Nadab

Nadab was Aaron’s eldest son, and his story is brief and heavy. He and his brother Abihu “took either of them his censer, and put fire therein,” and offered what Scripture calls “strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.” Then fire came from the LORD, and they died. Numbers 3 recalls it later, noting that they left no children. The point the text makes is the care God asks of those who draw near to him. Readers sometimes find the account hard, and it is worth sitting with slowly. The place to read is Leviticus 10.

5 verses

Leviticus

Leviticus 10:1

And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.

Leviticus 10:2

And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.

Numbers

Numbers 3:4

And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD, when they offered strange fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office in the sight of Aaron their father.

1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles 8:30

And his firstborn son Abdon, and Zur, and Kish, and Baal, and Nadab,

1 Chronicles 9:36

And his firstborn son Abdon, then Zur, and Kish, and Baal, and Ner, and Nadab,

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

Liberal, generous. (1.) The eldest of Aaron’s four sons (Ex. 6:23; Num. 3:2). He with his brothers and their father were consecrated as priests of Jehovah (Ex. 28:1). He afterwards perished with Abihu for the sin of offering strange fire on the altar of burnt-offering (Lev. 10:1,2; Num. 3:4; 26:60).

(2.) The son and successor of Jeroboam, the king of Israel (1 Kings 14:20). While engaged with all Israel in laying siege to Gibbethon, a town of southern Dan (Josh. 19:44), a conspiracy broke out in his army, and he was slain by Baasha (1 Kings 15:25-28), after a reign of two years (B.C. 955-953). The assassination of Nadab was followed by that of his whole house, and thus this great Ephraimite family became extinct (1 Kings 15:29).

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(3.) One of the sons of Shammai in the tribe of Judah (1 Chr. 2:28, 30).

From Smith's Bible Dictionary

William Smith, 1884

(liberal).

(1.) The eldest son of Aaron and Elisheba. Exod 8 13 Numb 3:2. (B.C. 1490.) He, his father and brother, and seventy old men of Israel were led out from the midst of the assembled people, (Exodus 24:1) and were commended to stay and worship God "afar off," below the lofty summit of Sinai, where Moses alone was to come near to the Lord. Subsequently, (Leviticus 10:1) Nadab and his brother were struck dead before the sanctuary by fire from the Lord. Their offence was kindling the incense in their censers with "strange" fire, i.e. not taken from that which burned perpetually, (Leviticus 6:13) on the altar.

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(2.) King Jeroboam’s son, who succeeded to the throne of Israel B.C. 954, and reigned two years. (1 Kings 15:25-31) At the siege of Gibbethon a conspiracy broke out in the midst of the army, and the king was slain by Baasha, a man of Issachar.

(3.) A son of Shammai (1 Chronicles 2:28) of the tribe of Judah.

(4.) A son of Gibeon, (1 Chronicles 8:30; 9:36) of the tribe of Benjamin.