The Meaning of Leviticus 10:3 Explained

Leviticus 10:3

KJV: Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.

YLT: And Moses saith unto Aaron, 'It is that which Jehovah hath spoken, saying, By those drawing near to Me I am sanctified, and in the face of all the people I am honoured;' and Aaron is silent.

Darby: And Moses said to Aaron, This is what Jehovah spoke, saying, I will be hallowed in them that come near me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron was silent.

ASV: Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that Jehovah spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then Moses  said  unto Aaron,  This [is it] that the LORD  spake,  saying,  I will be sanctified  in them that come nigh  me, and before  all the people  I will be glorified.  And Aaron  held his peace. 

What does Leviticus 10:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Leviticus 10:1-11 - A Deed That Turned Joy Into Grief
There was a double blessing. First, Aaron blessed the people when he stood against the altar, Leviticus 9:22, and afterward, when he came out of the Tabernacle, Leviticus 9:23. We find here the analogue of the double blessing which our Lord gives His own. When He came from offering His supreme sacrifice on Calvary, which was burned-offering, peace-offering, sin- and trespass-offerings combined, He blessed His own. We are told that as He blessed them He was borne upward to heaven, Luke 24:51; but we expect another blessing from Him, when He shall come forth out of the heavenly Temple and extend His hands in benediction, using perhaps the very words of the ancient benediction. But take care lest you ever introduce strange fire into your worship-i.e., the fire of your own emotions, enthusiasm and excitement. Ponder those mighty words in Leviticus 10:3. We must not rush carelessly into the divine presence, though by the blood of Jesus we have been made nigh, Ephesians 2:13. [source]

Chapter Summary: Leviticus 10

1  Aadab and Abihu, for offering strange fire, are burnt by fire
6  Aaron and his sons are forbidden to mourn for them
8  The priests are forbidden wine when they are to go into the tabernacle
12  The law of eating the holy things
16  Aaron's excuse for transgressing thereof

What do the individual words in Leviticus 10:3 mean?

And said Moses to Aaron that [is] what spoke Yahweh saying by those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy and before all the people I must be glorified So held his peace Aaron
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶֽל־ אַהֲרֹ֗ן הוּא֩ אֲשֶׁר־ דִּבֶּ֨ר יְהוָ֤ה ׀ לֵאמֹר֙ בִּקְרֹבַ֣י אֶקָּדֵ֔שׁ וְעַל־ פְּנֵ֥י כָל־ הָעָ֖ם אֶכָּבֵ֑ד וַיִּדֹּ֖ם אַהֲרֹֽן

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
מֹשֶׁ֜ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
אַהֲרֹ֗ן  Aaron 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַהֲרֹון  
Sense: brother of Moses, a Levite and the first high priest.
הוּא֩  that  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
דִּבֶּ֨ר  spoke 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
יְהוָ֤ה ׀  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לֵאמֹר֙  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
בִּקְרֹבַ֣י  by  those  who  come  near  Me 
Parse: Preposition-b, Adjective, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: קָרֹוב  
Sense: near.
אֶקָּדֵ֔שׁ  I  must  be  regarded  as  holy 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: קָדַשׁ  
Sense: to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate.
פְּנֵ֥י  before 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
הָעָ֖ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
אֶכָּבֵ֑ד  I  must  be  glorified 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: כָּבֵד  
Sense: to be heavy, be weighty, be grievous, be hard, be rich, be honourable, be glorious, be burdensome, be honoured.
וַיִּדֹּ֖ם  So  held  his  peace 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּמַם 
Sense: to be silent, be still, wait, be dumb, grow dumb.
אַהֲרֹֽן  Aaron 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַהֲרֹון  
Sense: brother of Moses, a Levite and the first high priest.