translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: LEV

label: NET translator note

text: Although it has been used elsewhere in this translation as an English variation from the ubiquitous use of vav in Hebrew, in this instance “then” as a rendering for vav is intended to show that the Nadab and Abihu catastrophe took place on the inauguration day described in . The tragic incident in happened in close temporal connection to the Lord ’s fire that consumed the offerings at the end of . Thus, for example, the “sin offering” male goat referred to in Lev 10:16-19 is the very one referred to in Lev 9:15 .


text: The expression “strange fire” ( אֵשׁ זָרָה , ’ esh zarah ) seems imprecise (cf. NAB “profane fire”; NIV “unauthorized fire”; NRSV “unholy fire”; NLT “a different kind of fire”) and has been interpreted numerous ways (see the helpful summary in J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 132-33). The infraction may have involved any of the following or a combination thereof: (1) using coals from someplace other than the burnt offering altar (i.e., “unauthorized coals” according to J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:598; cf. Lev 16:12 and cf. “unauthorized person” אִישׁ זָר (’ ish zar ) in Num 16:40 [ 17:5 HT], NASB “layman”), (2) using the wrong kind of incense (cf. the Exod 30:9 regulation against “strange incense” קְטֹרֶת זָרָה ( qÿtoreh zarah ) on the incense altar and the possible connection to Exod 30:34-38 ), (3) performing an incense offering at an unprescribed time (B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 59), or (4) entering the Holy of Holies at an inappropriate time ( Lev 16:1-2 ).


text: See the note on 9:24 a.


text: The Niphal verb of the Hebrew root קָדַשׁ ( qadash ) can mean either “to be treated as holy” (so here, e.g., BDB 873 s.v. קָּדַשׁ , LXX, NASB, and NEB) or “to show oneself holy” (so here, e.g., HALOT 1073 s.v. קדשׁ nif.1, NIV, NRSV, NLT; J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:595, 601-3; and J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 133-34). The latter rendering seems more likely here since, in the immediate context, the Lord himself had indeed shown himself to be holy by the way he responded to the illegitimate incense offering of Nadab and Abihu. They had not treated the Lord as holy, so the Lord acted on his own behalf to show that he was indeed holy.


text: In this context the Niphal of the Hebrew root כָּבֵד ( kaved ) can mean “to be honored” (e.g., NASB and NIV here), “be glorified” (ASV, NRSV and NLT here), or “glorify oneself, show one’s glory” (cf. NAB; e.g., specifically in this verse HALOT 455 s.v. כבד nif.3; J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:595, 603-4; and J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 126, 134). Comparing this clause with the previous one (see the note above), the point may be that when the Lord shows himself to be holy as he has done in 10:1-2 , this results in him being honored (i.e., reverenced, feared, treated with respect) among the people. This suggests the passive rendering. It is possible, however, that one should use the reflexive rendering here as in the previous clause. If so, the passage means that the Lord showed both his holiness and his glory in one outbreak against Nadab and Abihu.


label: NET textual note

text: Smr has “you must not” ( לֹא , lo ’) rather than the MT’s “do not” ( אַל , ’ al ; cf. the following negative לֹא , lo ’, in the MT).


text: Heb “do not let free your heads.” Some have taken this to mean, “do not take off your headgear” (cf. NAB, NASB), but it probably also involves leaving one’s hair unkempt as a sign of mourning (see J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:608-9; cf. NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT).


text: Heb “shall weep [for] the burning which the Lord has burned”; NIV “may mourn for those the Lord has destroyed by fire.”


text: Heb “a perpetual statute for your generations”; NAB “a perpetual ordinance”; NRSV “a statute forever”; NLT “a permanent law.” The Hebrew grammar here suggests that the last portion of v. 9 functions as both a conclusion to v. 9 and an introduction to vv. 10-11 . It is a pivot clause, as it were. Thus, it was a “perpetual statute” to not drink alcoholic beverages when ministering in the tabernacle, but it was also a “perpetual statue” to distinguish between holy and profane and unclean and clean (v. 10 ) as well as to teach the children of Israel all such statutes (v. 11 ).


text: Heb “and,” but regarding the translation “as well as,” see the note at the end of v. 9 .


text: Heb “by the hand of” (so KJV).


text: Heb “statute” (cf. 10:9, 11 ); cf. KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV “due”; NIV “share”; NLT “regular share.”


text: For the rendering of the Hebrew אִשֶׁה (’ isheh ) as “gift” rather than “offering [made] by fire,” see the note on Lev 1:9 .


text: The word “ceremonially” has been supplied in the translation to clarify that the cleanness of the place specified is ritual or ceremonial in nature.


text: Heb “but behold, it had been burnt” (KJV and NASB both similar).


text: Or “Behold!” (so KJV, ASV, NASB).


text: Or “Behold!” (so KJV, ASV, NASB); NRSV “See.”


text: Heb “today they presented their sin offering and their burnt offering before the Lord , and like these things have happened to me, and (if) I had eaten sin offering today would it be good in the eyes of the Lord ?” The idiom “would it be good in the eyes of [the Lord ]” has been translated “would [the Lord ] have been pleased.” Cf. NRSV “would it have been agreeable to the Lord?”; CEV, NLT “Would the Lord have approved?”


text: Heb “it was good in his eyes” (an idiom). Cf. KJV “he was content”; NLT “he approved.”