King James Version

Numbers 3:4

And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD, when they offered strange fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest’s office in the sight of Aaron their father.

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Hebrew

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וַיָּ֣מָתvayamatand dieמוּתconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and die”, the next action in the storyH4191to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill[idiom] at all, [idiom] crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), [idiom] must needs, slay, [idiom] surely, [idiom] very suddenly, [idiom] in (no) w…נָדָ֣בnadavNadabנָדָבnoun, proper name — “Nadab”H5070Nadab, the name of four IsraelitesNadab.וַאֲבִיה֣וּאvaavihuand Abihuאֲבִיהוּאconjunction, noun, proper name — “and Abihu”H30Abihu, a son of AaronAbihu.לִפְנֵ֣יlifneto a- foreפָּנִיםpreposition, noun, common, both genders, plural, construct — “to a- fore”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)[phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-…יְהוָ֡הyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).בְּֽהַקְרִבָם֩behaqrivamin approachקָרַבpreposition, verb, hiphil, infinitive construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “in approach”, the to-form of the verbH7126to approach (causatively, bring near) for whatever purpose(cause to) approach, (cause to) bring (forth, near), (cause to) come (near, nigh), (cause to) draw near (nigh), go (near), be at hand, join, be near, offer, present, produce, make ready, stand, take.אֵ֨שׁeshfireאֵשׁnoun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “fire”, the ordinary formH784fire (literally or figuratively)burning, fiery, fire, flaming, hot.זָרָ֜הzarahstrangeזוּרadjective, adjective, feminine, singular, absolute — “strange”, the ordinary formH2114to turn aside (especially for lodging); hence to be aforeigner, strange, profane; specifically (active participle) to commit adultery(come from) another (man, place), fanner, go away, (e-) strange(-r, thing, woman).לִפְנֵ֤יlifneto a- foreפָּנִיםpreposition, noun, common, both genders, plural, construct — “to a- fore”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)[phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-…יְהוָה֙yehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).בְּמִדְבַּ֣רbemidbarin desertמִדְבָּרpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “in desert”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4057a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also speech (including its organs)desert, south, speech, wilderness.סִינַ֔יsinaySinaiסִינַיnoun, proper name — “Sinai”H5514Sinai, mountain of ArabiaSinai.וּבָנִ֖יםuvanimand sonבֵּןconjunction, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “and son”, the ordinary formH1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)[phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, […לֹאlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…הָי֣וּhayvbeהָיָהverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “be”, a completed actionH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.לָהֶ֑םlahemtoלָהֶ֑םpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “to”toוַיְכַהֵ֤ןvaykhahenand deckכָּהַןconjunction, verb, piel, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and deck”, the next action in the storyH3547to officiate as a priest; figuratively, to put on regaliadeck, be (do the office of a, execute the, minister in the) priest('s office).אֶלְעָזָר֙elazarEleazarאֶלְעָזָרnoun, proper name — “Eleazar”H499Elazar, the name of seven IsraelitesEleazar.וְאִ֣יתָמָ֔רveitamarand Ithamarאִיתָמָרconjunction, noun, proper name — “and Ithamar”H385Ithamar, a son of AaronIthamar.עַלalaboveעַלpreposition — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…פְּנֵ֖יpenea- foreפָּנִיםnoun, common, both genders, plural, construct — “a- fore”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)[phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-…אַהֲרֹ֥ןaharonAaronאַהֲרוֹןnoun, proper name — “Aaron”H175Aharon, the brother of MosesAaron.אֲבִיהֶֽםavihemfatherאָבnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “father”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationchief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD, when they offered strange fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children; and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office in the presence of Aaron their father.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

And Nadab and Abihu died before Jehovah, when they offered strange fire before Jehovah, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children; and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest’s office in the presence of Aaron their father.

Young’s Literal Translation

And Nadab dieth — Abihu also — before Jehovah, in their bringing near strange fire before Jehovah, in the wilderness of Sinai, and sons they had not; and Eleazar — Ithamar also — acteth as priest in the presence of Aaron their father.

World English Bible

Nadab and Abihu died before Yahweh when they offered strange fire before Yahweh in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children. Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest’s office in the presence of Aaron their father.

Darby Translation

And Nadab and Abihu died before Jehovah when they offered strange fire before Jehovah in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no sons; and Eleazar and Ithamar exercised the priesthood in the presence of Aaron their father.

Douay-Rheims

Now Nadab and Abiu died, without children, when they offered strange fire before the Lord, in the desert of Sinai: and Eleazar and Ithamar performed the priestly office in the presence of Aaron their father.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And Nadab and Abiud died before the Lord, when they offered strange fire before the Lord, in the wilderness of Sina; and they had no children; and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priests' office with Aaron their father.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ἐτελεύτησε Ναδὰβ καὶ Ἀβιοὺδ ἔναντι Κυρίου, προσφερόντων αὐτῶν πῦρ ἀλλότριον ἔναντι Κυρίου, ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ Σινᾷ, καὶ παιδία οὐκ ἦν αὐτοῖς· καὶ ἱεράτευσεν Ἐλεάζαρ καὶ Ἰθάμαρ μετὰ Ἀαρὼν τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν.