Numbers 6 meaning explained in AI Summary
The Nazirite Vow
- Special Dedication: This chapter introduces the concept of the Nazirite vow, a special commitment to separate oneself to God for a set period. Specific restrictions are outlined, such as abstaining from alcohol, not cutting one's hair, and avoiding contact with dead bodies.
- Offerings at Completion: Procedures are specified for the rituals and offerings required at the end of the Nazirite vow period.
This chapter details the regulations and rituals surrounding the Nazirite vow, a special dedication to God.
The Vow:
- Voluntary: Individuals could choose to take the Nazirite vow for a specified period.
- Separation: Nazirites were set apart for God and had to abstain from:
- Cutting their hair: Their hair symbolized their dedication and grew freely.
- Consuming grape products: Wine, grapes, and anything derived from grapevines were forbidden.
- Contact with the dead: They couldn't even be near the bodies of close relatives.
- Purity: Nazirites were to maintain ritual purity throughout their vow.
Ending the Vow:
- Time period: The vow lasted for a designated period chosen by the individual.
- Sacrifices: At the end, Nazirites were to offer specific sacrifices at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting:
- A burnt offering (a male lamb)
- A sin offering (a year-old female lamb)
- A peace offering (a ram)
- A basket of unleavened bread and grain offerings mixed with oil
- A drink offering
- Shaving the head: The Nazirite would shave their head at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting and burn their hair under the peace offering.
Special Case - Samson:
- The chapter mentions Samson as a Nazirite from birth, dedicated by his mother before his birth. This was a unique situation, not the norm.
Significance:
- The Nazirite vow allowed individuals to demonstrate their devotion to God through physical and spiritual discipline.
- It symbolized complete dedication and separation to God's service.
- The strict rules highlighted the importance of holiness and purity in approaching God.
Overall, Numbers 6 provides a detailed guide to the Nazirite vow, emphasizing the commitment and sacrifices required for this special dedication to God.
Numbers 6 bible study ai commentary
The overarching theme of Numbers chapter 6 is holiness, demonstrated through two distinct yet complementary avenues: the voluntary, individual devotion of the Nazirite vow, and the divinely-mandated, corporate blessing bestowed by the priesthood. It reveals that separation for God is available to all (men and women) and that God's desire is to place His very name, presence, and favor upon His covenant people.
Numbers 6 Context
This chapter is situated within the legal and organizational instructions given to Israel at Mount Sinai before their journey to the Promised Land. Culturally, vows, long hair (often associated with strength or devotion), and priestly blessings were common in the Ancient Near East. However, the Nazirite vow is uniquely Israelite. It democratizes extreme devotion, making it a voluntary option for any layperson (man or woman), rooting it not in ecstatic ritual but in ethical separation unto Yahweh. The Priestly Blessing likewise reframes blessing not as a magical incantation but as the ordained channel for invoking God's specific, covenantal favor upon His people.
Numbers 6:1-2
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, If any man or woman makes a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself to the Lord,
In-depth-analysis
- Word: "Special vow" translates the Hebrew
pala'
, meaning wonderful, extraordinary, or set apart. This is not a common pledge. - Word: "Nazirite" comes from
nazir
, meaning "consecrated one" or "separated one," from the rootnazar
(to separate, to dedicate). - The vow is explicitly available to both men and women, a radical inclusivity for the time, showing that access to profound personal devotion was not restricted by gender.
- This is a voluntary act of laity, distinct from the inherited, required holiness of the Levitical priesthood. It's a personal choice to pursue a higher level of consecration for a set period or for life.
- The essence is separation to the Lord. It is not asceticism for its own sake, but separation from worldly things to draw nearer to God.
Bible references
- Judges 13:5: ‘...the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb...’ (Samson's lifelong, divinely-initiated vow).
- Acts 21:23-24: '...we have four men who are under a vow... take them and be purified with them...' (Demonstrates continued practice of vows, likely Nazirite, in the early Church).
- Lam 4:7: ‘Her princes [nazirites] were purer than snow, whiter than milk...’ (Shows Nazirites were seen as exemplars of purity).
Cross references
Lev 27:2 (Vows in general); 1 Sam 1:11 (Hannah’s vow for Samuel); Ecc 5:4-5 (Solemnity of vows); Amos 2:11-12 (God raised up Nazirites, but Israel corrupted them).
