The Glory of the LORD34Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.35Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.36Throughout all their journeys whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the sons of Israel would set out;37but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day when it was taken up.38For throughout all their journeys, the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel.

3519. kabowd

3519a >>

glorious

Original Word: כָּבוֹד
Transliteration: kabowd
Phonetic Spelling: (kaw-bode')
Short Definition: glorious
gloriously, glory, honorable

Rarely kabod {kaw-bode'}; from kabad; properly, weight, but only figuratively in a good sense, splendor or copiousness -- glorious(-ly), glory, honour(-able).

  1Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,2"Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments and the anointing oil and the bull of the sin offering, and the two rams and the basket of unleavened bread,3and assemble all the congregation at the doorway of the tent of meeting."4So Moses did just as the LORD commanded him. When the congregation was assembled at the doorway of the tent of meeting,5Moses said to the congregation, "This is the thing which the LORD has commanded to do."6Then Moses had Aaron and his sons come near and washed them with water.

to wash, wash off or away, bathe, or immerse

Original Word: רָחַץ
Transliteration: rachats
Phonetic Spelling: (raw-khats')
Short Definition: bathe
Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to wash, wash off or away, bathe
NASB Word Usage
bathe (25), bathed (6), bathing (1), wash (24), washed (13), washed away (1), washing (2).

1Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,

 2of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.

Hebrews 6:1-2

7He put the tunic on him and girded him with the sash, and clothed him with the robe and put the ephod on him; and he girded him with the artistic band of the ephod, with which he tied it to him.8He then placed the breastpiece on him, and in the breastpiece he put the Urim and the Thummim.9He also placed the turban on his head, and on the turban, at its front, he placed the golden plate, the holy crown, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.10Moses then took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, and consecrated them.11He sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times and anointed the altar and all its utensils, and the basin and its stand, to consecrate them.12Then he poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron's head and anointed him, to consecrate him.13Next Moses had Aaron's sons come near and clothed them with tunics, and girded them with sashes and bound caps on them, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

The ephod was a sacred linen garment worn by the high priests of Israel. It was in two parts-one covering the back, one the front of the body to the hips-and was fastened at the shoulders by two clasps of onyx on which were engraved the 12 tribal names, six on each. The vestment was held in at the waist by a twined linen girdle of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet; on the ephod was the breastplate with the Urim and Thummim, hung by golden chains and rings. The priest was adorned in this fashion to symbolize the presence of God with his people. The ephod was somehow used for divination. It is mentioned in numerous passages in the Bible.

An oracle worn by the High Priest inside his breastplate, used for discovering God's judgment. The Bible commands (Ex. 28:30), "Inside the breastplate of decision you shall place the Urim and Thummim," but it does not explain what they are. The breastplate in which the Urim and Thummim were placed was one of the eight garments worn by the High Priest and included four columns of precious stones, upon which the names of the 12 tribes were engraved (see Priestly Garments).

According to a rabbinic tradition, through the Urim and Thummim certain letters would light up on the breastpiece, and the High Priest could then form these letters into an answer to his questions. Scholars believe that it was a form of divination by the use of lots.

The Bible mentions many cases of questions addressed to the Urim and Thummim, primarily regarding going to war, but also in other matters. God commands Moses to appoint Joshua, "He shall present himself to Eleazar the priest, who shall on his behalf seek the decision of the Urim before the Lord. By such instruction they shall go out and by such instruction they shall come in, he and all the Israelites, the whole community" (Num. 27:21-22; Deut. 33:8).

Also, when it came to dividing the land among the tribes, the lots drawn were authenticated by the Urim and Thummim (Deut. 33:8). King Saul turned to the Urim and Thummim when he wanted to know his fate (I. Sam. 38:6). There is no mention of their use after the time of David, though after the return of the exiles from Babylonia, the priests were ordered not to eat of the most holy things until a priest "with Urim and Thummim" could confirm that they were truly of priestly descent (Ezra 2:63).

 1Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
         For brothers to dwell together in unity! 
    2It is like the precious oil upon the head,
         Coming down upon the beard,
         Even Aaron's beard,
         Coming down upon the edge of his robes. 
    3It is like the dew of Hermon
         Coming down upon the mountains of Zion;
         For there the LORD commanded the blessing--life forever.

8But of the Son He says,
         "YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER,
         AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM. 
    9"YOU HAVE LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED LAWLESSNESS;
         THEREFORE GOD, YOUR GOD, HAS ANOINTED YOU

   WITH THE OIL OF GLADNESS ABOVE YOUR COMPANIONS."

