Numbers 6:1-8

Law of the Nazirites

1 Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

2 "Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, 'When a man or woman makes a special vow, the vow of ¹a Nazirite, to dedicate himself to the LORD,

3 he shall ²abstain from wine and strong drink; he shall drink no vinegar, whether made from wine or strong drink, nor shall he drink any grape juice nor eat fresh or dried grapes.

4 'All the days of his separation he shall not eat anything * that is produced by the grape vine, from the seeds even to the skin.

5 'All the days of his vow of separation ³no razor shall pass over his head. He shall be holy until the days are fulfilled for which he separated himself to the LORD; he shall let the locks of hair on his head grow long.

6 '⁴All the days of his separation to the LORD he shall not go near to a dead person.

7 'He ⁵shall not make himself unclean for his father or for his mother, for his brother or for his sister, when they die, because his separation to God is on his head.

8 'All the days of his separation he is holy to the LORD.

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Numbers 6:1-8 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 6

In this chapter is given the law concerning Nazarites, Nu 6:1,2; which directs what they were to abstain from, from drinking wine, or any strong liquors, from shaving their heads, and defiling themselves with the dead, Nu 6:3-8; and in case of a defilement, directions are given what offerings a Nazarite should bring to be offered for him, Nu 6:9-12; and when the time of his Nazariteship was up, an account is given of what rites and ceremonies should then be performed, Nu 6:13-21; and the chapter is concluded with the form of blessing the children of Israel, to be used by Aaron and his sons, Nu 6:22-27.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 5

1. Judges 13:5; Judges 16:17; Amos 2:11, 12
2. Luke 1:15
3. 1 Samuel 1:11
4. Leviticus 21:1-3; Numbers 19:11-22
5. Numbers 9:6

Footnotes 4

[a]. Or "difficult"
[b]. I.e. one separated
[c]. Or "live as a Nazirite"
[d]. Or "living as a Nazirite," and so through v 21