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Leviticus 16:1
And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died;

Leviticus 22:9
They shall therefore keep mine ordinance, lest they bear sin for it, and die therefore, if they profane it: I the LORD do sanctify them.

Exodus 6:23
And Aaron took him Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Naashon, to wife; and she bare him Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

censer

Leviticus 16:12
And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bringit within the vail:

Exodus 27:3
And thou shalt make his pans to receive his ashes, and his shovels, and his basons, and his fleshhooks, and his firepans: all the vessels thereof thou shalt makeof brass.

Exodus 38:3
And he made all the vessels of the altar, the pots, and the shovels, and the basons,and the fleshhooks, and the firepans: all the vessels thereof made heof brass.

put incense

Exodus 30:1-9,34-36
And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon:of shittim wood shalt thou make it…

Exodus 31:11
And the anointing oil, and sweet incense for the holyplace: according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do.

Exodus 37:29
And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of sweet spices, according to the work of the apothecary.

strange

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.

Leviticus 16:12
And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bringit within the vail:

Numbers 16:18,46
And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron…

which

Exodus 30:9
Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon.

Deuteronomy 4:2
Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminishought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

Deuteronomy 12:32
What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

took their censers
Censers were vessels used to hold burning coals and incense, integral to the priestly duties in the tabernacle. The use of censers was a sacred act, symbolizing the prayers of the people ascending to God. The fact that Nadab and Abihu took their censers indicates they were performing a priestly function, but their approach was flawed, highlighting the importance of adhering to divine instructions in worship.

put fire in them and added incense
The act of putting fire and incense in the censers was part of the ritualistic duties of the priests. However, the source of the fire was crucial. According to Levitical law, the fire for incense was to be taken from the altar of burnt offering, which was kindled by God Himself (Leviticus 9:24). This detail underscores the necessity of following God's specific instructions in worship practices.

and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD
The term "unauthorized fire" indicates that Nadab and Abihu used fire that was not sanctioned by God. This act of disobedience was a direct violation of the divine command and demonstrated a lack of reverence for God's holiness. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of obedience and the consequences of deviating from God's prescribed ways.

contrary to His command
This phrase emphasizes the disobedience of Nadab and Abihu. God's commands regarding worship were clear and specific, and any deviation was considered a serious offense. This incident foreshadows the New Testament teaching that true worship must be conducted "in spirit and truth" (John 4:24). It also points to the necessity of Christ's perfect obedience, as He fulfilled the law and provided the ultimate sacrifice for sin.

Aaron’s oldest boys held the high privilege of priestly service. They had just watched the glory of God fill the tabernacle (Leviticus 9:23-24). Yet pedigree and past experience did not exempt them from obedience. •Exodus 24:9 shows them on Sinai with Moses—eyewitnesses to God’s majesty. •Numbers 3:4 reminds us that, despite their status, “they died before the LORD when they offered unauthorized fire.” Privilege without reverence quickly became peril.

Each priest possessed a personal censer, designed for worship (Numbers 16:17-18). Grasping those vessels signaled an intention to draw near to God. But a holy tool in unholy hands turns dangerous.2 Samuel 6:6-7 illustrates the same lesson when Uzzah touched the ark; sacred objects demand sacred hearts.

Incense symbolized the prayers of God’s people (Psalm 141:2;Revelation 5:8). The fire for that incense was to come from the altar where the atoning sacrifice burned (Leviticus 16:12). Nadab and Abihu skipped that step. By supplying their own flame they bypassed the sacrifice that pointed to Christ. Worship detached from God-ordained atonement loses its worth.

“Unauthorized” (or “strange”) describes an offering God had not prescribed.Exodus 30:9 had warned, “You must not offer unauthorized incense on it.” God’s presence is not a laboratory for experimentation; it is a throne of holiness (Hebrews 12:28-29). When worship becomes self-styled, it becomes self-centered—and God will not share His glory (Isaiah 42:8).

The heart of the matter is simple disobedience.Deuteronomy 4:2 says, “Do not add to what I command you or subtract from it.”1 Samuel 15:22 echoes, “To obey is better than sacrifice.” Jesus affirms the same principle inJohn 14:15: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” True worship always aligns with God’s revealed will; anything else is rebellion.

Leviticus 10:1 stands as a sober warning: privileged position, sincere zeal, and religious hardware cannot substitute for heartfelt obedience. God is holy; His worship must follow His way. Nadab and Abihu remind us that every approach to the Lord must come through the provision He has made, never through our own innovations.

(1)And Nadab and Abihu.--Immediately after the Divine manifestation of God's acceptance of the services connected with the institution of the priesthood, and whilst the congregation are still giving utterance to their profound expressions of thankfulness and joy, the assembled people see a most daring act of sacrilege committed by two of the five newly-installed priests, and have to witness the most awful punishment which befals the offenders. The offenders are the two eldest sons of Aaron, who had received the high distinction to be invited to accompany their father and Moses to the summit of the hallowed mount (Exodus 24:1); the lesson to the Israelites being that the priests, though mediators between God and the people, are beset with the same infirmities as the laity, and must not presume upon their office.

Took either of them his censer.--The sin of Nadab and Abihu was of a complicated nature, and involved and consisted of several transgressions:--(1) They each tookhisown censer, and not the sacred utensil of the sanctuary. (2) They both offered it together, whereas the incense was only to be offered by one. (3) They presumptuously encroached upon the functions of the high priest; for according to the Law the high priest alone burnt incensein a censer.(SecLeviticus 16:12-13;Numbers 17:11.) The ordinary priests only burnt it on the golden altar in the holy place (Exodus 30:7-8), or on the brazen altar as a part of the memorial. (SeeLeviticus 2:2-3;Leviticus 2:16, &c.) The case of Korah and his company was an exception, since it was ordered by Moses for an especial purpose (Numbers 16:6-25). (4) They offered the incense at an unauthorised time, since it was apart from the morning and evening sacrifice. . . .