Numbers 6:3-4
he shall separate himself from wine and strong drink. He shall drink no vinegar made from wine or strong drink and shall not drink any juice of grapes or eat grapes, fresh or dried. All the days of his separation he shall eat nothing that is produced by the grapevine, not even the seeds or the skins.
In-depth-analysis
- This prohibition is total, covering every product of the grapevine.
- Wine in the Bible is a symbol of joy, celebration, and normal social life (Ps 104:15). Abstinence signifies that the Nazirite’s joy is found exclusively in God, not in earthly pleasures or stimulants.
- This goes beyond the priestly restriction, which was only to avoid wine while serving in the tabernacle (Lev 10:9). The Nazirite's entire life during the vow is a period of "being on duty" for God.
Bible references
- Luke 1:15: 'for he [John the Baptist] will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink...' (A key characteristic of John's lifelong Nazirite-like consecration).
- Luke 7:33-34: 'For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine... The Son of Man has come eating and drinking...' (Jesus contrasts his own ministry with John's asceticism, showing he was not a Nazirite).
- Eph 5:18: ‘And do not get drunk with wine... but be filled with the Spirit.’ (Contrasts worldly influence with divine influence, a principle embodied by the Nazirite).
Cross references
Judges 13:14 (Samson's mother's instructions); Prov 20:1 (Deception of wine); Prov 31:4-5 (Kings avoiding wine); Dan 1:8 (Daniel abstaining from the king's rich food and wine).
Numbers 6:5
“All the days of the vow of his separation, no razor shall touch his head. Until the time is completed for which he has separated himself to the Lord, he shall be holy. He shall let the locks of hair of his head grow long.
In-depth-analysis
- The long, uncut hair was the visible, public sign of the vow. It was the Nazirite's "badge" of office.
- Hair represented life, strength, and vitality. By letting it grow uncut, the Nazirite was dedicating their natural power and life force completely to God.
- Later in the chapter, the hair is called the
nezer
—the "consecration" or "crown"—of God upon their head (v. 7). It symbolizes their royal priesthood status unto God.
Bible references
- Judges 16:17: '...if my head is shaved, then my strength will leave me...' (Samson tragically reveals the sign of his vow is tied to his strength).
- 1 Sam 1:11: ‘...and no razor shall touch his head.’ (Hannah's vow dedicating Samuel includes this key Nazirite sign).
- 1 Cor 11:14-15: 'Does not nature itself teach you that for a man to have long hair is a disgrace to him...' (Paul discusses cultural norms regarding hair length, highlighting that the Nazirite's long hair was a deliberate and counter-cultural religious sign).
Numbers 6:6-8
“All the days that he separates himself to the Lord, he shall not go near a dead body. Not even for his father or for his mother, for brother or for sister, if they die, shall he make himself unclean, because his consecration to God is on his head. All the days of his separation he is holy to the Lord.
In-depth-analysis
- This is the highest level of ritual purity, surpassing even the standard for regular priests and equaling that of the High Priest (Lev 21:11).
- Separation from death—the ultimate consequence of sin—symbolized a radical devotion to the God of life. It meant prioritizing one’s vow to God over the most profound family obligations.
- Word: "Consecration" is
nezer
, the same word for the hair/crown. The reason he cannot be defiled is because the very symbol of God's holiness is upon him.
Bible references
- Lev 21:11: 'He [the High Priest] shall not go in to any dead bodies nor make himself unclean, even for his father or for his mother.' (Draws a direct parallel between the Nazirite and the High Priest).
- Luke 9:59-60: 'But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”’ (Jesus demands a radical commitment that echoes the priority of the Nazirite vow).
Cross references
Num 19:11-16 (Laws of defilement by a corpse); Hag 2:13 (Contact with the dead defiles); Matt 8:21-22.
Numbers 6:9-12
“And if any man dies very suddenly beside him and he defiles his consecrated head, then he shall shave his head on the day of his cleansing; on the seventh day he shall shave it... And he shall consecrate his head that same day... but the former time shall be void, because his separation was defiled.
In-depth-analysis
- This section provides a gracious remedy for unintentional defilement. The vow is not irrevocably broken but can be restored.
