Leviticus 10:12-20
Those who serve before the Lord must handle holy things according to His command while maintaining reverent discernment in the presence of His holiness.
12 Moses spoke to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons who were left, “Take the meal offering that remains of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire, and eat it without yeast beside the altar; for it is most holy;
13 and you shall eat it in a holy place, because it is your portion, and your sons’ portion, of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire; for so I am commanded.
14 The waved breast and the heaved thigh you shall eat in a clean place, you, and your sons, and your daughters with you: for they are given as your portion, and your sons’ portion, out of the sacrifices of the peace offerings of the children of Israel.
15 The heaved thigh and the waved breast they shall bring with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before Yahweh. It shall be yours, and your sons’ with you, as a portion forever, as Yahweh has commanded.”
16 Moses diligently inquired about the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burned. He was angry with Eleazar and with Ithamar, the sons of Aaron who were left, saying,
17 “Why haven’t you eaten the sin offering in the place of the sanctuary, since it is most holy, and he has given it to you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before Yahweh?
18 Behold, its blood was not brought into the inner part of the sanctuary. You certainly should have eaten it in the sanctuary, as I commanded.”
19 Aaron spoke to Moses, “Behold, today they have offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before Yahweh; and such things as these have happened to me. If I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been pleasing in Yahweh’s sight?”
20 When Moses heard that, it was pleasing in his sight.
Those who serve before the LORD must handle holy things according to His command while maintaining reverent discernment in the presence of His holiness.
This passage clarifies how the priests are to eat their allotted portions of the offerings following the judgment of Nadab and Abihu. It records Moses' instruction regarding the consumption of the grain and sin offerings and concludes with Aaron's explanation for deviating from the expected practice due to the extraordinary circumstances.
Leviticus 10:12-20 closes the Nadab and Abihu aftermath. The earlier units narrated unauthorized fire, divine judgment, body removal, mourning restrictions, and priestly instruction concerning sobriety and discernment. This final unit tests priestly discernment in relation to holy food, especially what must be eaten and what was burned.
Leviticus 10:12-20 occurs at the tabernacle on the same day Nadab and Abihu were consumed by fire from the LORD. Israel is at Sinai. The priesthood has just been inaugurated, but its first day has been disrupted by unauthorized worship and divine judgment. The issue concerns holy food from the offerings presented to the LORD, including grain offering leftovers, fellowship offering portions, and the sin offering goat. Moses addresses Aaron and his remaining sons Eleazar and Ithamar. Aaron later speaks as high priest in response to Moses' anger toward Eleazar and Ithamar. Priests must eat certain holy portions in appointed places. Some portions are most holy and restricted to male priests in the sanctuary area. Other portions, such as the wave breast and presented thigh, may be eaten by the priestly household in a clean place. The sin offering goat becomes a debated case because of the day's judgment. This passage closes the priestly inauguration crisis and prepares for the clean/unclean laws by showing priestly discernment in practice.
Unauthorized Fire and the Holiness of Priestly Service
Those who draw near to the holy LORD must honor Him according to His command, with sober discernment, obedient service, and reverent handling of holy things.