NADAB

(Naʹdab) [generous, noble].

1. The firstborn son of Aaron and Elisheba. (Ex. 6:23; 1 Chron. 6:3) Nadab was born in Egypt and made the great exodus with Israel. He with his next younger brother Abihu and seventy other Israelites were called with Aaron and Moses up into Sinai, where they saw a vision of Jehovah. (Ex. 24:1, 9-11) Nadab and his three brothers were all installed into the priesthood with their father. (Ex. 28:1; 40:12-16) Within a month, however, Nadab and Abihu abused their office by offering illegitimate fire. Just what made the fire illegitimate is not stated, but it was probably more than just getting intoxicated (suggested by the immediate prohibition to priests not to drink wine or intoxicating liquor when on duty). However, intoxication may have contributed to their wrongdoing. For their transgression they were killed by fire from Jehovah and their bodies were disposed of outside the camp. (Lev. 10:1-11; Num. 26:60, 61) Nadab and Abihu died before they had fathered any sons, leaving their brothers Eleazar and Ithamar to found the two priestly houses.—Num. 3:2, 4; 1 Chron. 24:1, 2.

2. A descendant of Judah in the line of Jerahmeel; son of Shammai and father to Seled and Appaim.—1 Chron. 2:3, 25, 26, 28, 30.

3. A son of Jeiel of the tribe of Benjamin.—1 Chron. 8:1, 29, 30; 9:35, 36.

4. Son of Jeroboam and second king of the northern ten-tribe kingdom of Israel. Nadab ruled parts of two years, c. 976-975 B.C.E., during which he continued the calf worship instituted by his father. While besieging Gibbethon, a former Levite city (Josh. 21:20, 23) taken over by the Philistines, Nadab was assassinated by Baasha, who then killed off all remaining members of Jeroboam’s house in order to secure the throne for himself.—1 Ki. 14:20; 15:25-31.