- The process involves a seven-day purification, shaving the head (removing the defiled symbol), and offering multiple sacrifices:
- Sin offering: For the contamination.
- Burnt offering: For atonement and renewed dedication.
- Guilt/reparation offering: To make restitution for the offense against a holy vow.
- The "timer" on the vow resets. This underscores the seriousness of the vow; it must be completed in an unbroken state of purity.
Bible references
- Lev 5:7-10: '...he shall bring for his trespass... two turtledoves or two pigeons... one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering.' (Parallels the types of offerings required for atonement).
- Heb 9:13-14: 'For if the blood of goats and bulls... sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ... purify our conscience...' (Contrasts the temporary, external purification of the Law with the permanent, internal purification of Christ's sacrifice).
Cross references
Lev 14:8-9 (Cleansing of a leper, involving shaving); Num 5:7 (Confession and restitution).
Numbers 6:13-21
“And this is the law for the Nazirite, when the time of his separation is completed... He shall present his offering... a male lamb... for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb... for a sin offering, and one ram... for peace offerings... Then the Nazirite shall shave his consecrated head... and shall take the hair... and put it on the fire that is under the sacrifice of the peace offerings.
In-depth-analysis
- The completion of the vow is marked by a comprehensive set of offerings, signifying thanksgiving, atonement, and restored fellowship.
- The hair—the physical symbol of the completed vow—is shaved and offered by being burned with the peace offering. This act returns the dedicated vitality and strength back to God in a gesture of worship.
- After the ritual, the Nazirite is released from their restrictions and "may drink wine" (v. 20), signifying their successful re-entry into the community.
- Verse 21 serves as a concluding summary of the Nazirite law.
Bible references
- Acts 18:18: '...Paul... sailed for Syria... and he had cut his hair in Cenchreae, for he was under a vow.' (Strong evidence of Paul personally completing a Nazirite-like vow).
- Acts 21:26: 'Then Paul took the men, and the next day he purified himself along with them and went into the temple, to give notice of the end of the days of purification, until the offering was made for each one of them.' (Paul helps four men complete their vows by paying for their sacrifices, affirming the rite).
Cross references
Lev 1-4 (Laws of burnt, sin, peace offerings); Heb 10:18 (Where there is forgiveness of sins, there is no longer any offering for sin).
Numbers 6:22-26
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel...The Lord bless you and keep you;the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
In-depth-analysis
- A Shift in Focus: The text moves from individual, voluntary holiness to corporate, received holiness. This is a divine command to the priests, giving them a specific formula.
- Literary Structure: The blessing is beautifully poetic and structured.
- It has three lines, each beginning with "The Lord" (YHWH).
- The lines progressively increase in length (3, 5, and 7 Hebrew words).
- The three-part structure is seen by many Christians as an allusion to the Triune God.
- Line 1: The LORD bless you (
barak
) and keep you (shamar
). A request for God’s provision, prosperity, and His powerful protection. - Line 2: The LORD make his face shine (
ya'er panav
) upon you and be gracious (chanan
) to you. An idiom for divine favor, presence, and revelation. A request for undeserved kindness (grace). - Line 3: The LORD lift up his countenance (
yissa panav
) upon you and give you peace (shalom
). A plea for God's direct, favorable attention and approval, resulting in holistic well-being, completeness, and tranquility.
Polemics
Unlike pagan incantations that tried to magically manipulate deities, this blessing is a request, channeling the favor of a relational God who has commanded it. The power is not in the priest's words, but in God's promise to honor them.
Bible references
- Ps 67:1: ‘May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us...’ (A near-direct quotation of the blessing used in communal worship).
- Ps 121:7-8: 'The Lord will keep you from all evil... The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in...' (Echoes the "keep you" aspect of the blessing).
- John 14:27: ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you.’ (Jesus Christ identifies himself as the ultimate giver of the true
shalom
promised in the blessing). - 2 Cor 4:6: '...God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.' (Connects the idea of God's "face shining" with the revelation of God in Christ).
Cross references
Lev 9:22 (Aaron blessing the people); Deut 10:8 (Blessing as a priestly duty); Ps 4:6 (Lift up the light of your face); Phil 4:7 (The peace of God).
