The Meaning of Leviticus 10:9 Explained

Leviticus 10:9

KJV: Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:

YLT: Wine and strong drink thou dost not drink, thou, and thy sons with thee, in your going in unto the tent of meeting, and ye die not -- a statute age-during to your generations;

Darby: Thou shalt not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, and thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tent of meeting, lest ye die it is an everlasting statute throughout your generations,

ASV: Drink no wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tent of meeting, that ye die not: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Do not drink  wine  nor strong drink,  thou, nor thy sons  with thee, when ye go  into the tabernacle  of the congregation,  lest ye die:  [it shall be] a statute  for ever  throughout your generations: 

What does Leviticus 10:9 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 10:9 mean?

wine or intoxicating drink not do drink you nor your sons with you when you go into the tabernacle of meeting and lest you die [it shall be] a statute forever throughout your generations
יַ֣יִן וְשֵׁכָ֞ר אַל־ תֵּ֣שְׁתְּ ׀ אַתָּ֣ה ׀ וּבָנֶ֣יךָ אִתָּ֗ךְ בְּבֹאֲכֶ֛ם אֶל־ אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵ֖ד וְלֹ֣א תָמֻ֑תוּ חֻקַּ֥ת עוֹלָ֖ם --לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶֽם

יַ֣יִן  wine 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַיִן  
Sense: wine.
וְשֵׁכָ֞ר  or  intoxicating  drink 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֵׁכָר  
Sense: strong drink, intoxicating drink, fermented or intoxicating liquor.
תֵּ֣שְׁתְּ ׀  do  drink 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Jussive, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁתָה  
Sense: to drink.
וּבָנֶ֣יךָ  nor  your  sons 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
אִתָּ֗ךְ  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
בְּבֹאֲכֶ֛ם  when  you  go 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, second person masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אֶל־  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
אֹ֥הֶל  the  tabernacle 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.
מוֹעֵ֖ד  of  meeting 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹועֵד  
Sense: appointed place, appointed time, meeting.
וְלֹ֣א  and  lest 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תָמֻ֑תוּ  you  die 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
חֻקַּ֥ת  [it  shall  be]  a  statute 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: חֻקָּה  
Sense: statute, ordinance, limit, enactment, something prescribed.
עוֹלָ֖ם  forever 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.
--לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶֽם  throughout  your  generations 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: דֹּור 
Sense: period, generation, habitation, dwelling.