Lev. 10 Nadab and Abihu offering strange fire, are devoured by fire from heaven, Lev. 10:1–2; for God will be sanctified by them that draw near unto him, Lev. 10:3. Their dead bodies carried without the camp, Lev. 10:4–5. Aaron and his two other sons forbad to mourn, Lev.

Strange fire; so called, as not appointed for, nor belonging to, the present work; fire not taken from the altar, as it ought, but from some common fire. Before the Lord; upon the altar of incense.

From the Lord; from heaven, or rather from the sanctuary. See Lev. 9:24. Devoured them; destroyed their lives; for their bodies and garments were not consumed, as it appears from Lev. 10:4–5. Thus the sword is said to devour, 2 Sam. 2:26.

This is it that the Lord spake; though the express words be not recorded in Scripture, where only the heads of sermons are contained, yet it is probable they were uttered by Moses in God’s name. Howsoever, the sense and substance of them is in many places. See Ex. 19:22, Ex. 29:43, Lev. 8:35.

For Aaron and his sons had scarce finished their consecration work, and were employed in their holy ministrations, from which they were not to be called for funeral solemnities. See Lev. 21:1;c. The uncle of Aaron. See Ex. 6:18, Num. 3:19. Your brethren, i.e.

In their coats; in the holy garments wherein they ministered; which might be done either, 1. As a testimony of a respect due to them, notwithstanding their present failure; and that God in judgment remembered mercy, and when he took away their lives, spared their souls. Or, 2.

Uncover not your heads; either, 1. By putting off your mitres and bonnets, or ornaments, and going bare-headed, as mourners sometimes did. See Lev. 13:45, Ezek. 24:17, Ezek. 24:23. Or, 2. By shaving off the hair of your heads and beards, as mourners did. See Job 1:20, Jer. 7:29, Jer. 41:5, Ezek.

Ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle, where at this time they were, either because this happened within seven days of their consecration; see Lev. 8:35; or because they were longer detained there about some other holy ministrations.

This is here added, either because Nadab and Abihu had been led to their error by drinking too much, which might easily fall out when they were feasting and full of joy for their entrance into so honourable and profitable an employment; or at least because others might thereby be drawn to commit…

Persons and things, which Nadab and Abihu did not, mistaking unholy or common fire for that which was sacred and appointed by God for their use.

That ye may teach; be apt to teach aright, which drunken persons are very unfit to do.

Moses repeateth and re-enforceth the former command, partly lest their great loss and grief should cause them to forget or neglect their meat prescribed them by God, which abstinence would have been both a signification of their sorrow, which God had forbidden them, and a new transgression of a…

In the holy place; in the court, near the altar of burntofferings. See Lev. 6:26. Because it is thy due. See Lev. 2:3, Lev. 6:16–17.

In a clean place; in any of your dwellings, or any place in the camp, which he supposeth to be kept clean from all ceremonial defilement, as they ought to be; whence the lepers were put out of the camp. See Num. 5:1–3.

The goat of the sin-offering, to wit, for the people, mentioned Lev. 9:15, to know what was done with that part of it which was the priest’s; which he inquired into more than into the other sacrifices, because a mistake there was easy and probable, because that matter might seem something doubtful,…

i.e. As a reward of your service and function, whereby you do expiate, bear, and take away their sins, by offering those sacrifices, and performing those rites, by which God through Christ is reconciled to the penitent and believing offerers.

The blood of it was not brought in within the holy place; the reason whereof was, because Aaron was not yet admitted into the holy place, whither that blood should have been brought, till he had prepared the way by the sacrifices which were to be offered in the court.

This day have they offered; they have done the substance of the thing, though they have mistaken this one circumstance. Such things have befallen me; whereby, having been oppressed with grief, and almost bereft of my reason, it is not strange nor unpardonable if I have mistaken.

He rested satisfied with his answer, either because he thought it reasonable, seeing the letter of the law ofttimes yields to necessities or great accidents, 2 Chron. 30:18, Matt.