 14Then he brought the bull of the sin offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bull of the sin offering.15Next Moses slaughtered it and took the blood and with his finger put some of it around on the horns of the altar, and purified the altar. Then he poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar and consecrated it, to make atonement for it.16He also took all the fat that was on the entrails and the lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys and their fat; and Moses offered it up in smoke on the altar.17But the bull and its hide and its flesh and its refuse he burned in the fire outside the camp, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.18Then he presented the ram of the burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram.19Moses slaughtered it and sprinkled the blood around on the altar.20When he had cut the ram into its pieces, Moses offered up the head and the pieces and the suet in smoke.21After he had washed the entrails and the legs with water, Moses offered up the whole ram in smoke on the altar. It was a burnt offering for a soothing aroma; it was an offering by fire to the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded Moses

 22Then he presented the second ram, the ram of ordination, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram.23Moses slaughtered it and took some of its blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron's right ear, and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot.24He also had Aaron's sons come near; and Moses put some of the blood on the lobe of their right ear, and on the thumb of their right hand and on the big toe of their right foot. Moses then sprinkled the rest of the blood around on the altar

 25He took the fat, and the fat tail, and all the fat that was on the entrails, and the lobe of the liver and the two kidneys and their fat and the right thigh.26From the basket of unleavened bread that was before the LORD, he took one unleavened cake and one cake of bread mixed with oil and one wafer, and placed them on the portions of fat and on the right thigh.27He then put all these on the hands of Aaron and on the hands of his sons and presented them as a wave offering before the LORD.28Then Moses took them from their hands and offered them up in smoke on the altar with the burnt offering They were an ordination offering for a soothing aroma; it was an offering by fire to the LORD.29Moses also took the breast and presented it for a wave offering before the LORD; it was Moses' portion of the ram of ordination, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.30So Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood which was on the altar and sprinkled it on Aaron, on his garments, on his sons, and on the garments of his sons with him; and he consecrated Aaron, his garments, and his sons, and the garments of his sons with him.31Then Moses said to Aaron and to his sons, "Boil the flesh at the doorway of the tent of meeting, and eat it there together with the bread which is in the basket of the ordination offering, just as I commanded, saying, 'Aaron and his sons shall eat it.'32"The remainder of the flesh and of the bread you shall burn in the fire.33"You shall not go outside the doorway of the tent of meeting for seven days, until the day that the period of your ordination is fulfilled; for he will ordain you through seven days.34"The LORD has commanded to do as has been done this day, to make atonement on your behalf.35"At the doorway of the tent of meeting, moreover, you shall remain day and night for seven days and keep the charge of the LORD, so that you will not die, for so I have been commanded."36Thus Aaron and his sons did all the things which the LORD had commanded through Moses.

Aaron Offers Sacrifices

  1Now it came about on the eighth day that Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel;2and he said to Aaron, "Take for yourself a calf, a bull, for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, both without defect, and offer them before the LORD.3"Then to the sons of Israel you shall speak, saying, 'Take a male goat for a sin offering, and a calf and a lamb, both one year old, without defect, for a burnt offering,4and an ox and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before the LORD, and a grain offering mixed with oil; for today the LORD will appear to you.'"5So they took what Moses had commanded to the front of the tent of meeting, and the whole congregation came near and stood before the LORD.6Moses said, "This is the thing which the LORD has commanded you to do, that the glory of the LORD may appear to you."7Moses then said to Aaron, "Come near to the altar and offer your sin offering and your burnt offering, that you may make atonement for yourself and for the people; then make the offering for the people, that you may make atonement for them, just as the LORD has commanded."8So Aaron came near to the altar and slaughtered the calf of the sin offering which was for himself.9Aaron's sons presented the blood to him; and he dipped his finger in the blood and put some on the horns of the altar, and poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.10The fat and the kidneys and the lobe of the liver of the sin offering, he then offered up in smoke on the altar just as the LORD had commanded Moses.11The flesh and the skin, however, he burned with fire outside the camp.12Then he slaughtered the burnt offering; and Aaron's sons handed the blood to him and he sprinkled it around on the altar.13They handed the burnt offering to him in pieces, with the head, and he offered them up in smoke on the altar.14He also washed the entrails and the legs, and offered them up in smoke with the burnt offering on the altar.15Then he presented the people's offering, and took the goat of the sin offering which was for the people, and slaughtered it and offered it for sin, like the first.16He also presented the burnt offering, and offered it according to the ordinance.17Next he presented the grain offering, and filled his hand with some of it and offered it up in smoke on the altar, besides the burnt offering of the morning.18Then he slaughtered the ox and the ram, the sacrifice of peace offerings which was for the people; and Aaron's sons handed the blood to him and he sprinkled it around on the altar.19As for the portions of fat from the ox and from the ram, the fat tail, and the fat covering, and the kidneys and the lobe of the liver,20they now placed the portions of fat on the breasts; and he offered them up in smoke on the altar.21But the breasts and the right thigh Aaron presented as a wave offering before the LORD, just as Moses had commanded.22Then Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them, and he stepped down after making the sin offering and the burnt offering and the peace offerings.23Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting. When they came out and blessed the people, the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people.24Then fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the portions of fat on the altar; and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.

