Restrictions for Priests
The LORD tells Aaron that he and his sons must not drink wine or strong drink when entering the Tent of Meeting. Priestly service requires sober judgment so they can distinguish the holy from the common and teach Israel the LORD's statutes.
T8hen the LORD said to Aaron, 9“You and your sons are not to drink wine or strong drink when you enter the Tent of Meeting, or else you will die; this is a permanent statute for the generations to come. 10You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the clean and the unclean, 11so that you may teach the Israelites all the statutes that the LORD has given them through Moses.”
Moses instructs Aaron and his remaining sons about the portions of the grain and peace offerings assigned to them. Some must be eaten in a holy place, while other portions may be eaten in a clean place as their lasting share.
12And Moses said to Aaron and his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, “Take the grain offering that remains from the food offerings to the LORD and eat it without leaven beside the altar, because it is most holy. 13You shall eat it in a holy place, because it is your share and your sons’ share of the food offerings to the LORD; for this is what I have been commanded. 14And you and your sons and daughters may eat the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the contribution in a ceremonially clean place, because these portions have been assigned to you and your children from the peace offerings of the sons of Israel. 15They are to bring the thigh of the contribution and the breast of the wave offering, together with the fat portions of the food offerings, to wave as a wave offering before the LORD. It will belong permanently to you and your children, as the LORD has commanded.”
When Moses finds that the goat of the sin offering has been burned instead of eaten, he confronts Eleazar and Ithamar. Aaron explains that, after the day's events, eating it would not have been right before the LORD, and Moses accepts his judgment.
16Later, Moses searched carefully for the goat of the sin offering, and behold, it had been burned up. He was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s remaining sons, and asked, 17“Why didn’t you eat the sin offering in the holy place? For it is most holy; it was given to you to take away the guilt of the congregation by making atonement for them before the LORD. 18Since its blood was not brought inside the holy place, you should have eaten it in the sanctuary area, as I commanded.” 19But Aaron replied to Moses, “Behold, this very day they presented their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD. Since these things have happened to me, if I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been acceptable in the sight of the LORD?” 20And when Moses heard this explanation, he was satisfied.