And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the Lord:
He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried.
All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk.
All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the Lord, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.
All the days that he separateth himself unto the Lord he shall come at no dead body.
He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God is upon his head.
All the days of his separation he is holy unto the Lord.
And if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of his consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it.
And on the eighth day he shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons, to the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:
And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make an atonement for him, for that he sinned by the dead, and shall hallow his head that same day.
And he shall consecrate unto the Lord the days of his separation, and shall bring a lamb of the first year for a trespass offering: but the days that were before shall be lost, because his separation was defiled.
And this is the law of the Nazarite, when the days of his separation are fulfilled: he shall be brought unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:
And he shall offer his offering unto the Lord, one he lamb of the first year without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish for a sin offering, and one ram without blemish for peace offerings,
And a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oil, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings.
And the priest shall bring them before the Lord, and shall offer his sin offering, and his burnt offering:
And he shall offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the Lord, with the basket of unleavened bread: the priest shall offer also his meat offering, and his drink offering.
And the Nazarite shall shave the head of his separation at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it in the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace offerings.
And the priest shall take the sodden shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them upon the hands of the Nazarite, after the hair of his separation is shaven:
And the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the Lord: this is holy for the priest, with the wave breast and heave shoulder: and after that the Nazarite may drink wine.
This is the law of the Nazarite who hath vowed, and of his offering unto the Lord for his separation, beside that that his hand shall get: according to the vow which he vowed, so he must do after the law of his separation.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them,
The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:
The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.
Numbers 6 delves into two significant aspects of Israelite life: the Nazirite vow and the priestly blessing. The chapter provides profound insights into consecration, dedication, and the intimate relationship between God and His people. This chapter reveals how individuals could voluntarily set themselves apart for God and how the priests, as mediators, were to invoke God's blessing upon the nation.
The Nazirite Vow: A Path to Consecration (Numbers 6:1-21)
While service in the tabernacle was typically reserved for Levites, the Nazirite vow offered any Israelite, man or woman, the opportunity to consecrate themselves to the Lord for a specific period (Numbers 6:2). This vow represented a time of special devotion and separation. The duration could be temporary, as seen in Acts 18:18 where Paul's haircut signified the end of his vow (see Numbers 6:18), or lifelong, as in the cases of Samuel (1 Samuel 1:11) and Samson (Judges 13:5). It's noteworthy that in both Samuel and Samson's situations, the vows were made before their births, highlighting God's sovereign hand in their destinies. Hannah, Samuel's mother, vowed to dedicate him to the Lord's service. In Samson's case, God instructed his parents to raise him as a Nazirite. While Samuel remained faithful to his vow, Samson tragically violated his, leading to dire consequences.
The Nazirite vow involved three key restrictions that symbolized separation and dedication:
- Abstinence from Grape Products (Numbers 6:3-4): This meant refraining from wine, beer, and anything derived from the grapevine, signifying a rejection of worldly indulgences.
- Unshorn Hair (Numbers 6:5): The Nazirite was not to cut their hair during the vow, allowing it to grow as a visible sign of their commitment.
- Avoidance of Contact with the Dead (Numbers 6:6-7): Contact with a dead body, even that of a close relative, was forbidden, emphasizing the Nazirite's separation from defilement and dedication to purity.
By adhering to these guidelines, the Nazirite was set apart for the Lord's service, demonstrating holiness during their time of consecration (Numbers 6:8).
Restoration After Defilement (Numbers 6:9-12)
If a Nazirite accidentally became defiled, specific rituals were prescribed to cleanse them and restore their consecration. This allowed them to resume their vow. Samson, for example, defiled his vow when he ate honey from a dead lion (Judges 14:5-9) and when he revealed the secret of his strength to Delilah, leading to his hair being cut (Judges 16:17-19). There's no record of Samson attempting to undergo the prescribed purification rituals. However, because God Himself had designated Samson as a Nazirite, He graciously restored Samson's Nazirite status and supernatural strength as his hair grew back (Judges 16:22).
Completion of the Vow (Numbers 6:13-21)
Upon completing the period of consecration, the Nazirite was to present three unblemished animals at the tabernacle: a burnt offering, a sin offering, and a fellowship offering (Numbers 6:14). The burnt offering symbolized complete consecration to God, the sin offering atoned for any unintentional sins committed during the vow, and the fellowship offering signified harmony between the Nazirite and the Lord.
The Nazirite would then shave their head and burn the hair in the fire (Numbers 6:18), symbolizing the vow's completion. The priest would give the Nazirite the boiled shoulder of the ram, an unleavened cake, and an unleavened wafer (Numbers 6:19), which the Nazirite would wave before the Lord. This offering, along with the rest of the fellowship offering, would be eaten together by the priest and the Nazirite. With these steps completed, the Nazirite was released from their vow.
The Priestly Blessing: A Prayer for God's Favor (Numbers 6:22-27)
The chapter concludes with a beautiful and powerful priestly blessing, designed to invoke the Lord's name upon His people (Numbers 6:27). God instructed Moses, "This is how you are to bless the Israelites" (Numbers 6:22). The blessing is threefold:
- "The Lord bless you and keep you" (Numbers 6:24): This invokes God's favor and protection.
- "The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you" (Numbers 6:25): This asks for God's radiant presence and undeserved kindness.
- "The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace" (Numbers 6:26): This seeks God's attentive care and the gift of inner peace.
This blessing serves as a template for God's people to bless others, similar to how Jesus introduced the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9). By speaking these words, the priests were acting as mediators, channeling God's grace and favor upon the Israelites. The essence of the priestly blessing is a heartfelt desire for God's presence, protection, and peace to permeate the lives of those being blessed. It is a reminder that God's ultimate desire is to bless His people and draw them closer to Himself.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the Lord:
He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried.
