1Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, each took his censer, put fire in it, placed incense on it, and offered unauthorized fire before Yahweh, which he had not commanded them to do.
2Fire came out from Yahweh, consumed them, and they died in Yahweh's presence.
3Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what Yahweh spoke of when he said, ‘I will show myself holy to those who come near me, and before all the people I will be honored.’” Aaron remained silent.
4Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel, who was Aaron's uncle. He told them, “Come near and carry your brothers away from in front of the holy place and outside the camp.”
5So they came near and carried them out of the camp in their tunics, just as Moses had said.
6Moses said to Aaron, and to his remaining sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Don’t let your hair hang loose, and don’t tear your clothes; otherwise, you will die, and he will be angry with the whole community. But let your relatives, the entire house of Israel, mourn the burning that Yahweh has caused.
7You must not leave the entrance of the Meeting Tent, or you will die, because Yahweh's anointing oil is on you.” They did as Moses commanded.
8Then Yahweh said to Aaron,
9“You and your sons must not drink wine or strong alcoholic drinks when you go into the Tent of Meeting, or you will die. This is a permanent rule for all your future generations.
10You must distinguish between what is holy and what is ordinary, and between what is unclean and what is clean.
11You must teach the people of Israel all the laws that Yahweh has given them through Moses.”
12Moses spoke to Aaron and to his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar. He said, “Take the grain offering that is left over from Yahweh’s offerings made by fire. Eat it without yeast next to the altar, because it is most holy.
13You must eat it in a holy place, because it is your share, and your sons’ share, from Yahweh’s offerings made by fire. This is what I have been commanded.
14You, your sons, and your daughters may eat the breast that was waved and the thigh that was lifted up in a clean place. These are given as your share, and your sons’ share, from the fellowship offerings of the people of Israel.
15They must bring the lifted-up thigh and the waved breast along with the fat from the offerings made by fire, to wave them as a special offering before Yahweh. This will be your share, and your sons’ share with you, permanently, as Yahweh has commanded.”
16Moses carefully asked about the goat that was offered for sin, and he saw that it had been burned. He was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's remaining sons, and said,
17"Why didn't you eat the sin offering in the special holy place? It is most holy, and God gave it to you to take away the congregation's sin and to make things right for them before Yahweh.
18Look, its blood wasn’t brought into the inner part of the holy place. You definitely should have eaten it in the holy place, as I commanded.”
19Aaron said to Moses, “Look, today they offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before Yahweh. Yet these awful things have happened to me. If I had eaten the sin offering today, would Yahweh have been pleased?”
20When Moses heard that, he was pleased.