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New Revised Standard

Leviticus 10:6

And Moses said to Aaron and to his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, "Do not dishevel your hair, and do not tear your vestments, or you will die and wrath will strike all the congregation; but your kindred, the whole house of Israel, may mourn the burning that the Lord has sent.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Aaron;   Bereavement;   Ithamar;   Minister, Christian;   Mourning;   Nadab;   Sacrilege;   Thompson Chain Reference - Aaron;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Mourning;   Nadab;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Miracle;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Abihu;   Ithamar;   Mourn;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Abstinence;   Hair;   Headdress;   Ithamar;   Korah;   Mourning;   Nadab;   Philip the Apostle;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Aaron;   Abihu;   High Priest;   Leviticus;   Nadab;   Rending of Garments;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Head;   Ithamar;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Eleazar ;   Ithamar ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Mourning;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Elea'zar;   Mourning;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - On to Canaan;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Bewail;   Eleazar;   Leviticus;   Moses;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Aaron;   Abihu;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Anger;   Baldness;   Bareheadedness;   Commandments, the 613;   Ithamar;   Priest;   Symbol;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Moshe said to Aharon, and to El`azar and to Itamar, his sons, "Don't let the hair of your heads go loose, neither tear your clothes; that you don't die, and that he not be angry with all the congregation: but let your brothers, the whole house of Yisra'el, bewail the burning which the LORD has kindled.
King James Version
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.
Lexham English Bible
Then Moses said to Aaron and to his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, "You must not let your hair hang loosely, and you must not tear your garments, so that you will not die and he will be angry with all the community. But your brothers, all the house of Israel, may weep because of the burning that Yahweh caused,
New Century Version
Then Moses said to Aaron and his other sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, "Don't show sadness by tearing your clothes or leaving your hair uncombed. If you do, you will die, and the Lord will be angry with all the people. All the people of Israel, your relatives, may cry loudly about the Lord burning Nadab and Abihu,
New English Translation
Then Moses said to Aaron and to Eleazar and Ithamar his other two sons, "Do not dishevel the hair of your heads and do not tear your garments, so that you do not die and so that wrath does not come on the whole congregation. Your brothers, all the house of Israel, are to mourn the burning which the Lord has caused,
Amplified Bible
Then Moses said to Aaron and to his [younger] sons Eleazar and Ithamar, "Do not uncover your heads nor let your hair hang loose nor tear your clothes [as expressions of mourning], so that you will not die [also] and so that He will not express His wrath and anger toward all the congregation. But your relatives, the whole house of Israel, may mourn the burning which the LORD has brought about.
New American Standard Bible
Then Moses said to Aaron and to his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, "Do not uncover your heads nor tear your clothes, so that you do not die and He does not become wrathful against all the congregation. But your kinsmen, the entire house of Israel, shall weep for the burning which the LORD has brought about.
Geneva Bible (1587)
After, Moses saide vnto Aaron and vnto Eleazar & Ithamar his sonnes, Vncouer not your heads, neither rent your clothes, least ye dye, and least wrath come vpon all ye people: but let your brethren, all the house of Israel bewayle the burning which the Lorde hath kindled.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then 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 relatives, the whole house of Israel, shall weep over the burning which Yahweh has brought about.
Contemporary English Version
Then Moses told Aaron and his other two sons, Eleazar and Ithamar: Don't show your sorrow by messing up your hair and tearing your priestly clothes, or the Lord will get angry. He will kill the three of you and punish everyone else. It's all right for your relatives, the people of Israel, to mourn for those he destroyed by fire.
Complete Jewish Bible
Then Moshe told Aharon and his sons El‘azar and Itamar, "Don't unbind your hair or tear your clothes in mourning, so that you won't die and so that Adonai won't be angry with the entire community. Rather, let your kinsmen — the whole house of Isra'el — mourn, because of the destruction Adonai brought about with his fire.
Darby Translation
And Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar his sons, Your heads shall ye not uncover, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die, and lest wrath come on all the assembly; but your brethren, the whole house of Israel, shall bewail the burning which Jehovah hath kindled.
Easy-to-Read Version
Then Moses spoke to Aaron and his other sons Eleazar and Ithamar. He said, "Don't show any sadness! Don't tear your clothes or mess up your hair! If you do anything to show your sadness, you will be killed, and the Lord will show his anger against everyone. But let all the other people of Israel, your relatives, cry for those the Lord destroyed with fire.
English Standard Version
And Moses said to Aaron and to Eleazar and Ithamar his sons, "Do not let the hair of your heads hang loose, and do not tear your clothes, lest you die, and wrath come upon all the congregation; but let your brothers, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning that the Lord has kindled.
George Lamsa Translation
Then Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons who were left to him, Do not shave your heads, neither rend your clothes, lest you die, and lest wrath come upon all the people; but let all your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail over the victims, whom the LORD burned.
Good News Translation
Then Moses said to Aaron and to his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, "Do not leave your hair uncombed or tear your clothes to show that you are in mourning. If you do, you will die, and the Lord will be angry with the whole community. But all other Israelites are allowed to mourn this death caused by the fire which the Lord sent.
Christian Standard Bible®
Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not let your hair hang loose and do not tear your clothes, or else you will die, and the Lord will become angry with the whole community. However, your brothers, the whole house of Israel, may weep over the conflagration the Lord ignited.