Numbers 6:27
“So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.”
In-depth-analysis
- This is the purpose and capstone of the blessing. It's not just a nice sentiment; it is a spiritual transaction.
- To "put my name" upon them means to mark them as God's possession, to place them under His authority, character, and care. They belong to and represent YHWH.
- The final phrase, "and I will bless them," is God's personal ratification of the blessing. The priests are the vehicle, but God is the source. He guarantees the outcome.
Bible references
- Matt 28:19: 'Go therefore and make disciples... baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.' (The Great Commission's baptismal formula is the New Covenant way of placing God's name on His people).
- Rev 14:1: 'Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.' (An eschatological fulfillment where God's people are sealed with His name).
- Deut 28:10: ‘And all the peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you.’ (Being identified by God's name brings a holy distinction).
Cross references
2 Chron 7:14 ("My people who are called by my name"); Isa 43:7; Dan 9:18-19; Rev 22:4.
Numbers chapter 6 analysis
- Democratization of Holiness: The chapter powerfully combines lay and clerical holiness. Any Israelite man or woman could take the Nazirite vow, showing that deep, consecrated devotion wasn't limited to the priesthood.
- Types of Christ and the Church: The Nazirite, with his unparalleled separation and dedication, is a type of Christ, the truly Holy and Separate One (Heb 7:26). His strength is from God, not himself. The Church is also called to be a "holy nation" (1 Pet 2:9), separated from the world unto God, embodying a corporate Nazirite principle.
- Structure of the Priestly Blessing: Christian interpretation has long seen a Trinitarian pattern:
- The Lord [the Father] bless you and keep you (His foundational care).
- The Lord [the Son/Jesus Christ] make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you (The face of God revealed, dispensing grace).
- The Lord [the Holy Spirit] lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace (The Spirit bestows God’s presence and
shalom
).
- From Separation to Benediction: The chapter flows logically. It first details the highest form of human response to God's holiness (the vow), and then it details God's highest form of divine address to his people (the blessing). It moves from the individual's approach to God to God's reach toward the community.
Numbers 6 summary
Numbers 6 presents two pillars of holiness in Israel. First, it details the law of the Nazirite, a voluntary vow of extraordinary separation unto God, available to any man or woman and marked by abstinence from grape products, uncut hair, and avoidance of the dead. Second, it records the Aaronic or Priestly Blessing, a divinely prescribed three-part formula that the priests were to use to place God’s name, and therefore His active protection, favor, and peace, upon the people of Israel.
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Numbers chapter 6 kjv
- 1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
- 2 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:
- 3 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.
- 4 All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk.
- 5 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.
- 6 All the days that he separateth himself unto the LORD he shall come at no dead body.
- 7 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.
- 8 All the days of his separation he is holy unto the LORD.
- 9 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.
- 10 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:
- 11 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.
- 12 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.
- 13 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:
- 14 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,
- 15 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.
- 16 And the priest shall bring them before the LORD, and shall offer his sin offering, and his burnt offering:
- 17 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.
- 18 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.
- 19 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:
- 20 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.
- 21 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.
- 22 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
- 23 Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them,
- 24 The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
- 25 The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
- 26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
- 27 And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them.
Numbers chapter 6 nkjv
- 1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
- 2 "Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: 'When either a man or woman consecrates an offering to take the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself to the LORD,
- 3 he shall separate himself from wine and similar drink; he shall drink neither vinegar made from wine nor vinegar made from similar drink; neither shall he drink any grape juice, nor eat fresh grapes or raisins.
- 4 All the days of his separation he shall eat nothing that is produced by the grapevine, from seed to skin.
- 5 'All the days of the vow of his separation no razor shall come upon his head; until the days are fulfilled for which he separated himself to the LORD, he shall be holy. Then he shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.
- 6 All the days that he separates himself to the LORD he shall not go near a dead body.
- 7 He shall not make himself unclean even for his father or his mother, for his brother or his sister, when they die, because his separation to God is on his head.
- 8 All the days of his separation he shall be holy to the LORD.
- 9 'And if anyone dies very suddenly beside him, and he defiles his consecrated head, then he shall shave his head on the day of his cleansing; on the seventh day he shall shave it.
