Matthew Poole and continuators on Leviticus 10

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 .

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.

Upon the Altar of incense.

For seeing Moses himself neither did nor might do any thing in Gods worship without Gods command, which is oft noted of him, for these to do it was a more unpardonable and inexcusable presumption. Besides, not commanding may be here put for forbidding, as it is Ier. 32. 35. Now as this was forbidden implicitly, Lev. 6. 12. especially when God himself, made a comment upon that text and by sending fire from heaven declared of what fire he there spake, so it is more than probable it was forbidden expresly, though that be not here mentioned, nor was it necessary it should be.

Marginal references: Numb. 3. 4. and 26. 61. 1 Chron. 24. 2.

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

From heaven, or rather from the Sanctuary. See chap. 9. 24.

Destroyed their lives: for their bodies and garments were not consumed, as it appears from v. 4, 5. Thus the sword is said to devour 2 Sam. 2. 26. Thus lightning many times kills persons, without any hurt to their bodies or garments.

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 .

Though the express words be not recorded in Scripture, where onely the heads of Sermons and Discourses are contained, yet it is probable they were uttered by Moses in Gods name. Howsoever, the sence and substance of them is in many places. See Exod. 19. 22. and 29. 43. Levit. 8. 35.

This may note, either 1. their duty to sanctifie God, i. e. to demean themselves with such care and reverence and watchfulness as becomes the holiness of the God whom they serve, and of the worship in which they are engaged: whence he leaves them to gather the justice of the present judgment for their gross neglect herein. Or 2. Gods purpose to sanctifie himself, i. e. to declare and manifest himself to be an holy and righteous God by his severe and impartial punishment of all transgressors how near soever they are to him.

(i. e.) Who draw near to me, or to the place where I dwell, and are admitted into the holy place, whence others are shut out. It is a description of the Priests. See Exod. 19. 22. Levit. 21. 17. Ezek. 42. 13, 14.

As they have sinned publickly and scandalously so I will vindicate my honour in a publick and exemplary manner, that all men may learn to give me the glory of my soveraignty and holiness by an exact conformity to my laws.

Partly through excessive grief, which is sometimes signified by silence, as Isa. 47. 5. Lam. 2. 10. and principally in acknowledgment of Gods justice and submission to it. Compare Psal. 39. 10. Ezek. 24. 17. He murmured not, nor replied against God, nor against Moses, wisely considering that their sin was directly against God, and in that which is most dear and honourable in Gods account, to wit, in his worship; and that Gods honour ought to be dearer to him than his sons; and that this being the first violation of the law newly given, and committed by those who should have been the strictest observers and assertors of it, did deserve a very severe punishment.

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 .

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. [illegible: 1+ letters]1. 1, &c.

See Exod. 6. 18. Numb. 3. 19.

(i. e.) Kinsmen, as that word is oft used, as Gen. 13. 8. and 24. 27.

Where the burying places of the Iews were, that the living might neither be annoyed by the unwholsome sent of the dead, nor defiled by the touch of their graves.

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

In the holy garments wherein they ministred, which might be done either 1. as a testimony of a respect due to them notwithstanding their present failure, and that God in judgment remembred mercy, and when he took away their lives, spared their souls. Or 2. because being polluted both by their sin and by the touch of their dead bodies, God would not have them any more used in his service.

6 And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar, and unto Ithamar his sons, Uncover not your heads , neither rend your clothes , lest you 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 .

Either 1. by putting off your Miters and Bonnets, or Ornaments, and going bare-headed, as mourners sometimes did. See Lev. 13. 45. Ezek. 24. 17, 23. Or 2. by shaving off the hair of your heads and beards, as mourners did. See Iob 1. 20. Ier. 7. 29. and 41. 5. Ezek. 4[illegible: 1+ letters]. 20. Mich. 1. 16. This latter may seem to be principally intended, 1. because this ceremony of uncovering the head being used by the people as well as by the Priests in case of mourning, as the places now alledged shew, and the other ceremony here joyned with it of rending the clothes, being also common to the people, seems to imply that he speaks not of that uncovering the head which was peculiar to the Priests, but to that which was common both to Priests and people, especially seeing that which is here forbidden to these Priests is in the following words allowed to the people, to bewail their death, which as at other times it was, so now probably might be performed by these same ceremonies. 2. because the High-priest is forbidden to uncover his head in way of mourning for the dead▪ not onely at that time when he was in actual ministration, but at all times, even when he had neither his miter nor any of the holy garments upon him, Lev. 21. 10.

Give no signification of your sorrow, mourn not for them, partly lest you should seem to justifie and approve of your brethren and tacitly reflect upon God as too severe in his proceedings with them; and partly least thereby you should be diverted from or disturbed in your present service, which God expects should be done chearfully.

Not so much in compassion to them against whom I have shewed such great and just indignation, as in sorrow for the tokens of Divine displeasure.

Marginal references: Num. 6. [illegible: 1+ letters].

7 And ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation , lest you die: for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you : and they did according to the word of Moses.

Where at this time they were, either because this happened within the 7 days of their consecration: See Lev. 8. 35. or because they were longer detained there about some other holy ministrations. Though the former may seem more probable, because the meat-offering here mentioned, ver. 12. and the sin-offering, ver. 16. were part of the consecration-offerings.

You are persons consecrated peculiarly to Gods service, which therefore it is just and reasonable you should prefer before all funeral solemnities.

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:

This is here added, either because Nadab and Abihu had been led to their errour 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 lest because others might thereby be drawn to commit the same miscarriages, which they might now commit from other causes. Drunkenness is so odious a sin in it self, especially in a Minister, and most of all in the time of his administration of sacred things, that God saw fit to prevent all occasions of it. And hence the Devil, who is Gods ape in his prescriptions for his worship, required this abstinence from his Priests in their Idolatrous services.

Marginal references: Ezek. 44. 21. 1 Tim. 3. 3.

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

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.

Marginal references: Jer. 15. 19. Ezek. 22. 26. and 44. 23.

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.[illegible: 2+ pages]

Be apt to teach aright▪ which dr[illegible: 1+ letters]nken persons are very unfit to do.