baptist, Lu 1:15: οινονκαισικεραουμηπιη.

Wine and sikera he shall not drink. Any inebriating liquor, says

St. Jerome, (Epist. ad nepot.,) is called sicera, whether made of

corn, apples, honey, dates, or other fruit. One of the four

prohibited drinks among the Mohammedans in India is called

[Arabic] sakar, (see the Hedaya, vol. iv., p. 158,) which

signifies inebriating drink in general, but especially date wine

or arrack. From the original word probably we have borrowed our

term cider or sider, which among us exclusively signifies the

fermented juice of apples. See on Lu 1:15.

¹⁰使你们可以将圣的 、俗的 ，洁净的 、不洁净的 ，分别出来 ；

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

¹⁰ Verse 10. That we may put difference between holy and unholy]

This is a strong reason why they should drink no inebriating

liquor, that their understanding being clear, and their judgment

correct, they might be always able to discern between the clean

and the unclean, and ever pronounce righteous judgment.

Injunctions similar to this were found among the Egyptians,

Carthaginians, and Greeks. Indeed, common sense itself shows

that neither a drunkard nor a sot should ever be suffered to

minister in holy things.

¹¹又使你们可以将耶和华 藉摩西 晓谕 以色列 人 的一切律例 教训 他们。

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

¹²摩西 对亚伦 和他剩下的 儿子 以利亚撒 、以他玛 说 ：你们献给 耶和华 火祭 中所剩的 素祭 ，要在坛 旁 不带酵 而吃 ，因为是至 圣 的。

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你们要在圣 处 吃 ；因为在献给耶和华 的火 祭 中，这是你的分 和你儿子 的分 ；所吩咐我的 本是这样。

¹³And 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所摇 的胸 ，所举 的腿 ，你们要在洁净 地方 吃 。你和你的儿 女 都要同吃；因为这些是从以色列人平安 祭 中给你 ，当你的分 和你儿子 的分 。

¹⁴And 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.

¹⁴ Verse 14. Wave-breast and heave-shoulder]

See Clarke on Le 7:38 and see "Ex 29:27".

¹⁵所举 的腿 ，所摇 的胸 ，他们要与火祭 的脂油 一同带来 当摇祭 ，在耶和华 面前 摇一摇 ；这要归你和你儿子 ，当作永 得的分 ，都是照耶和华 所吩咐的 。

¹⁵The 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.

¹⁶当下摩西 急切的 寻找 作赎罪祭 的公山羊 ，谁知已经焚烧了 ，便向亚伦 剩下的 儿子 以利亚撒 、以他玛 发怒 ，说 ：

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,

¹⁶ Verse 16. Moses diligently sought the goat] The goat which

was offered the same day for the sins of the priests and the

people, (see Le 9:15, 16,) and which, through the confusion

that happened on account of the death of Nadab and Abihu, was

burnt instead of being eaten. See Le 10:18.

¹⁷这赎罪祭 既是至 圣 的，主又给了 你们，为要你们担当 会众 的罪孽 ，在耶和华 面前 为他们赎罪 ，你们为何没有在圣 所 吃 呢？

¹⁷Wherefore 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?

¹⁷ Verse 17. To bear the iniquity of the congregation]

See on "Le 6:26", &c.

¹⁸看哪 ，这祭牲的血 并没有拿到 圣 所里 去，你们本当照我所吩咐的 ，在圣 所里吃 这祭肉。

¹⁸Behold, 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亚伦 对摩西 说 ：今天 他们在耶和华 面前 献上 赎罪祭 和燔祭 ，我又遇见 这样的灾，若今天 吃了 赎罪祭 ，耶和华 岂能看 为美 呢？

¹⁹And 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?

¹⁹ Verse 19. And such things have befallen me, &c.] The excuse

which Aaron makes for not feasting on the sin-offering according

to the law is at once appropriate and dignified; as if he had

said: "God certainly has commanded me to eat of the sin-offering;

but when such things as these have happened unto me, could it be

good in the sight of the Lord? Does he not expect that I should

feel as a father under such afflicting circumstances?" With this

spirited answer Moses was satisfied; and God, who knew his

situation, took no notice of the irregularity which had taken

place in the solemn service. To human nature God has given the

privilege to weep in times of affliction and distress. In his

infinite kindness he has ordained that tears, which are only

external evidences of our grief, shall be the outlets to our

sorrows, and tend to exhaust the cause from which they flow.

See on "Le 10:3".

²⁰摩西 听见 这话，便以为美 。

²⁰And when Moses heard that, he was content.

²⁰ Verse 20. When Moses heard that, he was content.] The

argument used by Aaron had in it both good sense and strong

reason, and Moses, as a reasonable man, felt its force; and as

God evidenced no kind of displeasure at this irregularity, which

was, in a measure at least, justified by the present necessity,

he thought proper to urge the matter no farther.



THOUGH the punishment of Nadab and Abihu may appear severe,

because the sacred text does not specify clearly the nature and

extent of their crime, we may rest assured that it was of such a

nature as not only to justify but to demand such a punishment.

God has here given us a full proof that he will not suffer human

institutions to take the place of his own prescribed worship. It

is true this is frequently done, for by many what is called

natural religion is put in the place of Divine revelation; and

God seems not to regard it: but though vengeance is not speedily

executed on an evil work, and therefore the hearts of the

children of men are set to do wickedness, yet God ceases not to

be just; and those who have taken from or added to his words, or

put their own inventions in their place, shall be reproved and

found liars in the great day. His long-suffering leads to

repentance; but if men will harden their hearts, and put their

own ceremonies, rites, and creeds, in the place of Divine

ordinances and eternal truths, they must expect to give an awful

account to him who is shortly to judge the quick and the dead.



Were the religion of Christ stripped of all that state policy,

fleshly interest, and gross superstition have added to it, how

plain and simple, and may we not add, how amiable and glorious,

would it appear! Well may we say of human inventions in Divine

worship what one said of the paintings on old cathedral windows,

Their principal tendency is to prevent the light from coming in.

Nadab and Abihu would perform the worship of God not according to

his command, but in their own way; and God not only would not

receive the sacrifice from their hands, but, while encompassing

themselves with their own sparks, and warming themselves with

their own fire, this had they from the hand of the Lord-they lay

down in sorrow, for there went out a fire from the Lord, and

devoured them. What is written above is to be understood of

persons who make a religion for themselves, leaving Divine

revelation; for, being wilfully ignorant of God's righteousness,

they go about to establish their own. This is a high offence in

the sight of God. Reader, God is a Spirit, and they who worship

him must worship him in spirit and truth. Such worshippers the

Father seeketh.