- 10 Then on the eighth day he shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of meeting;
- 11 and the priest shall offer one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, and make atonement for him, because he sinned in regard to the corpse; and he shall sanctify his head that same day.
- 12 He shall consecrate to the LORD the days of his separation, and bring a male lamb in its first year as a trespass offering; but the former days shall be lost, because his separation was defiled.
- 13 'Now this is the law of the Nazirite: When the days of his separation are fulfilled, he shall be brought to the door of the tabernacle of meeting.
- 14 And he shall present his offering to the LORD: one male lamb in its first year without blemish as a burnt offering, one ewe lamb in its first year without blemish as a sin offering, one ram without blemish as a peace offering,
- 15 a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and their grain offering with their drink offerings.
- 16 Then the priest shall bring them before the LORD and offer his sin offering and his burnt offering;
- 17 and he shall offer the ram as a sacrifice of a peace offering to the LORD, with the basket of unleavened bread; the priest shall also offer its grain offering and its drink offering.
- 18 Then the Nazirite shall shave his consecrated head at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and shall take the hair from his consecrated head and put it on the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace offering.
- 19 'And the priest shall take the boiled shoulder of the ram, one unleavened cake from the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and put them upon the hands of the Nazirite after he has shaved his consecrated hair,
- 20 and the priest shall wave them as a wave offering before the LORD; they are holy for the priest, together with the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the heave offering. After that the Nazirite may drink wine.'
- 21 "This is the law of the Nazirite who vows to the LORD the offering for his separation, and besides that, whatever else his hand is able to provide; according to the vow which he takes, so he must do according to the law of his separation."
- 22 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
- 23 "Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, 'This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them:
- 24 "The LORD bless you and keep you;
- 25 The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you;
- 26 The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace." '
- 27 "So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them."
Numbers chapter 6 niv
- 1 The LORD said to Moses,
- 2 "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'If a man or woman wants to make a special vow, a vow of dedication to the LORD as a Nazirite,
- 3 they must abstain from wine and other fermented drink and must not drink vinegar made from wine or other fermented drink. They must not drink grape juice or eat grapes or raisins.
- 4 As long as they remain under their Nazirite vow, they must not eat anything that comes from the grapevine, not even the seeds or skins.
- 5 "?'During the entire period of their Nazirite vow, no razor may be used on their head. They must be holy until the period of their dedication to the LORD is over; they must let their hair grow long.
- 6 "?'Throughout the period of their dedication to the LORD, the Nazirite must not go near a dead body.
- 7 Even if their own father or mother or brother or sister dies, they must not make themselves ceremonially unclean on account of them, because the symbol of their dedication to God is on their head.
- 8 Throughout the period of their dedication, they are consecrated to the LORD.
- 9 "?'If someone dies suddenly in the Nazirite's presence, thus defiling the hair that symbolizes their dedication, they must shave their head on the seventh day?the day of their cleansing.
- 10 Then on the eighth day they must bring two doves or two young pigeons to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
- 11 The priest is to offer one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to make atonement for the Nazirite because they sinned by being in the presence of the dead body. That same day they are to consecrate their head again.
- 12 They must rededicate themselves to the LORD for the same period of dedication and must bring a year-old male lamb as a guilt offering. The previous days do not count, because they became defiled during their period of dedication.
- 13 "?'Now this is the law of the Nazirite when the period of their dedication is over. They are to be brought to the entrance to the tent of meeting.
- 14 There they are to present their offerings to the LORD: a year-old male lamb without defect for a burnt offering, a year-old ewe lamb without defect for a sin offering, a ram without defect for a fellowship offering,
- 15 together with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and a basket of bread made with the finest flour and without yeast?thick loaves with olive oil mixed in, and thin loaves brushed with olive oil.
- 16 "?'The priest is to present all these before the LORD and make the sin offering and the burnt offering.
- 17 He is to present the basket of unleavened bread and is to sacrifice the ram as a fellowship offering to the LORD, together with its grain offering and drink offering.
- 18 "?'Then at the entrance to the tent of meeting, the Nazirite must shave off the hair that symbolizes their dedication. They are to take the hair and put it in the fire that is under the sacrifice of the fellowship offering.
