Nadab and Abihu were the eldest sons of Aaron, the brother of Moses and the first high priest of the Israelites. They are mentioned several times in the Old Testament books of Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers. Here is a summary of the key details about Nadab and Abihu from the Bible:
They were appointed as priests
When God chose Aaron and his sons to serve as priests for the Israelites, Nadab and Abihu were specifically anointed to fulfill this role along with their father Aaron and younger brothers Eleazar and Ithamar (Exodus 28:1). As priests, they were set apart and consecrated to offer sacrifices, burn incense, teach God’s laws and intercede for the people.
They saw the glory of God
Nadab and Abihu accompanied Moses, Aaron and the seventy elders partway up Mount Sinai and got a glimpse of God’s glory (Exodus 24:1, 9-11). This was when Moses received the stone tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments. Being able to behold a visible manifestation of God’s presence was an incredibly rare honor and privilege.
They disobeyed God’s instructions for worship
The most significant event involving Nadab and Abihu was when they offered “unauthorized fire” before the Lord, contrary to His instructions (Leviticus 10:1). The fire they used had not been taken from the bronze altar as specified by God (Leviticus 16:12). This profaned the tabernacle worship, so God struck them dead instantly.
The consequences of their disobedience
Aaron was commanded not to mourn the sudden deaths of his two eldest sons, and the other Israelites were told: “Through those who are near me I will show myself holy, and before all the people I will be glorified” (Leviticus 10:3). Eleazar and Ithamar took over priestly duties in place of their deceased brothers.
This dramatic incident demonstrated the absolute holiness of God and the vital importance of obedience in approaching Him. It served as a sober warning that all worship must be done according to God’s directives.
They had no children when they died
Unlike Eleazar and Ithamar, who served as priests and heads of priestly houses for many generations, Nadab and Abihu died childless (Numbers 3:4). Their family line ended because of their unfaithfulness in ministry.
Nonetheless, they were the firstborn sons of Aaron, so the duties of the firstborn still applied to their names (Numbers 3:2). These duties were transferred to the Levite tribe since Nadab and Abihu left no sons.
Lessons from their lives
Though their ending was tragic, Nadab and Abihu’s lives hold some valuable lessons:
- Serving God is a privilege we must not take for granted.
- Obedience to God should be our top priority, especially for ministers.
- God desires heartfelt worship from a place of reverence and awe.
- There are serious consequences for offering God anything less than our best.
- We must follow God’s instructions carefully, not our own inclinations.
The sobering account of Nadab and Abihu reminds us to approach our holy God with utmost care, humility and obedience. Though we live under grace today, He is still a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:28-29).
Nadab and Abihu’s neglect of God’s clear commands cost them their lives and futures. But by learning from their mistakes, we can avoid straying from God’s presence and instead draw near with reverent hearts.
Though they perished in disgrace, Nadab and Abihu’s legacy teaches some hard but valuable lessons about honoring God with how we worship and serve Him.
1. They were appointed as priests
Nadab and Abihu were among the very first priests appointed for service in the tabernacle. When God chose Aaron to be the high priest of Israel, He also selected Aaron’s four sons – Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar – to be priests under their father’s supervision (Exodus 28:1). They were set apart and consecrated to perform all the duties of the priesthood once the tabernacle was constructed.
As priests, Nadab and Abihu would have been responsible to offer the various sacrifices on behalf of the people, burn incense at the altar of incense, keep the menorah lamps burning, teach God’s laws and requirements to the Israelites, inspect people and objects for physical defects or mildew that made them ceremonially unclean, and intercede for the Israelites before God (Exodus 28-29, Leviticus 1-9).
So Nadab and Abihu were privileged to serve in the direct presence of God’s glory dwelling in the tabernacle. They played a crucial mediatory role between God and the Hebrew people. This was an enormous honor and responsibility for Aaron’s two eldest sons.
They saw the glory of God on Mount Sinai
In addition to being appointed as priests, Nadab and Abihu also had the incredibly rare experience of beholding a visible manifestation of God’s glory. They accompanied Moses, Aaron and seventy of Israel’s elders partway up Mount Sinai, and “they saw the God of Israel… Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of Israel; and they saw God, and they ate and drank” (Exodus 24:9-11).
This happened when Moses went up the mountain to receive the stone tablets inscribed by God with the Ten Commandments. Nadab and Abihu were present for this magnificent theophany, unlike the rest of the Israelites who stayed camped at the mountain’s base and only saw flashes of lightning, smoke and fire from afar. To gaze directly upon the beauty, majesty and splendor of the Lord’s glory was an awesome privilege.
