Numbers 3:4
New International Version
Nadab and Abihu, however, died before the LORD when they made an offering with unauthorized fire before him in the Desert of Sinai. They had no sons, so Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.

New Living Translation
But Nadab and Abihu died in the LORD’s presence in the wilderness of Sinai when they burned before the LORD the wrong kind of fire, different than he had commanded. Since they had no sons, this left only Eleazar and Ithamar to serve as priests with their father, Aaron.

English Standard Version
But Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD when they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the lifetime of Aaron their father.

Berean Standard Bible
Nadab and Abihu, however, died in the presence of the LORD when they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai. And since they had no sons, only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.

King James Bible
And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD, when they offered strange fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office in the sight of Aaron their father.

New King James Version
Nadab and Abihu had died before the LORD when they offered profane fire before the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai; and they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar ministered as priests in the presence of Aaron their father.

New American Standard Bible
But Nadab and Abihu died in the presence of the LORD when they offered strange fire before the LORD in the wilderness of Sinai; and they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the lifetime of their father Aaron.

NASB 1995
But Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD when they offered strange fire before the LORD in the wilderness of Sinai; and they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the lifetime of their father Aaron.

NASB 1977
But Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD when they offered strange fire before the LORD in the wilderness of Sinai; and they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the lifetime of their father Aaron.

Legacy Standard Bible
But Nadab and Abihu died before Yahweh when they offered strange fire before Yahweh in the wilderness of Sinai; and they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar ministered as priests in the lifetime of their father Aaron.

Amplified Bible
But Nadab and Abihu died in the presence of the LORD when they offered strange (unholy, unacceptable, inappropriate) fire before the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai; and they had no sons. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the presence and under the supervision of Aaron their father.

Christian Standard Bible
But Nadab and Abihu died in the LORD’s presence when they presented unauthorized fire before the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai, and they had no sons. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests under the direction of Aaron their father.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But Nadab and Abihu died in the LORD’s presence when they presented unauthorized fire before the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai, and they had no sons. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests under the direction of Aaron their father.

American Standard Version
And Nadab and Abihu died before Jehovah, when they offered strange fire before Jehovah, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children; and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office in the presence of Aaron their father.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Nadab and Abihu died before LORD JEHOVAH when they offered foreign fire before LORD JEHOVAH in the wilderness of Sinai and they had no sons, and Eliazer and Ithamar served as Priest in the life of Ahron their father.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Nadab and Abiud died before the Lord, when they offered strange fire before the Lord, in the wilderness of Sina; and they had no children; and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priests' office with Aaron their father.

Contemporary English Version
But the LORD killed Nadab and Abihu in the Sinai Desert when they used fire that was unacceptable in their offering to the LORD. And because Nadab and Abihu had no sons, only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests with their father Aaron.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Now Nadab and Abiu died, without children, when they offered strange fire before the Lord, in the desert of Sinai: and Eleazar and Ithamar performed the priestly office in the presence of Aaron their father.

English Revised Version
And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD, when they offered strange fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office in the presence of Aaron their father.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Nadab and Abihu died in the LORD's presence because they offered unauthorized fire in his presence in the Desert of Sinai. They had no children. So only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.

Good News Translation
but Nadab and Abihu were killed when they offered unholy fire to the LORD in the Sinai Desert. They had no children, so Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during Aaron's lifetime.

International Standard Version
Nadab and Abihu died in the LORD's presence when they offered unauthorized fire before him in the Sinai wilderness. Since they didn't have their own children, Eleazar and Ithamar ministered as priest under the authority of Aaron their father.

JPS Tanakh 1917
And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD, when they offered strange fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children; and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office in the presence of Aaron their father.

Literal Standard Version
And Nadab dies—Abihu also—before YHWH, in their bringing strange fire near before YHWH, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they did not have sons; and Eleazar—Ithamar also—acts as priest in the presence of their father Aaron.

Majority Standard Bible
Nadab and Abihu, however, died in the presence of the LORD when they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai. And since they had no sons, only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.

New American Bible
But Nadab and Abihu died in the presence of the LORD when they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD in the wilderness of Sinai; and they left no sons. So only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.

NET Bible
Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD when they offered strange fire before the LORD in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar ministered as priests in the presence of Aaron their father.

New Revised Standard Version
Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD when they offered unholy fire before the LORD in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children. Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the lifetime of their father Aaron.

New Heart English Bible
Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD, when they offered strange fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children. Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office in the presence of Aaron their father.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD, when they offered strange fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office in the sight of Aaron their father.

World English Bible
Nadab and Abihu died before Yahweh when they offered strange fire before Yahweh in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children. Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest’s office in the presence of Aaron their father.

