Leviticus 10:16Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

When Moses, the lawgiver, witnessed that the goat designated for sin was burned, in violation of the Divine command, he expressed his displeasure with Eleazar and Ithamar, questioning, "Why do you not partake of the goat brought for sin in the holy place, just as is customary in the holy of holies? Is this not what the Lord has allocated for you to consume, to remove the iniquity of the congregation and to intercede for them before the Lord?" This serves as a reminder that when we partake of the offerings given by the people but fail to live righteously or to diligently pray for others, we place ourselves under God's judgment. To emphasize this point, the Lord spoke through the prophet, "The sins of my people are consumed" (Hosea 4:8).