Numbers 6

1 And the Lord spake to Moses, and said,

2 Speak thou to the sons of Israel, and thou shalt say to them, When a man either a woman maketh a vow, that they be hallowed, and they will hallow themselves to the Lord, (Say thou to the Israelites, When a man or a woman maketh a vow, that they will become a Nazarite, and they will consecrate, or will dedicate, themselves to the Lord,)

3 they shall abstain from wine, and from all thing that may make drunken; they shall not drink vinegar of wine, and of anything able to make drunken, and whatever thing is pressed out of the grape; they shall not eat fresh grapes and dry, (they shall abstain from wine, and from all things that can make them drunk; they shall not drink wine vinegar, or any other thing that is able to make them drunk, or whatever is pressed out of the grape; they shall not eat fresh grapes, or dried grapes,)

4 all [the] days in which they be hallowed by a vow to the Lord; they shall not eat whatever thing may be of the vinery, from the rind till to the little grains that be in the midst of the grape.

5 All the time of his separating, or of his avow holding, a razor shall not pass upon his head, unto the day(s) be fulfilled in which he is hallowed to the Lord; he shall be holy, and the hair of his head shall wax. (All the time of his separation, or of the keeping of his vow, a razor shall not pass over his head, until the days be fulfilled in which he is consecrated, or is dedicated, to the Lord; he shall be holy, and his head hair shall grow.)

6 In all the time of his hallowing (In all the time of his consecration, or his dedication), he shall not enter upon a dead body,

7 and soothly he shall not be defouled upon the dead body of his father and of his mother, of brother and of sister, for the hallowing of his God is upon his head; (yea, he shall not even be defiled with the dead body of his own father or his mother, or his brother or his sister, for the consecration of his God is upon his head;)

8 each day of his separating, or avowing, shall be holy to the Lord.

9 But if any man is dead suddenly before him, the head of his hallowing shall be defouled, which he shall shave anon in the same day of his cleansing, and again in the seventh day; (But if anyone is suddenly dead before him, the hair of his consecration shall be defiled, and he shall shave it off on the day of his cleansing, that is, on the seventh day afterward;)

10 forsooth in the eighth day he shall offer two turtles, either two birds of a culver, to the priest, in the entering of the bond of peace of witnessing. (then on the eighth day, he shall offer two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, to the priest, at the entrance to the Tabernacle of the Covenant, that is, the Tabernacle of the Witnessing.)

11 And the priest shall make, or offer, one for sin, and the tother into burnt sacrifice; and the priest shall pray for him, for he sinned upon a dead body, and he shall hallow his head in that day. (And the priest shall offer one of the birds for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt sacrifice, and so the priest shall make amends for him, for he sinned through contact with a dead body; and then he shall consecrate his head again on that day.)

12 And he shall hallow to the Lord the days of his separating, and he shall offer a lamb of one year for his sin, so nevertheless that the former days be made void, for his hallowing is defouled. (And he shall rededicate the days of his separation to the Lord, and he shall offer a one-year-old lamb for his sin, nevertheless the former days shall be made void, for the hair of his consecration was defiled.)

13 This is the law of hallowing. When the days shall be fulfilled, which he deemed to fulfill by a vow, the priest shall bring him to the door of the tabernacle of [the] bond of peace, (This is the law of consecration, or of dedication/This is the law for the Nazarite. And when the days shall be fulfilled, which he committed to fulfill by a vow, the priest shall bring him to the entrance of the Tabernacle of the Covenant,)

14 and he shall offer his offering to the Lord, a lamb of one year without wem, into burnt sacrifice, and a sheep of one year without wem, for sin, and a ram without wem, (as) a peaceable sacrifice; (and he shall offer his offering to the Lord, a one-year-old lamb without blemish, or without fault, for a burnt sacrifice, and a one-year-old sheep without blemish, for a sin offering, and a ram without blemish, for a peace offering;)

15 also a basket of therf loaves, that be sprinkled (al)together with oil, and cakes sodden in water, and after anointed with oil, without sourdough, and [the] flowing sacrifices of all these by themselves; (and a basket of unleavened bread, that is sprinkled with oil, and cakes made without yeast, boiled in water, and anointed with oil, and the grain and wine offerings for all of these;)

16 which the priest shall offer before the Lord, and he shall make, or offer these, as well for sin as into burnt sacrifice. (which the priest shall offer before the Lord, and he shall offer these for his sin offering, and for his burnt sacrifice.)

17 Soothly he shall offer the ram (as) a peaceable sacrifice to the Lord, and he shall offer therewith a basket of therf loaves, and flowing sacrifices, that be due by custom. (And he shall offer the ram as a peace offering to the Lord, and he shall offer a basket of unleavened bread with it, and the grain and wine offerings, that be due by custom.)

18 Then the Nazarite, or he that is hallowed, shall be shaven from the hair of his hallowing, before the door of the tabernacle of [the] bond of peace; and the priest shall take his hairs, and he shall put them upon the fire, which is put under the sacrifice of peaceable things. (Then the Nazarite, that is, he who is consecrated, shall shave off the hair of his consecration, at the entrance to the Tabernacle of the Covenant; and the priest shall take his hair, and he shall put it on the fire which is under the peace offering.)

19 And he shall take the shoulder sodden of the ram, and one therf cake from the basket, and one [thin] therf cake first sodden in water and afterward fried in oil, and he shall betake them into the hands of the Nazarite, after that his head is shaven. (And he shall take the boiled shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake from the basket, and one thin unleavened wafer first boiled in water and then fried in oil, and he shall put them into the hands of the Nazarite, after that he hath shaved his head.)

20 And the priest shall raise (up) in the sight of the Lord the things taken again of him. And those things hallowed shall be the priest's part, as the breast which is commanded to be separated, and the hip. After these things the Nazarite may (again) drink wine. (And then the priest shall take these things from him, and raise them up as a special gift before the Lord. And these consecrated things shall be the priest's portion, including the special gift of the breast, and the special contribution of the leg. And after these things be done, the Nazarite can drink wine again.)

21 This is the law of the Nazarite, when he hath avowed his offering to the Lord, in the time of his consecration, or hallowing, besides these things which his hand findeth. By this that he [hath] avowed in soul, or in will, so he shall do, to the perfection of his hallowing. (This is the law for the Nazarite, when he hath vowed his offering to the Lord, at the time of his consecration, besides these things which his hand findeth. By this that he hath vowed with his soul, or with his will, so he shall do, to the perfection, or the completion, of his dedication.)

22 And the Lord spake to Moses and said,

23 Speak thou to Aaron and to his sons, (and say,) Thus ye shall bless the sons of Israel (Thus shall ye bless the Israelites), and ye shall say to them,

24 The Lord bless thee, and keep thee;

25 the Lord show his face to thee, and have mercy upon thee;

26 the Lord turn his cheer to thee, and give peace to thee. (the Lord turn his face to thee, and give peace to thee.)

27 They shall call inwardly my name on the sons of Israel, and I shall bless them. (Yea, they shall call my name upon, or over, the Israelites, and I shall 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.

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.