Literal Translation
And Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar, and to Ithamar, his sons, You shall not uncover your heads and you shall not tear your garments, that you may not die, and He be angry on all the congregation.As to your brothers, the whole house ofIsrael, they shall mourn the burning which Jehovah has kindled.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then sayde Moses vnto Aaron, & to his sonnes Eleasar and Ithamar: Ye shall not vncouer youre heades, ner rente yor clothes, that ye dye not, and the wrath come vpon the whole congregacion: Let youre brethre of the whole house of Israel bewepe this burnynge, which the LORDE hath done.
American Standard Version
And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Let not the hair of your heads go loose, neither rend your clothes; that ye die not, and that he be not wroth with all the congregation: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which Jehovah hath kindled.
Bible in Basic English
And Moses said to Aaron and to Eleazar and Ithamar, his sons, Do not let your hair be loose, and give no signs of grief; so that death may not overtake you, and his wrath come on all the people; but let there be weeping among your brothers and all the house of Israel for this burning of the Lord's fire.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Moyses sayde vnto Aaron, and vnto Eleazar & Ithamar his sonnes: Uncouer not your heades, neither rent your clothes, lest ye dye, and lest wrath come vpon all the people: But let your brethren the whole house of Israel, bewayle the burnyng whiche the Lorde hath kyndled.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons: 'Let not the hair of your heads go loose, neither tend your clothes, that ye die not, and that He be not wroth with all the congregation; but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the LORD hath kindled.
King James Version (1611)
And Moses said vnto Aaron, and vnto Eleazar and vnto Ithamar his sonnes, Uncouer not your heads, neither rend your clothes, lest you die, and lest wrath come vpon all the people: But let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewaile the burning which the Lord hath kindled.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Moses said to Aaron, and Eleazar and Ithamar his sons that were left, Ye shall not make bare your heads, and ye shall not tear your garments; that ye die not, and so there should be wrath on all the congregation: but your brethren, even all the house of Israel, shall lament for the burning, with which they were burnt by the Lord.
English Revised Version
And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Let not the hair of your heads go loose, neither rend your clothes; that ye die not, and that he be not wroth with all the congregation: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the LORD hath kindled.
Berean Standard Bible
Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, "Do not let your hair become disheveled and do not tear your garments, or else you will die, and the LORD will be angry with the whole congregation. But your brothers, the whole house of Israel, may mourn on account of the fire that the LORD has ignited.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Moises spak to Aaron, and to Eliasar and Ithamar, the sones of Aaron, Nyle ye make nakid youre heedis, and nyle ye reende clothis, lest perauenture ye dien, and indignacioun rise on al the cumpany; youre britheren and all the hows of Israel byweile the brennyng which the Lord reiside.
Young's Literal Translation
And Moses saith unto Aaron, and to Eleazar, and to Ithamar his sons, `Your heads ye do not uncover, and your garments ye do not rend, that ye die not, and on all the company He be wroth; as to your brethren, the whole house of Israel, they bewail the burning which Jehovah hath kindled;
Update Bible Version
And Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons, Don't let the hair of your heads go loose, neither rend your clothes; that you will not die, and that he is not angry with all the congregation: but let your brothers, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which Yahweh has kindled.
Webster's Bible Translation
And Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to 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.
World English Bible
Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons, "Don't let the hair of your heads go loose, neither tear your clothes; that you don't die, and that he not be angry with all the congregation: but let your brothers, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which Yahweh has kindled.
New King James Version
And Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and Ithamar, his sons, "Do not uncover your heads nor tear your clothes, lest you die, and wrath come upon all the people. But let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the LORD has kindled.
New Living Translation
Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, "Do not show grief by leaving your hair uncombed or by tearing your clothes. If you do, you will die, and the Lord 's anger will strike the whole community of Israel. However, the rest of the Israelites, your relatives, may mourn because of the Lord 's fiery destruction of Nadab and Abihu.
New Life Bible
Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, "Do not take the covering off your heads and do not tear your clothes, so you will not die and God will not be angry with all the people. But your brothers, the whole house of Israel, will cry in sorrow because of the burning the Lord has done.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said Moses unto Aaron and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons - Your heads, ye may not bare and your garments, ye shall not rend so shall ye not die, neither against all the assembly, will he be wroth, - but let, your brethren the whole house of Israel, bewail the consuming fire wherewith Yahweh hath consumed.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and Ithamar, his sons: Uncover not your heads, and rend not your garments, lest perhaps you die, and indignation come upon all the congregation. Let your brethren, and all the house of Israel, bewail the burning which the Lord has kindled.
Revised Standard Version
And Moses said to Aaron and to Elea'zar and Ith'amar, his sons, "Do not let the hair of your heads hang loose, and do not rend your clothes, lest you die, and lest wrath come upon all the congregation; but your brethren, the whole house of Israel, may bewail the burning which the LORD has kindled.
THE MESSAGE
Moses then said to Aaron and his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, "No mourning rituals for you—unkempt hair, torn clothes—or you'll also die and God will be angry with the whole congregation. Your relatives—all the People of Israel, in fact—will do the mourning over those God has destroyed by fire. And don't leave the entrance to the Tent of Meeting lest you die, because God 's anointing oil is on you." They did just as Moses said.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then 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.

