Son of Aaron
Abihu
Named in 12 verses across 4 books, first in Exodus 6:23.
אֲבִיהוּאAbihu
The name means “he is my father.” Hitchcock's Bible Names, 1869
About Abihu Written by AI
Abihu was the second son of Aaron and Elisheba, and the brother of Nadab, Eleazar, and Ithamar (Exodus 6:23; Numbers 3:2). He was consecrated as a priest along with his brothers to serve at the tabernacle (Exodus 28:1). Abihu went up Mount Sinai with Moses, Aaron, Nadab and seventy elders of Israel to worship the Lord before He gave the tablets of the Testimony to Moses (Exodus 24:1). However, Abihu and his brother Nadab offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, and fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died (Leviticus 10:1 to 2; Numbers 3:4). This occurred on the eighth day of the priests' consecration. Aaron and his surviving sons were not allowed to mourn their deaths (Leviticus 10:6). The sin of Abihu and Nadab was in offering "strange fire" which the Lord had not commanded (Leviticus 10:1). This may refer to offering incense that was not prepared according to God's instructions, or performing this in a wrong manner or at an inappropriate time. Their deaths served as a stern warning against improper worship. After this incident, God gave Aaron further regulations for priestly service and conduct (Leviticus 10:8 to 11). The genealogies record Aaron's descendants through his other sons Eleazar and Ithamar, since Nadab and Abihu had no children before their untimely deaths (Numbers 3:4; 1 Chronicles 24:1 to 2).
Drafted by an AI model for STEPBible's TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Check it against the verses below.
Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897
Father of Him; i.e., “worshipper of God”, the second of the sons of Aaron (Ex. 6:23; Num. 3:2; 26:60; 1 Chr. 6:3). Along with his three brothers he was consecrated to the priest’s office (Ex. 28:1). With his father and elder brother he accompanied the seventy elders part of the way up the mount with Moses (Ex. 24:1,9). On one occasion he and Nadab his brother offered incense in their censers filled with “strange” (i.e., common) fire, i.e., not with fire taken from the great brazen altar (Lev. 6:9, etc.), and for this offence they were struck dead, and were taken out and buried without the camp (Lev. 10:1-11; comp. Num. 3:4; 26:61; 1 Chr. 24:2). It is probable that when they committed this offence they were intoxicated, for immediately after is given the law prohibiting the use of wine or strong drink to the priests.
M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, third edition (1897), public domain, from CrossWire. Shown as written; its Scripture quotes are from older translations.
Where the Bible names him
- Exodus 6:23
And Aaron married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
- Exodus 24:1
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to the LORD—you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of Israel’s elders—and you are to worship at a distance.
- Exodus 24:9
Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel,
- Exodus 28:1
“Next, have your brother Aaron brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, to serve Me as priests.
- Leviticus 10:1
Now Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense, and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to His command.
- Numbers 3:2
These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, then Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
- Numbers 3:4
Nadab and Abihu, however, died in the presence of the LORD when they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai. And since they had no sons, only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.
- Numbers 26:60
Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar were born to Aaron,
- Numbers 26:61
but Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD.
- 1 Chronicles 6:3
The children of Amram: Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
- 1 Chronicles 24:1
These were the divisions of the descendants of Aaron. The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
- 1 Chronicles 24:2
But Nadab and Abihu died before their father did, and they had no sons; so Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests.
From STEPBible's TIPNR, Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0): names, family, references and the AI written article. Verse text is the BSB.