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BIBLE DICTIONARY + WORD STUDY

Abihu

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Original Hebrew / Aramaic / Greek connected to this term

How to read this: there is rarely one magic “true meaning” hidden behind an English word. A lexicon records a word’s semantic range. The intended meaning is narrowed by grammar, sentence, author, historical usage and context.

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H30

אֲבִיהוּא

a.vi.hu — Abihu

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.6.23; son of: Aaron (H0175) and Elisheba (H0472); brother of: Nadab (H5070), Eleazar (H0499) and Ithamar (H0385) § Abihu = "he is (my) father" a son of Aaron destroyed for sacrificing strange fire to God

12 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

Historical dictionary entry

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.

Scripture references

Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897). Historical dictionary wording reflects the scholarship and language of its era.

Scripture cited by this entry (KJV)

Read the quoted verses in their chapters to evaluate the historical dictionary references.

Exodus 6:23

And Aaron took him Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Naashon, to wife; and she bare him Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

Numbers 3:2

And these [are] the names of the sons of Aaron; Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

Numbers 26:60

And unto Aaron was born Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

Compare other reference traditions

Look up Abihu in Smith’s Bible Dictionary and ISBE →