- 19 "?'After the Nazirite has shaved off the hair that symbolizes their dedication, the priest is to place in their hands a boiled shoulder of the ram, and one thick loaf and one thin loaf from the basket, both made without yeast.
- 20 The priest shall then wave these before the LORD as a wave offering; they are holy and belong to the priest, together with the breast that was waved and the thigh that was presented. After that, the Nazirite may drink wine.
- 21 "?'This is the law of the Nazirite who vows offerings to the LORD in accordance with their dedication, in addition to whatever else they can afford. They must fulfill the vows they have made, according to the law of the Nazirite.'?"
- 22 The LORD said to Moses,
- 23 "Tell Aaron and his sons, 'This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:
- 24 "?'?"The LORD bless you and keep you;
- 25 the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
- 26 the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace."?'
- 27 "So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them."
Numbers chapter 6 esv
- 1 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
- 2 "Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When either a man or a woman makes a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself to the LORD,
- 3 he shall separate himself from wine and strong drink. He shall drink no vinegar made from wine or strong drink and shall not drink any juice of grapes or eat grapes, fresh or dried.
- 4 All the days of his separation he shall eat nothing that is produced by the grapevine, not even the seeds or the skins.
- 5 "All the days of his vow of separation, no razor shall touch his head. Until the time is completed for which he separates himself to the LORD, he shall be holy. He shall let the locks of hair of his head grow long.
- 6 "All the days that he separates himself to the LORD he shall not go near a dead body.
- 7 Not even for his father or for his mother, for brother or sister, if they die, shall he make himself unclean, because his separation to God is on his head.
- 8 All the days of his separation he is holy to the LORD.
- 9 "And if any man dies very suddenly beside him and he defiles his consecrated head, then he shall shave his head on the day of his cleansing; on the seventh day he shall shave it.
- 10 On the eighth day he shall bring two turtledoves or two pigeons to the priest to the entrance of the tent of meeting,
- 11 and the priest shall offer one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering, and make atonement for him, because he sinned by reason of the dead body. And he shall consecrate his head that same day
- 12 and separate himself to the LORD for the days of his separation and bring a male lamb a year old for a guilt offering. But the previous period shall be void, because his separation was defiled.
- 13 "And this is the law for the Nazirite, when the time of his separation has been completed: he shall be brought to the entrance of the tent of meeting,
- 14 and he shall bring his gift to the LORD, one male lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb a year old without blemish as a sin offering, and one ram without blemish as a peace offering,
- 15 and a basket of unleavened bread, loaves of fine flour mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers smeared with oil, and their grain offering and their drink offerings.
- 16 And the priest shall bring them before the LORD and offer his sin offering and his burnt offering,
- 17 and he shall offer the ram as a sacrifice of peace offering to the LORD, with the basket of unleavened bread. The priest shall offer also its grain offering and its drink offering.
- 18 And the Nazirite shall shave his consecrated head at the entrance of the tent of meeting and shall take the hair from his consecrated head and put it on the fire that is under the sacrifice of the peace offering.
- 19 And the priest shall take the shoulder of the ram, when it is boiled, and one unleavened loaf out of the basket and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them on the hands of the Nazirite, after he has shaved the hair of his consecration,
- 20 and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the LORD. They are a holy portion for the priest, together with the breast that is waved and the thigh that is contributed. And after that the Nazirite may drink wine.
- 21 "This is the law of the Nazirite. But if he vows an offering to the LORD above his Nazirite vow, as he can afford, in exact accordance with the vow that he takes, then he shall do in addition to the law of the Nazirite."
- 22 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
- 23 "Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them,
- 24 The LORD bless you and keep you;
- 25 the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
- 26 the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
- 27 "So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them."
Numbers chapter 6 nlt
- 1 Then the LORD said to Moses,
- 2 "Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. "If any of the people, either men or women, take the special vow of a Nazirite, setting themselves apart to the LORD in a special way,
- 3 they must give up wine and other alcoholic drinks. They must not use vinegar made from wine or from other alcoholic drinks, they must not drink fresh grape juice, and they must not eat grapes or raisins.
- 4 As long as they are bound by their Nazirite vow, they are not allowed to eat or drink anything that comes from a grapevine ? not even the grape seeds or skins.
- 5 "They must never cut their hair throughout the time of their vow, for they are holy and set apart to the LORD. Until the time of their vow has been fulfilled, they must let their hair grow long.