Contextual Overview

3 Then Moses said to Aaron, "This is what the Lord meant when he said, ‘Through those who are near me I will show myself holy, and before all the people I will be glorified.'" And Aaron was silent. 4 Moses summoned Mishael and Elzaphan, sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, "Come forward, and carry your kinsmen away from the front of the sanctuary to a place outside the camp." 5 They came forward and carried them by their tunics out of the camp, as Moses had ordered. 6 And Moses said to Aaron and to his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, "Do not dishevel your hair, and do not tear your vestments, or you will die and wrath will strike all the congregation; but your kindred, the whole house of Israel, may mourn the burning that the Lord has sent. 7 You shall not go outside the entrance of the tent of meeting, or you will die; for the anointing oil of the Lord is on you." And they did as Moses had ordered.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Uncover: Leviticus 13:45, Leviticus 21:1-15, Exodus 33:5, Numbers 5:18, Numbers 6:6, Numbers 6:7, Numbers 14:6, Deuteronomy 33:9, Jeremiah 7:29, Ezekiel 24:16, Ezekiel 24:17, Micah 1:16

lest wrath: Numbers 16:22, Numbers 16:41-47, Joshua 7:1, Joshua 7:11, Joshua 22:18, Joshua 22:20, 2 Samuel 24:1, 2 Samuel 24:15-17

Reciprocal: Exodus 33:4 - and no Leviticus 21:5 - not make baldness Leviticus 21:10 - uncover Numbers 1:53 - there be Numbers 16:46 - there is wrath Ezra 7:5 - Eleazar

Cross-References

Genesis 9:22
And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.
Genesis 10:8
Cush became the father of Nimrod; he was the first on earth to become a mighty warrior.
Genesis 10:16
and the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites,
1 Chronicles 4:40
where they found rich, good pasture, and the land was very broad, quiet, and peaceful; for the former inhabitants there belonged to Ham.
Psalms 78:51
He struck all the firstborn in Egypt, the first issue of their strength in the tents of Ham.
Psalms 105:23
Then Israel came to Egypt; Jacob lived as an alien in the land of Ham.
Psalms 105:27
They performed his signs among them, and miracles in the land of Ham.
Psalms 106:22
wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.
Isaiah 11:11
On that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that is left of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Ethiopia, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea.
Jeremiah 46:9
Advance, O horses, and dash madly, O chariots! Let the warriors go forth: Ethiopia and Put who carry the shield, the Ludim, who draw the bow.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar, and unto Ithamar, his sons,.... His two younger sons, which yet remained; and so the Septuagint version adds, as in Leviticus 10:12

uncover not your heads; that is, do not take off your mitre, as the Septuagint version; or the bonnets which they wore in the time of their ministry; for the Jewish priests always had their mitres and bonnets on when they sacrificed; in imitation of which, the Heathens had their heads covered when they offered their sacrifices k: now it was the way, or custom of a mourner, as Ben Melech observes, to remove his mitre, bonnet, or tiara, from his head; but in this case, that no sign of mourning might be shown, Aaron and his sons are forbid to uncover the head: the Targum of Onkelos is,

