And Aaron said unto Moses, Behold, this day have they offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD; and such things have befallen me: and if I had eaten the sin offering to day, should it have been accepted in the sight of the LORD?
Aaron said to Moses, 'Look, today my sons offered their sin offering and their burnt offering to the LORD, but terrible things have happened to me. If I had eaten the sin offering today, would the LORD have been pleased with that?'
Aaron is explaining to Moses why he didn't eat the sin offering as required, arguing that after the tragic death of his sons, it wouldn't have been appropriate or acceptable to God.
📚 Historical Context
This verse comes immediately after Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu were killed by God for offering unauthorized fire in the tabernacle. According to the law, priests were supposed to eat certain portions of the sin offerings, but Aaron felt that doing so while grieving would be inappropriate. Moses had initially been angry that the sin offering wasn't eaten as commanded, but Aaron's response shows his concern for approaching God with the right heart attitude during this time of judgment and mourning.
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