In Leviticus 10:16-20, why did Moses tell them to eat from the sin offering even though God had initially ordered them to burn it all?

By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10

In Leviticus 10:16-20, we encounter a moment of intense grief and liturgical tension immediately following the death of Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, who were consumed by fire for offering "strange fire" before the Lord.

Moses inquired about the goat of the sin offering and found it had been burned instead of eaten. He became angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the remaining sons of Aaron, asking why they had not eaten the sacrifice in the holy place.

The Liturgical Law

According to the law of the sin offering (Leviticus 6:24-30), there are two types:

1. Offerings whose blood is brought into the sanctuary: These were to be burned entirely.
2. Offerings whose blood is NOT brought into the sanctuary: These were to be eaten by the priests in the holy place.

Because the blood of this specific goat had not been brought inside the veil, the Law commanded the priests to eat it. By eating the sacrifice, the priests were symbolically "bearing the guilt of the congregation" and making atonement for them.

Why Aaron Refused to Eat

Aaron’s response to Moses (Leviticus 10:19) is a profound expression of both mourning and reverence. He says, "Look, this day they have offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the Lord, and such things have befallen me! If I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been accepted in the sight of the Lord?"

Aaron’s reasoning was based on the following:

1. Grief and Ritual Purity: In the Old Testament, one who was in a state of mourning was often considered ritually unfit to partake of the most holy things. Aaron felt that in his state of heavy grief over the sudden death of his two sons, it would be irreverent to partake of the sacrificial meal.
2. Fear of God: Having just witnessed his sons struck down for a liturgical error, Aaron was terrified of committing another error by eating the sacrifice with a heavy and distracted heart. He chose to burn it out of an abundance of caution and humility, rather than risk a sacrilegious meal.

The Response of Moses

The text says that when Moses heard this, "he was satisfied." Moses recognized that while the letter of the law required the eating of the meat, the spirit of Aaron’s decision was rooted in a profound fear of God and a recognition of his own unworthiness in that moment of tragedy.

Coptic Orthodox Perspective

This highlights the necessity of the priest being in a proper spiritual and emotional state to handle the Holy Mysteries. In the Coptic Church, the priest must be fasting and in a state of spiritual peace to offer the Oblation.

Furthermore, this event marks a distinction between the rigid legalism the Jews would later adopt and the true intention of the Law. While the Jews eventually turned these rituals into "ridiculous sports" and "trading in shame" (as noted by St. John Chrysostom), this moment in Leviticus shows a genuine, God-fearing heart in Aaron.

It also points toward the Sacrifice of the New Covenant. In our Liturgy, the priest must "eat" the Sacrifice (the Body and Blood of Christ), but he must do so with fear and trembling. If a priest is not in the proper state, he must not approach the Altar. Aaron’s choice to burn the offering rather than eat it unworthily was an act of extreme reverence that God accepted.