All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk.
All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the Lord, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.
All the days that he separateth himself unto the Lord he shall come at no dead body.
He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God is upon his head.
All the days of his separation he is holy unto the Lord.
And if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of his consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it.
And on the eighth day he shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons, to the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:
And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make an atonement for him, for that he sinned by the dead, and shall hallow his head that same day.
And he shall consecrate unto the Lord the days of his separation, and shall bring a lamb of the first year for a trespass offering: but the days that were before shall be lost, because his separation was defiled.
And this is the law of the Nazarite, when the days of his separation are fulfilled: he shall be brought unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:
And he shall offer his offering unto the Lord, one he lamb of the first year without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish for a sin offering, and one ram without blemish for peace offerings,
And a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oil, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings.
And the priest shall bring them before the Lord, and shall offer his sin offering, and his burnt offering:
And he shall offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the Lord, with the basket of unleavened bread: the priest shall offer also his meat offering, and his drink offering.
And the Nazarite shall shave the head of his separation at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it in the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace offerings.
And the priest shall take the sodden shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them upon the hands of the Nazarite, after the hair of his separation is shaven:
And the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the Lord: this is holy for the priest, with the wave breast and heave shoulder: and after that the Nazarite may drink wine.
This is the law of the Nazarite who hath vowed, and of his offering unto the Lord for his separation, beside that that his hand shall get: according to the vow which he vowed, so he must do after the law of his separation.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them,
The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:
The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.
Numbers 6 delves into two significant aspects of Israelite life: the Nazirite vow and the priestly blessing. The chapter provides profound insights into consecration, dedication, and the intimate relationship between God and His people. This chapter reveals how individuals could voluntarily set themselves apart for God and how the priests, as mediators, were to invoke God's blessing upon the nation.
The Nazirite Vow: A Path to Consecration (Numbers 6:1-21)
While service in the tabernacle was typically reserved for Levites, the Nazirite vow offered any Israelite, man or woman, the opportunity to consecrate themselves to the Lord for a specific period (Numbers 6:2). This vow represented a time of special devotion and separation. The duration could be temporary, as seen in Acts 18:18 where Paul's haircut signified the end of his vow (see Numbers 6:18), or lifelong, as in the cases of Samuel (1 Samuel 1:11) and Samson (Judges 13:5). It's noteworthy that in both Samuel and Samson's situations, the vows were made before their births, highlighting God's sovereign hand in their destinies. Hannah, Samuel's mother, vowed to dedicate him to the Lord's service. In Samson's case, God instructed his parents to raise him as a Nazirite. While Samuel remained faithful to his vow, Samson tragically violated his, leading to dire consequences.
The Nazirite vow involved three key restrictions that symbolized separation and dedication:
- Abstinence from Grape Products (Numbers 6:3-4): This meant refraining from wine, beer, and anything derived from the grapevine, signifying a rejection of worldly indulgences.
- Unshorn Hair (Numbers 6:5): The Nazirite was not to cut their hair during the vow, allowing it to grow as a visible sign of their commitment.
- Avoidance of Contact with the Dead (Numbers 6:6-7): Contact with a dead body, even that of a close relative, was forbidden, emphasizing the Nazirite's separation from defilement and dedication to purity.
By adhering to these guidelines, the Nazirite was set apart for the Lord's service, demonstrating holiness during their time of consecration (Numbers 6:8).
Restoration After Defilement (Numbers 6:9-12)
If a Nazirite accidentally became defiled, specific rituals were prescribed to cleanse them and restore their consecration. This allowed them to resume their vow. Samson, for example, defiled his vow when he ate honey from a dead lion (Judges 14:5-9) and when he revealed the secret of his strength to Delilah, leading to his hair being cut (Judges 16:17-19). There's no record of Samson attempting to undergo the prescribed purification rituals. However, because God Himself had designated Samson as a Nazirite, He graciously restored Samson's Nazirite status and supernatural strength as his hair grew back (Judges 16:22).
Completion of the Vow (Numbers 6:13-21)
Upon completing the period of consecration, the Nazirite was to present three unblemished animals at the tabernacle: a burnt offering, a sin offering, and a fellowship offering (Numbers 6:14). The burnt offering symbolized complete consecration to God, the sin offering atoned for any unintentional sins committed during the vow, and the fellowship offering signified harmony between the Nazirite and the Lord.
The Nazirite would then shave their head and burn the hair in the fire (Numbers 6:18), symbolizing the vow's completion. The priest would give the Nazirite the boiled shoulder of the ram, an unleavened cake, and an unleavened wafer (Numbers 6:19), which the Nazirite would wave before the Lord. This offering, along with the rest of the fellowship offering, would be eaten together by the priest and the Nazirite. With these steps completed, the Nazirite was released from their vow.
The Priestly Blessing: A Prayer for God's Favor (Numbers 6:22-27)
The chapter concludes with a beautiful and powerful priestly blessing, designed to invoke the Lord's name upon His people (Numbers 6:27). God instructed Moses, "This is how you are to bless the Israelites" (Numbers 6:22). The blessing is threefold:
- "The Lord bless you and keep you" (Numbers 6:24): This invokes God's favor and protection.
- "The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you" (Numbers 6:25): This asks for God's radiant presence and undeserved kindness.
- "The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace" (Numbers 6:26): This seeks God's attentive care and the gift of inner peace.
This blessing serves as a template for God's people to bless others, similar to how Jesus introduced the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9). By speaking these words, the priests were acting as mediators, channeling God's grace and favor upon the Israelites. The essence of the priestly blessing is a heartfelt desire for God's presence, protection, and peace to permeate the lives of those being blessed. It is a reminder that God's ultimate desire is to bless His people and draw them closer to Himself.