However, this also meant Nadab and Abihu should have recognized God’s power and been very careful to revere Him when they later offered unauthorized fire before Him (see Leviticus 10). Having witnessed His glory firsthand made their casual disobedience all the more inexcusable.
They offered profane fire before the Lord
The most well-known episode – indeed, the only significant event – involving Nadab and Abihu is their offense of offering “unauthorized fire” before the Lord and being struck dead for this sin (Leviticus 10:1-3).
This happened on the eighth day of the tabernacle’s consecration, right after God’s glory filled it. The Israelites rejoiced and Aaron had just finished overseeing the first offerings made by the priests on behalf of the people. Then Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them (possibly coals from a non-sacred source rather than the bronze altar as specified by God), added incense, and offered this “unauthorized fire” before the Lord inside the Holy Place.
In response to this, Scripture records: “Fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord” (Leviticus 10:2). This immediate and dramatic judgment showed how seriously God took the profaning of priestly worship. He had given clear instructions that fire for the altar and censers must be taken from the bronze altar (Leviticus 16:12). Nadab and Abihu flagrantly disregarded this command, with fatal consequences.
Aaron was told not to mourn their deaths
After Nadab and Abihu were struck dead by the fire of God’s judgment, Moses told their father Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke of when He said: ‘Among those who approach me I will show myself holy; in the sight of all the people I will be honored.’” (Leviticus 10:3).
So Aaron was prohibited from mourning his two oldest sons. Their appalling disregard for God’s specific instructions could not go unpunished, lest the other Israelites forget the honor, fear and obedience owed to their holy God. Public mourning for Nadab and Abihu would have undermined the gravity of their sin. So Aaron had to accept God’s swift judgment in stoic silence.
Eleazar and Ithamar took over priestly duties
With Nadab and Abihu suddenly killed, there was a gap in the priesthood. So Eleazar and Ithamar, the remaining sons of Aaron, had to take up priestly responsibilities formerly held by their older brothers (Numbers 3:4). Eleazar eventually became high priest after the death of Aaron (Numbers 20:26-28).
The priesthood continued in Israel through the lines of Eleazar and Ithamar. But Nadab and Abihu left no descendants to carry on their family names because they died without having any children (Numbers 3:4). So their family lines ended abruptly due to their disobedience.
Their deaths showed God’s holiness and glory
While the fire consuming Nadab and Abihu seems harsh, it powerfully affirmed God’s holiness and glory before all Israel. God was teaching the people vital lessons through this sobering event:
- They must revere His presence and come before Him with great care and purity.
- Obedience is mandatory, especially for priests ministering directly to God.
- Profaning sacred worship brought immediate judgment.
- God’s nature is holy and uncompromising – He cannot tolerate sin in His presence.
So even in His fiery judgment, God displayed His glory and holiness. Through those who drew near to minister to Him, He showed Himself to be the all-powerful, righteous and holy God who must be obeyed, honored and feared.
They left a legacy of warnings
Though Nadab and Abihu ended their lives under God’s fierce judgment, their story provides important warnings that all who follow God must heed:
- Obedience is better than sacrifice. Following God’s instructions must be a higher priority than performing ministry.
- God must be approached with reverence and awe, not casual indifference.
- Serving God is an incomparable privilege never to be taken for granted.
- There are serious consequences for offering God anything less than our best and most careful worship.
- We cannot make up our own ways to worship or serve God – we must adhere to what He has revealed in His Word.
The sobering account of Nadab and Abihu’s deaths calls all believers to carefully follow God’s Word in how we live, minister and worship. Through their negative example, we can avoid straying down the deadly path of irreverence and disobedience.
Key takeaways
Here are some key takeaways about Nadab and Abihu:
- They were among the first priests consecrated to serve in the tabernacle.
- They were privileged to behold the Lord’s glory on Mount Sinai.
- They offered unauthorized fire before God and were struck dead.
- Aaron was prohibited from mourning them.
- Their brothers took over priestly duties in their place.
- They left a legacy of warnings against irreverence and disobedience.
Though they ended their lives in failure, Nadab and Abihu’s negative example serves as a sober warning to all believers about being careful to honor God with obedient, reverent worship and service according to His commands. Through their mistakes, we can avoid straying from His presence.