A Reminder from former lessons.

a. There are two kinds of fire under discussion here (usually translated burn).

b. המך There is qatar fire. To burn up - starts at altar and ascends up.

c. שרך There is saraph which starts up and comes down, the fire of anger

Leviticus 10

The Sins of Nadab and Abihu

 1Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them.
  2And fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD.
  3Then Moses said to Aaron, "It is what the LORD spoke, saying,
         'By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy,
         And before all the people I will be honored.'"
         So Aaron, therefore, kept silent.
  4Moses called also to Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Aaron's uncle Uzziel, and said to them, "Come forward, carry your relatives away from the front of the sanctuary to the outside of the camp."
  5So they came forward and carried them still in their tunics to the outside of the camp, as Moses had said.
  6Then Moses said to Aaron and to his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, "Do not uncover your heads nor tear your clothes, so that you will not die and that He will not become wrathful against all the congregation. But your kinsmen, the whole house of Israel, shall bewail the burning which the LORD has brought about.
  7"You shall not even go out from the doorway of the tent of meeting, or you will die; forthe LORD'S anointing oil is upon you." So they did according to the word of Moses.
  8The LORD then spoke to Aaron, saying,
  9"Do not drink wine or strong drink, neither you nor your sons with you, when you come into the tent of meeting, so that you will not die--it is a perpetual statute throughout your generations--
  10and so as to make a distinction between the holy and the profane, and between the unclean and the clean,
  11and so as to teach the sons of Israel all the statutes which the LORD has spoken to them through Moses."
  12Then Moses spoke to Aaron, and to his surviving sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, "Take the grain offering that is left over from the LORD'S offerings by fire and eat it unleavened beside the altar, for it is most holy.
  13"You shall eat it, moreover, in a holy place, because it is your due and your sons' due out of the LORD'S offerings by fire; for thus I have been commanded.
  14"The breast of the wave offering, however, and the thigh of the offering you may eat in a clean place, you and your sons and your daughters with you; for they have been given as your due and your sons' due out of the sacrifices of the peace offerings of the sons of Israel.
  15"The thigh offered by lifting up and the breast offered by waving they shall bring along with the offerings by fire of the portions of fat, to present as a wave offering before the LORD; so it shall be a thing perpetually due you and your sons with you, just as the LORD has commanded."
  16But Moses searched carefully for the goat of the sin offering, and behold, it had been burned up! So he was angry with Aaron's surviving sons Eleazar and Ithamar, saying,
  17"Why did you not eat the sin offering at the holy place? For it is most holy, and He gave it to you to bear away the guilt of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD.
  18"Behold, since its blood had not been brought inside, into the sanctuary, you should certainly have eaten it in the sanctuary, just as I commanded."
  19But Aaron spoke to Moses, "Behold, this very day they presented their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD. When things like these happened to me, if I had eaten a sin offering today, would it have been good in the sight of the LORD?"
  20When Moses heard that, it seemed good in his sight.

2114. zuwr

2114a >>

to be a stranger

Original Word: זוּר
Transliteration: zuwr
Phonetic Spelling: (zoor)
Short Definition: another
come from another man, place, fanner, go away, estranger, thing, woman

A primitive root; to turn aside (especially for lodging); hence to be a foreigner, strange, profane; specifically (active participle) to commit adultery -- (come from) another (man, place), fanner, go away, (e-)strange(-r, thing, woman).

Offering Strange Fire Before The Lord

The Traveling Tabernacle of the Lord

HOLY FIRE

Lev 9:23 And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the people.
Lev 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.

In the inauguration of the traveling tabernacle of the Lord, the sacrifices placed on the alter of burnt offering were accepted by the Lord, and consumed by a fire that came from the glory of the Lord. This was no ordinary fire, it was sacred fire, holy fire from God Himself. This same fire was then used to burn the incense that was taken into the tabernacle, to the altar of incense:

Lev 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 bring it within the veil:
Lev 16:13 And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not:

Note that the smoke of the incense, burning with the sacred fire from the Lord, preserved the life of the priest while he was in the tabernacle. This was no small or trivial matter, as we shall see.

STRANGE FIRE

Lev 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.
Lev 10:2 And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.

Nadab and Abihu disregarded the solemn and exacting instruction they had been given, and filled their censers with a fire that did not originate from the holy fire of the alter of burnt offering. They entered the tabernacle with a profane fire, a common fire, that afforded them no protection, and they instantly perished. This was such a serious violation, that they were not even to be mourned:

Lev 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.
Lev 10:4 And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp.
Lev 10:5 So they went near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp; as Moses had said.
Lev 10:6 And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the LORD hath kindled.
Lev 10:7 And ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you. And they did according to the word of Moses.

IN A DRUNKEN STUPOR

The reason for Nadab and Abihu's transgression is then revealed:

Lev 10:8 And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying,
Lev 10:9 Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations: (see also Eze 44:21)
Lev 10:10 And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean; (see also Eze 44:23)
Lev 10:11 And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.

Aaron's sons had been drunk, their reasoning was impaired, and they could see no reason to bother with getting coals from the sacred fire of the altar of burnt offering. They did not discern the difference between the holy and unholy, and between the unclean and clean. Common unholy fire probably looked no different to them, and it surely would burn the incense in their censors too. Who cares? - they probably thought in their drunken stupor, it won't matter to God which fire we use, He can't be that particular. So they offered God what was common, instead of what was holy, as God required. They paid with their lives for their drunken disobedience.

“but into the second, only the high priest enters once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance.” Hebrews 9: