Leviticus 10 · Verse 2

Leviticus 10:2

And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord.
Leviticus 10:2, King James Version

Leviticus 10:2 in other translations

BSBSo fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died in the presence of the LORD.
WEBFire came out from before the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.
ASVAnd there came forth fire from before Jehovah, and devoured them, and they died before Jehovah.
YLTand fire goeth out from before Jehovah, and consumeth them, and they die before Jehovah.
DARBYAnd there went out fire from before Jehovah, and devoured them, and they died before Jehovah.
BBEAnd fire came out from before the Lord, burning them up and causing their destruction before the Lord.
WebsterAnd there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.

What does Leviticus 10:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2. there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them--rather, "killed them"; for it appears (Le 10:5) that neither their bodies nor their robes were consumed. The expression, "from the Lord," indicates that this fire issued from the most holy place. In the destruction of these two young priests by the infliction of an awful judgment, the wisdom of God observed the same course, in repressing the first instance of contempt for sacred things, as he did at the commencement of the Christian dispensation (Ac 5:1-11).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Leviticus 10:1-2

Next to Moses and Aaron, none were more likely to be honourable in Israel than Nadab and Abihu. There is reason to think that they were puffed up with pride, and that they were heated with wine. While the people were prostrate before the Lord, adoring his presence and glory, they rushed into the tabernacle to burn incense, though not at the appointed time; both together, instead of one alone, and with fire not taken…

Read the full comment on Leviticus 10:1-2 →

Leviticus 10:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַתֵּ֥צֵאva.Te.tze'and it went outH3318
אֵ֛שׁ'eshfireH784
מִלִּפְנֵ֥יmi.lif.Neifrom to beforeH6440
יְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahwehH3068
וַתֹּ֣אכַלva.To.khaland it consumedH398
אוֹתָ֑ם'o.Tam<obj.> themH853
וַיָּמֻ֖תוּvai.ya.Mu.tuand they diedH4191
לִפְנֵ֥יlif.Nei<to> beforeH6440
יְהוָֽה\׃Yah.wehYahwehH3068

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Leviticus 10:2

  • Numbers 26:61

    And Nadab and Abihu died, when they offered strange fire before the Lord.

  • Leviticus 9:24

    And there came a fire out from before the Lord, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.

  • Numbers 16:35

    And there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.

  • Numbers 3:3-4

    These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest’s office. 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.

  • 2 Samuel 6:7

    And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.

  • 1 Corinthians 10:11

    Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

  • Acts 5:5

    And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

  • 2 Kings 1:12

    And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.

  • 1 Chronicles 15:13

    For because ye did it not at the first, the Lord our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order.

  • 1 Chronicles 24:2

    But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no children: therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest’s office.

  • Numbers 16:49

    Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.

  • Acts 5:10

    Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
fire.
9:24; 16:1; Nu 3:3,4; 16:35; 26:61; 2Sa 6:7; 2Ki 1:10,12; 1Ch 24:2
they died.
Nu 3:3,4; 16:32,33,49; 26:61; 1Sa 6:19; 1Ch 13:10; 15:13; Ac 5:5,10
1Co 10:11This fire, which destroyed the sacrificers, came from the same source with that which had consumed the sacrifices.
See ch.
9:24Note. They died.--The wages of sin is death.--They died suddenly--they died before the Lord; that is, before the vail that covered the mercy-seat.--They died by fire, as by fire they sinned. The fire did not burn them to ashes, as it had done the sacrifices, nor so much as singe their coats, (ver. 5) but struck them dead in an instant. By these different effects of the same fire, we learn that it was no common fire, but kindled by the breath of the Almighty.
Isa 30:33

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 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.

  • Leviticus 10:2

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

  • Leviticus 10:3

    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.

Read all of Leviticus 10

Leviticus 10:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y salió fuego de delante de Jehová que los quemó, y murieron delante de Jehová.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et le feu sortit de devant l’ Éternel, et les dévora, et ils moururent devant l’ Éternel.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Da ging Feuer von Jehova aus und verzehrte sie, und sie starben vor Jehova.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Egressusque ignis a Domino, devoravit eos, et mortui sunt coram Domino.