(כג) וַיָּבֹ֨א מֹשֶׁ֤ה וְאַהֲרֹן֙ אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד וַיֵּ֣צְא֔וּ וַֽיְבָרְכ֖וּ אֶת־הָעָ֑ם וַיֵּרָ֥א כְבוֹד־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־כׇּל־הָעָֽם׃
(23) Moses and Aaron then went inside the Tent of Meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people; and the Presence of יהוה appeared to all the people.
(כד) וַתֵּ֤צֵא אֵשׁ֙ מִלִּפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה וַתֹּ֙אכַל֙ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ אֶת־הָעֹלָ֖ה וְאֶת־הַחֲלָבִ֑ים וַיַּ֤רְא כׇּל־הָעָם֙ וַיָּרֹ֔נּוּ וַֽיִּפְּל֖וּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶֽם׃
(24) Fire came forth from before יהוה and consumed the burnt offering and the fat parts on the altar. And all the people saw, and shouted, and fell on their faces.
Eytz Chaim commentary: The fire issued from G-d's Presence (the Kavod) which itself was a fire enveloped in a thick cloud that pervaded the tent.
(א) וַיִּקְח֣וּ בְנֵֽי־אַ֠הֲרֹ֠ן נָדָ֨ב וַאֲבִיה֜וּא אִ֣ישׁ מַחְתָּת֗וֹ וַיִּתְּנ֤וּ בָהֵן֙ אֵ֔שׁ וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ עָלֶ֖יהָ קְטֹ֑רֶת וַיַּקְרִ֜יבוּ לִפְנֵ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ אֵ֣שׁ זָרָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹ֦א צִוָּ֖ה אֹתָֽם׃ (ב) וַתֵּ֥צֵא אֵ֛שׁ מִלִּפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה וַתֹּ֣אכַל אוֹתָ֑ם וַיָּמֻ֖תוּ לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ (ג) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֗ן הוּא֩ אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֨ר יְהֹוָ֤ה ׀ לֵאמֹר֙ בִּקְרֹבַ֣י אֶקָּדֵ֔שׁ וְעַל־פְּנֵ֥י כׇל־הָעָ֖ם אֶכָּבֵ֑ד וַיִּדֹּ֖ם אַהֲרֹֽן׃
(1) Now Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu each took his fire pan, put fire in it, and laid incense on it; and they offered before יהוה alien fire, which had not been enjoined upon them. (2) And fire came forth from יהוה and consumed them; thus they died at the instance of יהוה. (3) Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what יהוה meant by saying:
Through those near to Me I show Myself holy,
And gain glory before all the people.”
And Aaron was silent.
Through those near to Me I show Myself holy,
And gain glory before all the people.”
And Aaron was silent.
הוא אשר דבר וגו'. הֵיכָן דִּבֵּר? וְנֹעַדְתִּי שָׁמָּה לִבְנֵי יִשְֹרָאֵל וְנִקְדַּשׁ בִּכְבֹדִי (שמות כ"ט), אַל תִּקְרֵי בִּכְבֹדִי אֶלָּא בִּמְכֻבָּדַי; אָמַר לוֹ מֹשֶׁה לְאַהֲרֹן, אַהֲרֹן אָחִי, יוֹדֵעַ הָיִיתִי שֶׁיִּתְקַדֵּשׁ הַבַּיִת בִּמְיֻדָּעָיו שֶׁל מָקוֹם, וְהָיִיתִי סָבוּר אוֹ בִי אוֹ בְךָ, עַכְשָׁיו רוֹאֶה אֲנִי שֶׁהֵם גְּדוֹלִים מִמֶּנִּי וּמִמְּךָ (ספרא):
'וגו 'הוא אשר דבר ה THIS IS WHAT THE LORD SPOKE, etc. — Where had He spoken this? In the statement (Exodus 29:43), “And there I will be met by the children of Israel and it (the Tabernacle) shall be sanctified by My glory (בכבודי).” Read not here בִכְבוֹדִי, “by My Glory” but בִּמְכֻבָּדַי, “through My honoured ones” (Zevachim 115b). Moses here said to Aaron: “My brother, Aaron! I knew that this House was to be sanctified by those who are beloved of the Omnipresent God and I thought it would be either through me or through thee; now I see that these (thy sons who have died) are greater than me and than thee!” (Leviticus Rabbah 12 2).
(ב) וּנְפָקַת שַׁלְהוֹבִית אֵישָׁתָא מִן קֳדָם יְיָ בִּרְגַז וְאִתְפַּלִיגַת לְאַרְבַּעְתֵּי חוּטִין וְאָעֲלַת בְּגוֹ אַפֵּיהוֹן וְאוֹקִידַת יַת נִשְׁמַתְהוֹן בְּרַם גוּפֵיהוֹן לָא אִיתְחַרְכוּ וּמִיתוּ קֳדָם יְיָ
(2) And a flame of fire came out from before the Lord (as) with anger, and divided itself into four streams, (or lines,) and penetrated their nostrils, and burned their lives (souls) without destroying their bodies; and they died before the Lord.
† מַחְתָּה n.f. fire-holder, censer, snuff-dish;—abs. מ׳ Lv 16:12; Nu 17:11; sf. מַחְתָּתוֹ Lv 10:1 + 4 times; pl. abs. מַחְתּוֹת Nu 16:6 + 4 times; מַחְתֹּת Nu 16:17 + 3 times; cstr. מַחְתּוֹת Nu 17:3, 4; sf. מַחְתֹּתָיו Ex 27:3; מַחְתֹּתֶיהָ Ex 25:38 + 2 times;—
1. snuff-holder, snuff-dish (NowArchäol. ii, 63. 65) of gold Ex 25:38; 37:23 Nu 4:9 (all P).
2. bronze utensils, fire-pans, belonging to altar of burnt-offerings Ex 27:3; 38:3, cf. Nu 4:14 (all P); fire-pans of gold 1 K 7:50 = 2 Ch 4:22, 2 K 25:15 = Je 52:19.
3. censer, Lv 10:1; 16:12 Nu 16:6, 17(×4), 18; 17:2, 3, 4 (of bronze), v 11 (all P).
1. snuff-holder, snuff-dish (NowArchäol. ii, 63. 65) of gold Ex 25:38; 37:23 Nu 4:9 (all P).
2. bronze utensils, fire-pans, belonging to altar of burnt-offerings Ex 27:3; 38:3, cf. Nu 4:14 (all P); fire-pans of gold 1 K 7:50 = 2 Ch 4:22, 2 K 25:15 = Je 52:19.
3. censer, Lv 10:1; 16:12 Nu 16:6, 17(×4), 18; 17:2, 3, 4 (of bronze), v 11 (all P).
Object's Name: Incense Shovel
Period: Middle Roman
Material: Bronze
Site: Nahal Hever
Period: Middle Roman
Material: Bronze
Site: Nahal Hever
In late antiquity (3rd–6th cent. C.E.), rectangular maḥtot are common in Synagogue art.
Rectangular fire pan from Hamat Tiberias, after Freund 1999: Fig. 5. Courtesy of Rami Arav.
Source: Fire Pans in the Bible and Archaeology
Rectangular fire pan from Hamat Tiberias, after Freund 1999: Fig. 5. Courtesy of Rami Arav.
Source: Fire Pans in the Bible and Archaeology
This panel shows two seven-pronged, three-legged Menorahs on either side of the First Temple of Jerusalem. Surrounding the main image, symbols including an incense shovel, tongs and a bowl represent several Jewish holidays.
Source: PBS - The Sepphoris Mosaic
Source: PBS - The Sepphoris Mosaic