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._, 1... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Leviticus 10:3. _AND AARON HELD HIS PEACE._] וידם אהרן _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... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Leviticus 10:4. _UZZIEL THE UNCLE OF AARON_] He was brother to Amram the father of Aaron; see Exodus 6:18-2.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Leviticus 10:5. _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 _withi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Leviticus 10:6. _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... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Leviticus 10:7. _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.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Leviticus 10:9. _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 stat... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Leviticus 10:10. _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 pronoun... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Leviticus 10:14. _WAVE-BREAST AND HEAVE-SHOULDER_] See Clarke on Le 7:38 and _see "_Exodus 29:27_"_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Leviticus 10:16. _MOSES DILIGENTLY SOUGHT THE GOAT_] The goat which was offered the same day for the sins of the priests and the people, (see Leviticus 9:15-3), and which, through the confusion that happened on account of the death of Nadab and Abihu, was _burnt_ instead of being eaten. See Le... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Leviticus 10:17. _TO BEAR THE INIQUITY OF THE CONGREGATION_] _See on "_Leviticus 6:26_"_, c.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Leviticus 10:19. _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 hav... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Leviticus 10:20. _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... [ Continue Reading ]