Young's Literal Translation
And Nadab dieth -- Abihu also -- before Jehovah, in their bringing near strange fire before Jehovah, in the wilderness of Sinai, and sons they had not; and Eleazar -- Ithamar also -- acteth as priest in the presence of Aaron their father.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Sons of Aaron
3These were Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests. 4Nadab and Abihu, however, died in the presence of the LORD when they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai. And since they had no sons, only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.

Cross References
Leviticus 10:1
Now Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense, and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to His command.

Leviticus 10:2
So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died in the presence of the LORD.

Numbers 3:5
Then the LORD said to Moses,

Numbers 19:3
Give it to Eleazar the priest, and he will have it brought outside the camp and slaughtered in his presence.

Numbers 20:25
Take Aaron and his son Eleazar and bring them up Mount Hor.

Numbers 26:61
but Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD.


Treasury of Scripture

And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD, when they offered strange fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office in the sight of Aaron their father.

Nadab

Numbers 26:61
And Nadab and Abihu died, when they offered strange fire before the LORD.

Leviticus 10:1,2
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…

Jump to Previous
Aaron Abihu Children Died Eleazar Fire Ithamar Lifetime Ministered Nadab Offered Office Presence Priests Priest's Served Sight Sinai Strange Wilderness
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Aaron Abihu Children Died Eleazar Fire Ithamar Lifetime Ministered Nadab Offered Office Presence Priests Priest's Served Sight Sinai Strange Wilderness
Numbers 3
1. The sons of Aaron
5. The Levites are given to the priests instead of the firstborn
14. Are numbered by their families
21. The families, number, and charge of the Gershonites
27. Of the Kohathites
33. Of the Merarites
38. The place and charge of Moses and Aaron
40. The firstborn are freed by the Levites
44. The balances are refunded














(4) Died before the Lord.--The account is given in Leviticus 10:1-2, where the same expression "before the Lord" is used both in regard to the offering of strange fire by Nadab and Abihu, and also in regard to their death.

And they had no children.--To die childless was regarded not only as a reproach, but also as a judgment. This was especially the case in regard to Nadab and Abihu, inasmuch as the sons of one, or of both (as was the case in regard to the sons of Eleazar and of Ithamar), would have succeeded to the high priesthood.

Verse 4. - They had no children. If they had left sons, these would have succeeded to their office, and to the headship of the priestly line. In the sight of Aaron. In his lifetime (cf. Genesis 11:28). Septuagint, "with Aaron." In the time of David the descendants of Eleazar were divided into sixteen courses, the descendants of Ithamar into eight (2 Chronicles 24:3).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Nadab
נָדָ֣ב (nā·ḏāḇ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5070: Nadab -- an Israelite name

and Abihu, however,
וַאֲבִיה֣וּא (wa·’ă·ḇî·hū)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 30: Abihu -- 'he is father', a son of Aaron

died
וַיָּ֣מָת (way·yā·māṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

in the presence
לִפְנֵ֣י (lip̄·nê)
Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

of the LORD
יְהוָ֡ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

when they offered
בְּֽהַקְרִבָם֩ (bə·haq·ri·ḇām)
Preposition-b | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 7126: To come near, approach

strange
זָרָ֜ה (zā·rāh)
Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 2114: To turn aside, to be a, foreigner, strange, profane, to commit adultery

fire
אֵ֨שׁ (’êš)
Noun - common singular
Strong's 784: A fire

before
לִפְנֵ֤י (lip̄·nê)
Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

the LORD
יְהוָה֙ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

in the Wilderness
בְּמִדְבַּ֣ר (bə·miḏ·bar)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4057: A pasture, a desert, speech

of Sinai.
סִינַ֔י (sî·nay)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 5514: Sinai -- the mountain where the law was given

And since they had
הָי֣וּ (hā·yū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

no
לֹא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

sons,
וּבָנִ֖ים (ū·ḇā·nîm)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1121: A son

only Eleazar
אֶלְעָזָר֙ (’el·‘ā·zār)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 499: Eleazar -- 'God has helped', six Israelites

and Ithamar
וְאִ֣יתָמָ֔ר (wə·’î·ṯā·mār)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 385: Ithamar -- 'land of palms', a son of Aaron

served as priests
וַיְכַהֵ֤ן (way·ḵa·hên)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3547: To officiate as a, priest, to put on regalia

during
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the lifetime
פְּנֵ֖י (pə·nê)
Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

of their father
אֲבִיהֶֽם׃ (’ă·ḇî·hem)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 1: Father

Aaron.
אַהֲרֹ֥ן (’a·hă·rōn)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 175: Aaron -- an elder brother of Moses


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OT Law: Numbers 3:4 Nadab and Abihu died before Yahweh when (Nu Num.)
Numbers 3:3
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