"do not increase the hair,''

or nourish it, or suffer it to grow, as Jarchi and Ben Gersom interpret it: now in times of distress and mourning they used to let the hair grow, whether on the head or beard, see 2 Samuel 19:24 and in this the Jews were imitated by the Egyptians, contrary to other nations; the priests of the gods in other places, says Herodotus l, took care of their hair (or wore their hair), in Egypt they are shaved; with others the custom is, for the head immediately to be shaved at funerals; but the Egyptians, at death, suffer their hair to grow in the parts before shaved; but this custom with the Jews, though at other times used, is here forbid Aaron and his sons:

neither rend your clothes, which was sometimes done at the report of the death of near relations, as children, in token of mourning,

Genesis 37:34 but here it is forbid, that there might be no sign of it: it is a particular word that is here used: Ben Melech says, there is a difference between rending and tearing; tearing is in the body of a garment where there is no seam, but rending (which is what is here meant) where there is a seam: the priests rending their garments was after this manner, according to the Jewish canons m,

"an high priest rends below and a common priest above;''

that is, as one of their commentators n interprets it, the former rends the extreme part of his garment next the feet, and the latter at the breast near the shoulder; but in this case no rent at all was to be made:

lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people; so very provoking to God would be any signs of mourning in Aaron and his sons, on this account:

but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the Lord hath kindled: though Aaron and his sons might not mourn on this occasion, the whole body of the people might, though not bewail so much the death of the persons, as the cause of it; and be concerned for the awful judgment of God, and for the wrath that was sone forth, lest it should proceed and destroy others also, all being sinners.

k "Purpureo velare comas", &c. Virgil. Aeneid. l. 3. Vid. Kipping. Rom. Antiqu. l. 1. c. 12. sect. 17. p. 495. l Euterpe sive, l. 2. c. 36. m Misn. Horayot, c. 3. sect. 5. n Bartenora in ib.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Aaron and his two surviving sons are forbidden to show the accustomed signs of mourning, or to leave the court of the tabernacle in order to attend the funeral, because, from their office, they were especially concerned as consecrated priests in outwardly maintaining the honor of Yahweh. They were to bear visible testimony to the righteousness of the punishment of Nadab and Abihu. The people, on the other hand, as not formally standing so near to Yahweh, were permitted to “bewail” as an acknowledgment that the nation had a share in the sin of its priests. (Compare 1 Corinthians 12:26.)

Leviticus 10:6

Uncover not your heads - Or, “set free ... let go loose.” It was a custom to let the hair grow long and fall loosely over the head and face Leviticus 13:45; 2Sa 15:30; 2 Samuel 19:4; and the substance of the command would thus be that they should not let the hair go disheveled. Ripping the clothes in front so as to lay open the breast was one of the most common manifestations of grief (see Genesis 37:29; Gen 44:13; 2 Samuel 1:11; Job 1:20; Joel 2:13, etc.). The garments as well as the persons of the priests were consecrated; this appears to be the reason of the prohibition of these ordinary signs of mourning. Compare Leviticus 20:10.

Lest ye die - See Exodus 28:35 note.

Leviticus 10:7

The anointing oil ... is upon you - See Leviticus 8:12, Leviticus 8:30. The holy oil, as the symbol of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Life and immortality and joy, was the sign of the priests being brought near to Yahweh. It was therefore by its meaning connected both with the general law which forbade the high priest ever to put on signs of mourning on account of death Leviticus 21:10-12, and with the special reason for the prohibition on this occasion.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Leviticus 10:6. Uncover not your heads, c. — They were to use no sign of grief or mourning,

1. Because those who were employed in the service of the sanctuary should avoid every thing that might incapacitate them for that service and,

2. Because the crime of their brethren was so highly provoking to God, and so fully merited the punishment which he had inflicted, that their mourning might be considered as accusing the Divine justice of undue severity.


 
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