- 6 And they must not go near a dead body during the entire period of their vow to the LORD.
- 7 Even if the dead person is their own father, mother, brother, or sister, they must not defile themselves, for the hair on their head is the symbol of their separation to God.
- 8 This requirement applies as long as they are set apart to the LORD.
- 9 "If someone falls dead beside them, the hair they have dedicated will be defiled. They must wait for seven days and then shave their heads. Then they will be cleansed from their defilement.
- 10 On the eighth day they must bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest at the entrance of the Tabernacle.
- 11 The priest will offer one of the birds for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. In this way, he will purify them from the guilt they incurred through contact with the dead body. Then they must reaffirm their commitment and let their hair begin to grow again.
- 12 The days of their vow that were completed before their defilement no longer count. They must rededicate themselves to the LORD as a Nazirite for the full term of their vow, and each must bring a one-year-old male lamb for a guilt offering.
- 13 "This is the ritual law for Nazirites. At the conclusion of their time of separation as Nazirites, they must each go to the entrance of the Tabernacle
- 14 and offer their sacrifices to the LORD: a one-year-old male lamb without defect for a burnt offering, a one-year-old female lamb without defect for a sin offering, a ram without defect for a peace offering,
- 15 a basket of bread made without yeast ? cakes of choice flour mixed with olive oil and wafers spread with olive oil ? along with their prescribed grain offerings and liquid offerings.
- 16 The priest will present these offerings before the LORD: first the sin offering and the burnt offering;
- 17 then the ram for a peace offering, along with the basket of bread made without yeast. The priest must also present the prescribed grain offering and liquid offering to the LORD.
- 18 "Then the Nazirites will shave their heads at the entrance of the Tabernacle. They will take the hair that had been dedicated and place it on the fire beneath the peace-offering sacrifice.
- 19 After the Nazirite's head has been shaved, the priest will take for each of them the boiled shoulder of the ram, and he will take from the basket a cake and a wafer made without yeast. He will put them all into the Nazirite's hands.
- 20 Then the priest will lift them up as a special offering before the LORD. These are holy portions for the priest, along with the breast of the special offering and the thigh of the sacred offering that are lifted up before the LORD. After this ceremony the Nazirites may again drink wine.
- 21 "This is the ritual law of the Nazirites, who vow to bring these offerings to the LORD. They may also bring additional offerings if they can afford it. And they must be careful to do whatever they vowed when they set themselves apart as Nazirites."
- 22 Then the LORD said to Moses,
- 23 "Tell Aaron and his sons to bless the people of Israel with this special blessing:
- 24 'May the LORD bless you
and protect you. - 25 May the LORD smile on you
and be gracious to you. - 26 May the LORD show you his favor
and give you his peace.' - 27 Whenever Aaron and his sons bless the people of Israel in my name, I myself will bless them."
- Bible Book of Numbers
- 1 A Census of Israel's Warriors
- 2 Arrangement of the Camp
- 3 The Sons of Aaron
- 4 Duties of the Kohathites
- 5 Unclean People
- 6 The Nazirite Vow
- 7 Offerings at the Tabernacle's Consecration
- 8 The Seven Lamps
- 9 The Passover Celebrated
- 10 The Silver Trumpets
- 11 The People Complain
- 12 Miriam Leprosy
- 13 Spies Sent into Canaan
- 14 The People Rebel
- 15 Laws About Sacrifices
- 16 Korah's Rebellion
- 17 Staff of Aaron
- 18 Role of the Priests and Levites
- 19 Laws for Purification
- 20 Moses Strikes the Rock
- 21 Arad Destroyed
- 22 Balak and Balaam
- 23 Balaam's First Oracle
- 24 Balaam's Third Oracle
- 25 Moabite women seduces Israel
- 26 Census of the New Generation
- 27 The Daughters of Zelophehad
- 28 Daily Offerings
- 29 Offerings for the Feast of Trumpets
- 30 Men and Vows
- 31 Vengeance on Midian
- 32 Reuben and Gad Settle in Gilead
- 33 Recounting Israel's Journey
- 34 Boundaries of the Land
- 35 Cities for the Levites
- 36 Marriage of Female Heirs