Numbers 6:4

4 All the days of his separation you will not eat from anything that is made from the grapevine, from sour grapes to the skin [of grapes].

Numbers 6:4 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 6:4

All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is
made of the vine tree
Of its leaves, branches, and fruit, especially the latter, put into any sort of food, or infused into any liquor, or mixed with any sauce for food: the days or time of separation were according as the vow was made, for a shorter or longer time; though the Jews F20 say, where the vow is, absolutely expressed, it is always to be understood of thirty days, during which time the Nazarite was not to eat or drink of any composition that had anything the vine in it:

from the kernels even to the husk;
the Jews F21 are divided about the two words here used, which of them signifies the outermost part of the grape, and which the innermost; Ben Gersom agrees with us, but it matters not much who are in the right, since both are forbidden: by this part of the law, the people of God, who are spiritual Nazarites, are taught to live temperately and soberly, and to abstain from all appearance of sin: it is pretty remarkable what the Jews F23 say, that when the son of David comes, it will be free for a Nazarite to drink wine on sabbath days and festivals, though not on week days; from whence it appears, they seem to be conscious of a change of the ceremonial law in his days.


FOOTNOTES:

F20 Misn. Nazir, c. 1. sect. 3. & c. 6. sect. 3.
F21 Misn. Nazir, c. 6. sect. 2. Aben Ezra in loc.
F23 T. Bab. Erubin, fol. 43. 1.

Numbers 6:4 In-Context

2 "Speak to the {Israelites} and say to them, 'When a man or a woman takes a special vow, a vow of a {Nazirite}, to keep separate for Yahweh,
3 he will abstain from wine and fermented drink; he will not drink wine vinegar or vinegar of fermented drink; he will not drink the fruit juice of grapes or eat fresh or dry grapes.
4 All the days of his separation you will not eat from anything that is made from the grapevine, from sour grapes to the skin [of grapes].
5 " 'All the days of the vow of his separation a razor will not pass over his head. Until fulfilling the days that he separated himself to Yahweh he will be holy and grow long the locks of the hair of his head.
6 " 'All the days of keeping himself separated for Yahweh he will not go to a person who is dead;

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. That is, "the Nazirite"
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