Numbers 6

Rules Concerning Nazirites

1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

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;

7 for even his father, mother, brother, or sister he will not make himself unclean {by their death}, because the separation to his God [is] on his head.

8 He will be holy for Yahweh all the days of his separation.

9 " 'If someone dies suddenly and makes the head of his separation unclean, he will shave off [the hair of] his head on the day of his cleansing; on the seventh day he will shave it off.

10 On the eighth day he will bring two turtledoves or two {young pigeons} to the priest by the doorway of the tent of assembly,

11 and the priest will offer one for a sin offering and one for a burnt offering, and he will make atonement for him because he sinned concerning the corpse. He will consecrate his head on that day.

12 He will rededicate to Yahweh the days of his separation and bring a ram-lamb {in its first year} as a guilt offering. The former days [of his vow] will fall away because his separation was defiled.

13 " 'This [is] the regulation of the Nazirite for the day of the fulfilling of the days of his separation: one will bring him to the doorway of the tent of the assembly.

14 He will present his offering to Yahweh, one ram-lamb {in its first year} without defect as a burnt offering, and one ewe-lamb {in its first year} without defect as a sin offering, and one ram without defect as a fellowship offering;

15 and a basket of unleavened bread, finely milled flour of ring-shaped bread cakes mixed with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread smeared with oil, and their grain offering and their libations.

16 The priest will present {before Yahweh} and offer his sin offering, his burnt offering;

17 he will offer a ram as a sacrifice of a fellowship offering to Yahweh, in addition to the basket of the unleavened bread; the priest will offer his grain offering and his libation.

18 The Nazirite will shave off [the hair of] {his consecrated head} [at] the doorway of the tent of assembly, and he will take the hair of {his consecrated head}, and he will put [it] on the fire that [is] beneath the sacrifice of the fellowship offering.

19 The priest will take the shoulder from the ram that is boiled, and one ring-shaped bread cake of unleavened bread from the basket, and one wafer of unleavened bread, and he will put [them] on the hands of the Nazirite after he has shaved {his consecrated head}.

20 The priest will wave them [as] a wave offering {before the presence of} Yahweh; they are a holy object to the priest, in addition to the breast section of the wave offering, and in addition to the upper thigh of the contribution; and afterward the Nazirite may drink wine.

21 " 'This is the regulation of the Nazirite who has made a vow of his offering to Yahweh according to his separation, {in addition to what he can afford}. In accordance to the word of his vow that he vowed, he will do, concerning the instruction of his separation.'"

The Priestly Blessing

22 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

23 "Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, 'You will bless the {Israelites}: You will say to them:

24 Yahweh will bless you and keep you;

25 Yahweh will make shine his face on you and be gracious to you;

26 Yahweh will lift up his face upon you, and he will give you peace.'

27 And they will put my name on the {Israelites}, and I will bless them."

Numbers 6 Commentary

Chapter 6

The law concerning the Nazarites. (1-21) The form of blessing the people. (22-27)

Verses 1-21 The word Nazarite signifies separation. Some were appointed of God, before their birth, to be Nazarites all their days, as Samson and John the Baptist. But, in general, it was a vow of separation from the world and devotedness to the services of religion, for a limited time, and under certain rules, which any person might make if they pleased. A Nazarite is spoken of as well known; but his obligation is brought to a greater certainty than before. That the fancies of superstitious men might not multiply the restraints endlessly, God gives them rules. They must not drink wine or strong drink, nor eat grapes. Those who separate themselves to God, must not gratify the desires of the body, but keep it under. Let all Christians be very moderate in the use of wine and strong drink; for if the love of these once gets the mastery of a man, he becomes an easy prey to Satan. The Nazarites were to eat nothing that came of the vine; this may teach the utmost care to avoid sin, and all that borders upon it, and leads to it, or may be a temptation to us. They must not cut their hair. They must neither poll their heads, nor shave their beards; this was the mark of Samson being a Nazarite. This signified neglect of the body, and of the ease and ornament of it. Those who separate themselves to God, must keep their consciences pure from dead works, and not touch unclean things. All the days of their separation they must be holy to the Lord. This was the meaning of those outward observances, and without this they were of no account. No penalty or sacrifice was appointed for those who wilfully broke their vow of being Nazarites; they must answer another day for such profane trifling with the Lord their God; but those were to be relieved who did not sin wilfully. There is nothing in Scripture that bears the least resemblance to the religious orders of the church of Rome, except these Nazarites. But mark the difference, or rather how completely opposed! The religious of that church are forbidden to marry; but no such restriction is laid upon the Nazarites. They are commanded to abstain from meats; but the Nazarites might eat any food allowed other Israelites. They are not generally forbidden wine, not even on their fasting days; but the Nazarites might not have wine at any time. Their vow is lasting, even to the end of their lives; the Nazarites' vow was only for a limited time, at their own will; and in certain cases not unless allowed by husbands or parents. Such a thorough difference there is between rules of man's invention and those directed in Scripture, Let us not forget that the Lord Jesus is not only our Surety, but also our example. For his sake we must renounce worldly pleasures, abstain from fleshy lusts, be separate from sinners, make open profession of our faith, moderate natural affections, be spiritually-minded, and devoted to God's service, and desirous to be an example all around us.

Verses 22-27 The priests were solemnly to bless the people in the name of the Lord. To be under the almighty protection of God our Saviour; to enjoy his favour as the smile of a loving Father, or as the cheering beams of the sun; while he mercifully forgives our sins, supplies our wants, consoles the heart, and prepares us by his grace for eternal glory; these things form the substance of this blessing, and the sum total of all blessings. In so rich a list of mercies worldly joys are not worthy to be mentioned. Here is a form of prayer. The name Jehovah is three times repeated. The Jews think there is some mystery; and we know what it is, the New Testament having explained it. There we are directed to expect the blessing from the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of the Father, and the communion of the ( 2 Corinthians. 13:14 ) yet they are not three Lords, but one Lord.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"
• [b]. Literally "one separated"
• [c]. That is, "the Nazirite"
• [d]. Literally "with their dying"
• [e]. That is, "the Nazirite"
• [f]. That is, "the Nazirite"
• [g]. Literally "the sons of doves"
• [h]. That is, "the Nazirite"
• [i]. Literally "a son of his year"
• [j]. Literally "a son of his year"
• [k]. Literally "a daughter of his year"
• [l]. Or "before the face of Yahweh"
• [m]. Literally "the head of his separation"
• [n]. Literally "the head of his separation"
• [o]. Literally "his separation"
• [p]. Literally "before the face of"
• [q]. Hebrew "it"
• [r]. Literally "except from that which overtakes his hand"
• [s]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"
• [t]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"

Chapter Summary

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.