Single lesson
Restrictions for Priests after Nadab and Abihu
Leviticus 10:8–20
This passage explains instructions for Aaron and his sons about serving in the Tent of Meeting, distinguishing important categories, teaching Israel, and handling different offering portions in the right places before Yahweh.
Before you teach
In Leviticus 10:8–20, Yahweh speaks to Aaron about priestly conduct, especially while entering the Tent of Meeting. He states that priests must distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean, and teach Israel. Moses then addresses how priestly portions from offerings were to be eaten and asks about a sin offering that was burned.
Explain the central teaching of Restrictions for Priests after Nadab and Abihu, using two details from the reading. This passage shows that priestly service required sobriety, careful distinctions, faithful teaching, and thoughtful attention to what would be pleasing in Yahweh’s sight.
Welcome: Restrictions for Priests after Nadab and Abihu
5 minIntroduce “Restrictions for Priests after Nadab and Abihu” and locate Leviticus 10:8–20. This passage shows that priestly service required sobriety, careful distinctions, faithful teaching, and thoughtful attention to what would be pleasing in Yahweh’s sight. Invite each learner to name a detail or question they will listen for.
Leviticus 10:8, Leviticus 10:14, Leviticus 10:20
Read and explain the passage
12 minYahweh speaks directly to Aaron and commands that he and his sons must not drink wine or strong drink whenever they go into the Tent of Meeting. The warning is strong: otherwise they will die. The passage says this rule is to remain a statute throughout their generations.
Moses tells Aaron, Eleazar, and Ithamar to eat the remaining meal offering without yeast beside the altar because it is most holy. He then distinguishes other portions, the waved breast and heaved thigh, which the priestly family may eat in a clean place as their assigned portion from peace offerings.
Moses carefully asks about the goat of the sin offering because it was burned. He says it should have been eaten in the sanctuary, since its blood was not brought into the inner part and it was given in connection with making atonement. Aaron replies with a question about whether eating it that day would have been pleasing in Yahweh’s sight. When Moses heard that, it was pleasing in his sight.
Read the selected verses together, pausing at “Restrictions for Priests after Nadab and Abihu”. Use the source reading below and check the explanation against the words of the passage.
Leviticus 10:8, Leviticus 10:9, Leviticus 10:12, Leviticus 10:13, Leviticus 10:14, Leviticus 10:15, Leviticus 10:16, Leviticus 10:17, Leviticus 10:18, Leviticus 10:19, Leviticus 10:20
Discuss the details and their meaning
8 minUse the three questions below. Begin with “What exact pairs of things were the priests told to distinguish?” and allow time to find the supporting verses. This passage shows that priestly service required sobriety, careful distinctions, faithful teaching, and thoughtful attention to what would be pleasing in Yahweh’s sight. Ask learners to explain which details support their answer and to identify a question they would like to explore further.
Leviticus 10:10, Leviticus 10:12, Leviticus 10:13, Leviticus 10:14, Leviticus 10:15, Leviticus 10:19, Leviticus 10:20
Make and respond: Instruction and context chart
12 minWork on “Restrictions for Priests after Nadab and Abihu: Instruction and context chart”. Follow the materials and steps below, using “Restrictions for Priests after Nadab and Abihu” as reading headings. Each learner should include at least two accurate details and their verse references. Share one observation from the finished sheet and explain how it connects with the central teaching.
Leviticus 10:8, Leviticus 10:14, Leviticus 10:20
Closing: return to Restrictions for Priests after Nadab and Abihu
3 minRevisit Leviticus 10:8–20. Invite a learner to summarise what the group has learned about Restrictions for Priests after Nadab and Abihu and another to support the summary with a verse. Give learners a moment to complete their response sheet. They can share a question or, if appropriate for the group, join the optional prayer.
Leviticus 10:8, Leviticus 10:14, Leviticus 10:20
Questions to explore
What exact pairs of things were the priests told to distinguish?
Use the wording of the command itself and keep the two pairs separate, just as the passage states them.
Leviticus 10:10
How does the passage show that some holy portions were eaten in different places?
Compare the meal offering eaten beside the altar with the waved breast and heaved thigh eaten in a clean place.
Leviticus 10:12, Leviticus 10:13, Leviticus 10:14, Leviticus 10:15
What concern does Aaron raise about the sin offering, and what was Moses’ response?
Look closely at Aaron’s words about what would be pleasing in Yahweh’s sight and then note the final sentence.
Leviticus 10:19, Leviticus 10:20
Make, think or respond
Restrictions for Priests after Nadab and Abihu: Instruction and context chart
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils or pens
- a Bible or the source reading on this page
Try it together
- Fold a sheet into three panels or draw three columns. Label them “Who is addressed?”, “What is required?”, “What reason or purpose is given?”.
- Read Leviticus 10:8–20. Use “Restrictions for Priests after Nadab and Abihu” as your reading headings and add a short quotation or detail with its verse reference to each panel.
- Compare your notes with a partner. Check that every quotation is accurate and every conclusion has support in the passage.
- Under the chart, distinguish instructions in their original setting from an application you could discuss today.
The finished sheet keeps the details of Restrictions for Priests after Nadab and Abihu connected to their Bible references and gives the group a way to explain what they noticed.
Adapt for your group
- For learners who need more support, prepare the reading headings “Restrictions for Priests after Nadab and Abihu” and let them match short quotations to the correct heading.
- For confident readers, compare two sections of Leviticus 10:8–20. Ask for a written explanation with two supporting references and one question that the text leaves open.
An optional closing prayer
“God, help us listen carefully as we read Leviticus 10:8–20. Help us understand what we have read, ask thoughtful questions and respond with care for others. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Leviticus 10
8 Then Yahweh said to Aaron,
9 “You and your sons are not to drink wine or strong drink whenever you go into the Tent of Meeting, or you will die. This shall be a statute forever throughout your generations.
10 You are to make a distinction between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean.
11 You are to teach the children of Israel all the statutes which Yahweh has spoken to them by Moses.”
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 They shall bring the heaved thigh and the waved breast 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.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.