Leviticus 10:6

Leviticus 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.

a. ASV:  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.

b. YLT: 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;

c. Amplified Bible Classic: And Moses said to Aaron and Eleazar and Ithamar, his sons [the father and brothers of the two priests whom God had slain for offering false fire], Do not uncover your heads or let your hair go loose or tear your clothes, lest you die [also] and lest God’s wrath should come upon all the congregation; but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the Lord has kindled.

d. Septuagint: 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.

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: Moses said to Aaron and to his sons Elazar and Ithamar, “Do not leave your heads unshorn and do not rend your garments that you not die and He become wrathful with the entire assembly; and your brethren the entire House of Israel shall bewail the conflagration that HASHEM ignited.

1. “And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons…”

a. [And] Moses [Strong: 4872 Môsheh, mo-sheh'; from H4871; drawing out (of the water), i.e. rescued; Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver:—Moses.]

b. said [Strong: 559 ʼâmar, aw-mar'; a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude):—answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, × desire, determine, ×expressly, × indeed, × intend, name, × plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), × still, × suppose, talk, tell, term, × that is, × think, use (speech), utter, × verily, × yet.]

c. unto [Strong: 413 'el ale (but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el}); a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).]

d. Aaron [Strong: 175 ʼAhărôwn, a-har-one'; of uncertain derivation; Aharon, the brother of Moses:—Aaron.]

e. [and unto] Eleazar [Strong: 499 ʼElʻâzâr, el-aw-zawr'; from H410 and H5826; God (is) helper; Elazar, the name of seven Israelites:—Eleazar.]

f. [and unto] Ithamar [Strong: 385 ʼÎythâmâr, eeth-aw-mawr'; from H339 and H8558; coast of the palm-tree; Ithamar, a son of Aaron:—Ithamar.]

g. [his] sons [Strong: 1121 bên, bane; from H1129; a 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.):—afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, (+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, × came up in, child, colt, × common, × corn, daughter, × of first, firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, × in, + kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, +mighty, + nephew, old, (+) people, rebel, + robber, × servant born, × soldier, son, +spark, steward, + stranger, × surely, them of, + tumultuous one, valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.]

2. “...Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die…”

a. Uncover [Strong: 6544 pâraʻ, paw-rah'; a primitive root; to loosen; by implication, to expose, dismiss; figuratively, absolve, begin:—avenge, avoid, bare, go back, let, (make) naked, set at nought, perish, refuse, uncover.]

b. not [Strong: 408 'al al a negative particle (akin to 3808); not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun, nothing:--nay, neither, + never, no ,nor, not, nothing (worth), rather than.]

c. [your] heads [Strong: 7218 rôʼsh, roshe; from an unused root apparently meaning to shake; the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, etc.):—band, beginning, captain, chapiter, chief(-est place, man, things), company, end, × every (man), excellent, first, forefront, (be-)head, height, (on) high(-est part, (priest)), × lead, × poor, principal, ruler, sum, top.]

d. neither [Strong: 3808 lo' lo or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, + of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.]

e. rend [Strong: 6533 pâram, paw-ram'; a primitive root; to tear:—rend.]

f. [your] clothes [Strong:899 beged, behg'-ed; from H898; a covering, i.e. clothing; also treachery or pillage:—apparel, cloth(-es, ing), garment, lap, rag, raiment, robe, × very (treacherously), vesture, wardrobe.]

g. lest [ye] [Strong: 3808 [Strong: 3808 lo' lo or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, + of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.]

h. die [Strong: 4191 mûwth, mooth; a primitive root; to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill:—× at all, × crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), × must needs, slay, × surely, × very suddenly, × in (no) wise.]

1). In spite of the fact that Aaron lost two sons, and Eleazar and Ithamar lost two brothers, they were forbidden by Moses to participate in the normal grieving process.  They were not permitted to remove the priestly bonnets or rend their clothes, under penalty of death. This event was bigger them all of them, it was the culmination of the sanctification of the priesthood and the Sanctuary. As shocking and heartbreaking as this incident was, there were bigger issues here, the honor of God, the dedication of the Tabernacle, the establishment and dedication of the Aaronic Priesthood. These were far more important. This was the establishment and dedication of a system designed by God that would ensure the continuation of the Jewish people and prepare the way for the redemption of all mankind through the Messiah. The incredible and un-thought out actions of two persons was not to going to mess things up. Moses told Aaron and his sons that if they disrupted the order and decorum of the priesthood in the dedication and establishment of the moment, they would die and bring the wrath of God upon the whole nation.  Later in Leviticus the LORD gave specific instructions concerning defilement to be followed by the priesthood while they are in service.

a). Leviticus 21:1-5 And the Lord said unto Moses in mount Sinai, Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto them, There shall none be defiled for the dead among his people:

21:2 But for his kin, that is near unto him, that is, for his mother, and for his father, and for his son, and for his daughter, and for his brother.

21:3 And for his sister a virgin, that is nigh unto him, which hath had no husband; for her may he be defiled.

21:4 But he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.

21:5 They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.

3. “...and lest wrath come upon all the people…”

a. [and lest] wrath [come] [Strong: 7107 qâtsaph, kaw-tsaf'; a primitive root; to crack off, i.e. (figuratively) burst out in rage:—(be) anger(-ry), displease, fret self, (provoke to) wrath (come), be wroth.]

b. upon [Strong: 5921 `al al properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications (as follow):--above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, X with.]

c. all [Strong: 3605 kol kole or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).]

d. [the] people [Strong: 5712 ʻêdâh, ay-daw'; feminine of H5707 in the original sense of fixture; a stated assemblage (specifically, a concourse, or generally, a family or crowd):—assembly, company, congregation, multitude, people, swarm.]

1). If  Aaron, Eleazar, and Ithamar had not obeyed Moses, the wrath of God would have fallen upon all of Israel. Instead, the rest of Israel would mourn these deaths. Though the circumstances were entirely different I am reminded of Ezekiel when God forbad him to mourn over the death of his wife.

a). Ezekiel 24:15-18 Also the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

24:16 Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down.

24:17 Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of thine head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not thy lips, and eat not the bread of men.

24:18 So I spake unto the people in the morning: and at even my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded.

4. “...but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the LORD hath kindled.”

a. [but let your] brethren [Strong: 251  ʼâch, awkh; a primitive word; a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance [like H1]):—another, brother(-ly); kindred, like, other.]

b. [the] whole [Strong: 3605 kol kole or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).]

c. house [Strong: 1004 bayith, bah'-yith; probably from H1129 abbreviated; a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.):—court, daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, × great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet, temple, web, +within(-out).]

d. [of] Israel [Strong: 3478 Yisrâʼêl, yis-raw-ale'; from H8280 and H410; he will rule as God; Jisraël, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity:—Israel.]

e. bewail [Strong: 1058 bâkâh, baw-kaw'; a primitive root; to weep; generally to bemoan:—× at all, bewail, complain, make lamentation, × more, mourn, × sore, × with tears, weep.]

f. [the] burning [Strong: 8316 sᵉrêphâh, ser-ay-faw'; from H8313; cremation:—burning.]

g. which [Strong: 834 'aher ash-er' a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number); who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:--X after, X alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how(-soever), X if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither(- soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.]

h. [the] LORD [Strong: 3068 Yᵉhôvâh, yeh-ho-vaw'; from H1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jeho-vah, Jewish national name of God:—Jehovah, the Lord.]

i. [hath] kindled [Strong: 8313 sâraph, saw-raf'; a primitive root; to be (causatively, set) on fire:—(cause to, make a) burn((-ing), up) kindle, × utterly.]