Leviticus 10:8 — Word Study
WLCוַיְדַבֵּ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה אֶֽל־ אַהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר׃
BSAThen the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] saiddâbar▸ [to speak, communicate, or command] toʼêl AaronʼAhărôwn [the brother of Moses and the first high priest]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר | and he spoke | Verb, Piel, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| יְהוָ֔ה | Yahweh | Noun proper |
| אֶֽל־ | to | Preposition |
| אַהֲרֹ֖ן | Aaron | Noun proper masculine |
| לֵאמֹֽר׃ | saying | Preposition, verb qal infinitive construct common |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Then the LORD said to Aaron, |
| KJV | ¶ And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying, |
| ASV | And Jehovah spake unto Aaron, saying, |
| YLT | And Jehovah speaketh unto Aaron, saying, |
| WEB | Then Yahweh said to Aaron, |
| BBE | And the Lord said to Aaron: |
Where they part company is וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is straightforward, with a clear subject and verb structure.




5 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
subjectיהוה
verbדָבַר
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Leviticus 10:8
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Instructions for the Priestsgenerated
Leviticus 10:8 occurs within a section where God is giving specific instructions to Aaron and his sons regarding their duties as priests. This verse marks a pivotal moment where God speaks directly to Aaron, emphasizing the importance of his role in the worship and rituals of the Israelites. The surrounding verses highlight the seriousness of the priestly duties and the consequences of failing to adhere to God's commands.
Cross References
The Key Word — וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר, vay.da.Bergenerated
The verb דָבַר (dabar) means 'to speak' or 'to communicate.' It encompasses a range of actions such as declaring, commanding, and conversing. The Piel form indicates a more intense or deliberate act of speaking, which in this context underscores the authority of God's command to Aaron.
This word is significant as it shows God actively communicating His will to Aaron, establishing a direct line of instruction that is vital for the priestly duties. The use of this verb in the context of divine communication highlights the seriousness and authority behind God's words.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb is וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר, and He spoke, governing the entire clause. The structure indicates a direct command from God to Aaron, establishing the authority of the speaker.
The sentence is straightforward, with the subject יְהוָ֔ה (Yahweh) clearly identified as the one speaking, followed by the prepositional phrase אֶֽל־ אַהֲרֹ֖ן (to Aaron) and concluding with the infinitive construct לֵאמֹֽר (saying), which indicates the content of God's speech.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר is rendered as ἐλάλησεν (elalēsen), which also means 'he spoke.' This choice maintains the direct communication aspect of the original Hebrew.
The Greek term used here does not expand or alter the meaning significantly, keeping the focus on God's authoritative speech to Aaron.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Leviticus 10:8 presents God speaking directly to Aaron, the first high priest. This moment emphasizes the importance of the priestly role and the commands that Aaron must follow. The surrounding verses highlight the seriousness of these instructions, showing how vital they are for the worship practices of the Israelites.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies God's direct communication and guidance to Aaron, establishing his authority and responsibilities as the high priest.
Aaron is the first high priest of Israel, and his role is foundational for the priesthood and the worship practices of the Israelites.
God's commands to Aaron set the standards for priestly conduct and worship, highlighting the holiness required in approaching God.
This verse is part of God's instructions for the priests, emphasizing the importance of obedience and the proper conduct required in the worship of the LORD.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does it mean to you that God speaks directly to His chosen leaders?
- How can you apply the seriousness of God's commands in your own life?
- In what ways do you see the importance of leadership in your community or church?
- How can understanding Aaron's role help you appreciate the significance of worship?
Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Leviticus 10:8 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd the Lord spake unto Aaron,.... Because he was a prophet, Aben Ezra says; but the reason rather seems to be, because be was the high priest, and now invested with his office, and in the execution
Read John Gill on Leviticus 10 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying, Do not drink wine ... This prohibition, and the accompanying admonitions, following immediately the occurrence of so fatal a catastrophe, has given rise to an
Read Robert Jamieson on Leviticus 10 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(8) And the Lord spake unto Aaron.—As half of the staff of the priesthood had thus been struck down, and the other half were not allowed to mourn over the departed, the chief of the survivors might have thought that God was altogether displeased with the newly created pontificate. To comfort him, therefore, as well as to restore the prestige of this sacred office in the eyes of the people, who had witnessed the disobedience and punishment of the spiritual functionaries, the Lord, who hitherto made all such communications to Moses, now honours Aaron with speaking to him immediately.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Leviticus 10 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges7. for the anointing oil of the Lord is upon you] The commands of this verse do not necessarily imply that the seven days of consecration (Leviticus 8:33) are not yet ended, for a similar statement is applied in Leviticus 21:12 to the high priest at all times. (4) Wine and strong drink forbidden (8, 9) Aaron is the direct recipient of God’s commands here and in Numbers 18:1; Numbers 18:8; Numbers 18:20 only. Elsewhere they are given ‘unto Moses and unto Aaron’ or ‘unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron.’ According to an old tradition, Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire when under the influence of wine. The close connexion of this prohibition with the record of their transgression is…
Read Cambridge on Leviticus 10 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the BibleTHE PRIESTS WINE AND STRONG DRINK, Leviticus 10:8-11. 9. Do not drink wine — This wine is in Hebrew yayin, the most general term for this beverage, especially when it is intoxicating. “Yayin is a mocker.” Proverbs 20:1.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Leviticus 10 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Then the LORD said to Aaron,
Then Yahweh said to Aaron,
Then the LORD said to Aaron,
Then the Lord spoke to Aaron,
Tyndale line
¶ And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying,
And Jehovah spake unto Aaron, saying,
And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying,
And the LORD spoke to Aaron, saying,
And the Lord spake vnto Aaron, saying,
Strictly literal
And Jehovah spoke to Aaron, saying,
And Jehovah speaketh unto Aaron, saying,
And YHWH speaks to Aaron, saying,
And the Lord spoke unto Aaron, saying,
Yahweh spoke to Aaron, saying,
From the Latin
The Lord also said to Aaron:
Simplified
The Lord told Aaron,
And the Lord said to Aaron:
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text is confirmed by the Samaritan Pentateuch, which agrees word for word: וידבר יהוה אל אהרן לאמר. The Dead Sea Scrolls show no variation in the text, as the supplied words match the Masoretic Text exactly, indicating consistency across these ancient witnesses.
וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה אֶֽל־ אַהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר׃
5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
וידבר יהוה אל אהרן לאמר
Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.
[וידבר] [יהוה] [אל] [אהרן] [לאמר]
nothing on the leather here — 5 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Leviticus 10:8
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
דָבַר (dabar) is a Hebrew verb primarily meaning 'to speak.' It encompasses a range of actions including declaring, commanding, and conversing. The root suggests a figurative use of words, with some entries noting a rare destructive sense of subduing. Various forms of the verb indicate different nuances, such as speaking with one another or making promises.
[דָבַר] 1142 vb. speak (original mng. dub.)
Qal speak
Niph. reciprocal sense, speak with one another, talk
Pi. speak
Pu. in the day when she may be spoken for
Hithp. speaking this word
Hiph. either leads subject, or puts to flight, fig. for subdues
base
H1696 דָבַר speak (original mng. dub.)
1696 dabar daw-bar'
a primitive root; perhaps properly, to arrange; but used
figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive
sense) to subdue:--answer, appoint, bid, command, commune,
declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse,
say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think,
use (entreaties), utter, X well, X work.
דָבַר (da.var) — to speak: speak.
: speak/tell/command
1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing
1a) (Qal) to speak
1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to speak
1c2) to promise
1d) (Pual) to be spoken
1e) (Hithpael) to speak
1f) (Hiphil) to lead away, put to flight
דָבַר (da.var) — to speak: subdue.
: subdue
1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing
1a) (Qal) to speak
1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to speak
1c2) to promise
1d) (Pual) to be spoken
1e) (Hithpael) to speak
1f) (Hiphil) to lead away, put to flight
דָבַר (da.var) — to speak: promise.
: promise/declare
1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing
1a) (Qal) to speak
1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to speak
1c2) to promise
1d) (Pual) to be spoken
1e) (Hithpael) to speak
Conj | V-Piel-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Piel · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vpw3ms
spok (1Ki 7:33).
See SEA, THE MOLTEN.
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
N-proper — Noun properHNpt
The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.
אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),
prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place
Where the limit is actually entered, into
Of direction towards anything
Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against
Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to
Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of
Of rule or standard according to (rare)
Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion
Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to
base
H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place
. Where the limit is actually entered, into
. Of direction towards anything
. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against
. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to
. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of
. Of rule or standard according to (rare)
. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion
. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to
413 'el ale
(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});
a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but
occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or
among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,
against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,
by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,
over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,
with(-in).
אֶל (el) — to(wards).
