Leviticus 10:9

“Do not drink wine or strong drink, etc.] This law following upon the affair of Nadab and Abihu has caused some to think, and not without some reason, that they were drunk with wine or strong drink, when they offered strange fire; and indeed it is hardly to be accounted for upon any other foot that they should do it; but having feasted that day upon the peace offerings, and drank freely, it being the first day of their entrance on their office, they were, it may be supposed, elated and merry, and drank more than they should; wherefore this law was given, to restrain from such a disorderly and scandalous practice; not only wine, which is inebriating, but strong drink also is forbidden, which,…”

“When the priest was on duty he was to abstain from wine and strong drink, lest he should commit excess (see Leviticus 10:1), and so become disqualified for carrying out the precepts of the ceremonial Law. Leviticus 10:9 Strong drink - The Hebrew word is employed here to denote strong drinks of any kind except wine made from the grape. Leviticus 10:10 Unholy ... unclean - Common, as not consecrated; and what would occasion defilement by being touched or eaten. Compare Acts 10:14. Leviticus 10:11 That is, “that you may, by your example in your ministrations, preserve the minds of the Israelites from confusion in regard to the distinctions made by the divine Law.” return to 'Top of Page'”

“Drink not wine - it is not improbable, that the sin of Nadab and Abihu was owing to this very thing. But if not, yet drunkenness is so odious a sin in itself, especially in a minister, and most of all in the time of his administration of sacred things, that God saw fit to prevent all occasions of it. And hence the devil, who is God's ape, required this abstinence from his priests in their idolatrous service. Leviticus 10:10”

“Do not: Num 6:3, Num 6:20; Pro 31:4, Pro 31:5; Isa 28:7; Jer 35:5, Jer 35:6; Eze 44:21; Luk 1:15; Eph 5:18; Ti1 3:3, Ti1 3:8, Ti1 5:23; Tit 1:7 strong drink: The Hebrew shecher, Arabic sakar, or sukr, Greek σικερα, from shachar, to inebriate, signifies any kind of fermented and inebriating liquor beside wine. So St. Jerome informs us, that sicera in Hebrew denotes any inebriating liquor, whether made of corn, the juice of apples, honey, dates, or any other fruit. These different kinds of liquors are described by Pliny, who calls then vina factitia. One of the four prohibited drinks among the Mohammedans in India is called sakar, which denotes inebriating liquor in general, but especially…”