Holly Bible - KJV with Concise Commentaries by Z Selam - HTML preview
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their faces, before the glory of the Lord, they thought the dignity of their office was such as to exempt them from such abasements. The familiarity they were admitted to bred a contempt of the divine Majesty; and now that they were priests they thought they might do what they pleased.
5. There is reason to suspect that they were drunk when they did it, because of the law which was given upon this occasion, Le 10:8. They had been feasting upon the peace-offerings, and the drink-offerings that attended them, and so their heads were light, or, at least, their hearts were merry with wine; they drank and forgot the law (Pr 31:5) and were guilty of this fatal miscarriage.
6. No doubt it was done presumptuously; for, if it had been done through ignorance, they would have been allowed the benefit of the law lately made, even for the priests, that they should bring a sin-offering, Le 4:2,3. But the soul that doth aught presumptuously, and in contempt of God's majesty, authority, and justice, that soul shall be cut of, Nu 15:30.
2 And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and
they died before the Lord.
The dreadful punishment of this sin: There went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, Le 10:2. This fire which consumed the sacrifices came the same way with that which had consumed the sacrifices (Le 9:24), which showed what justice would have done to all the guilty people if infinite mercy had not found and accepted a ransom; and, if that fire struck such an awe upon the people, much more would this.
1. Observe the severity of their punishment.