1) to, toward, unto (of motion)
2) into (limit is actually entered)
2a) in among
3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)
4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)
5) in addition to, to
6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of
7) according to (rule or standard)
8) at, by, against (of one's presence)
9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)
Prep — PrepositionHR
אַהֲרֹן (Aharon) refers to Aaron, the elder brother of Moses, from the tribe of Levi. He is first mentioned in Exodus 4:14 and is known as the first high priest. Aaron is the son of Amram and Jochebed, and he had four sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. The name is of uncertain derivation but is associated with the meaning 'light bringer.'
אַהֲרֹן 346 n.pr.m. Aaron, elder brother of Moses
base
H175 אַהֲרֹן Aaron, elder brother of Moses
175 'Aharown a-har-one'
of uncertain derivation; Aharon, the brother of
Moses:--Aaron.
אַהֲרֹן (a.ha.ron) — Aaron.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.4.14;
son of: Amram (H6019) and Jochebed (H3115);
brother of: Moses (H4872) and Miriam (H4813); married to Elisheba (H0472);
father of: Nadab (H5070), Abihu (H0030), Eleazar (H0499) and Ithamar (H0385)
Also named: Aarōn (Ἀαρών "Aaron" G0002)
§ Aaron = "light bringer"
brother of Moses, a Levite and the first high priest
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
ar'-un, sometimes pronounced ar'on ('aharon--Septuagint Aaron, meaning uncertain: Gesenius suggests "mountaineer"; Furst, "enlightened"; others give "rich," "fluent." Cheyne mentions Redslob's "ingenious conjecture" of ha-'aron--"the ark"--with its mythical, priestly significance, Encyclopedia Biblica under the word):
1. Family:
Probably eldest son of Amram (Ex 6:20), and according to the uniform genealogical lists (Ex 6:16-20; 1Ch 6:1-3), the fourth from Levi. This however is not certainly fixed, since there are frequent omissions from the Hebrew lists of names which are not prominent in the line of descent. For the corresponding period from Levi to Aaron the Judah list has six names (
Aaron
The eldest son of Amram and Jochebed, a daughter of Levi (Ex. 6:20). Some explain the name as meaning mountaineer, others mountain of strength, illuminator. He was born in Egypt three years before his brother Moses, and a number of years after his sister Miriam (2:1,4; 7:7). He married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab of the house of Judah (6:23; 1 Chr. 2:10), by whom he had four sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. When the time for the deliverance of Isarael out of Egypt drew nigh, he was sent by God (Ex. 4:14,27-30) to meet his long-absent brother, that he might co-operate with him in all that they were required to do in bringing about the Exodus. He was to be the “mouth” or “prophet” of Moses, i.e., was to…
(a teacher, or lofty), the son of Amram and Jochebed, and the older brother of Moses and Miriam. (Numbers 26:59; 33:39) (B.C. 1573.) He was a Levite, and is first mentioned in (Exodus 4:14) He was appointed by Jehovah to be the interpreter, (Exodus 4:16) of his brother Moses, who was "slow of speech;" and accordingly he was not only the organ of communication with the Israelites and with Pharaoh, (Exodus 4:30; 7:2) but also the actual instrument of working most of the miracles of the Exodus. (Exodus 7:19) etc. On the way to Mount Sinai, during the battle with Amalek, Aaron with Hur stayed up the weary hands of Moses when…
The son of Amram and Jochabed, of the tribe of Levi, and brother of Moses and Miriam, Ex 6:20; born about the year B. C. 1574. He was three years older than Moses, Ex 7:7 and was the spokesman and assistant of the latter in bringing Israel out of Egypt, Ex 4:16. His wife was Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab; and his sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. He was 83 years old when God summoned him to join Moses in the desert near Horeb. Cooperating with his brother in the exodus from Egypt, Ex 4:1-16:36, he held up his hands in the battle with Amalek, Ex 17:1-16; and ascended Mount Sinai with him to see the glory of God,
אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.
אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say
Qal
Say
Say in the heart (= think)
Promise
Command (esp. late)
Niph. be said, told
Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)
Hithp. act proudly, boast
base
H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say
. Say in the heart (= think)
. Promise
. Command (esp. late)
. be said, told
. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)
. act proudly, boast
559 'amar aw-mar'
a primitive root; to say (used with great
latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,
certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),
commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X
expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,
publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X
suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),
utter, X verily, X yet.
אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.
1) to say, speak, utter
1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend
1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called
1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly
1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch
Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)
HR/Vqcc — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct commonHR/Vqcc
