Abihu (Hebrew: אֲבִיהוּא, Modern: Avīhū, Tiberian: ʾĂḇîhū) was a son of Aaron, the first High Priest of the Israelites, and brother of Eleazar, Ithamar, and Nadab. His name translates to "He is my father" in Hebrew. In the Bible, Abihu is mentioned as one of the priests who were ordained along with Aaron (Leviticus 8:32, 9:1). However, he is most notably known for his tragic death. According to the Book of Leviticus, Abihu and his brother Nadab were consumed by fire from the Lord for offering "strange fire" before Him, which they were not commanded to do (Leviticus 10:1-2). This event is seen as a warning about the seriousness of priestly duties and the importance of following divine instructions precisely. In Islamic tradition, Abihu is also mentioned and is known as Abihu ibn Harun.
Sons of Aaron
In the biblical books of Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers, Nadab and Avihu were the two oldest sons of Aaron. According to Leviticus 10, they offered a sacrifice with "foreign fire" before Yahweh, disobeying his instructions, and were immediately consumed by fire.