Numbers 6: The Nazirite vow, and the priests' blessing
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
Yahweh gives the law for a man or woman who makes the vow of a Nazirite, set apart for Yahweh: no wine or anything from the grapevine, no razor on the head, and no going near a dead body. If someone dies suddenly beside him, he shaves his head, brings offerings and starts again, and when his days are over he brings offerings and puts his shaved hair on the fire under the peace offering. Then Yahweh gives Aaron and his sons the words for blessing Israel.
Who is speaking?
Yahweh speaks to Moses. God's own words are in 25 of the 27 verses: the law of the Nazirite in verses 2 to 21, and the blessing in verses 23 to 27. In verses 24 to 26 Yahweh gives Aaron and his sons the words they are to say over Israel. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
In plain English: Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
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2“Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them: ‘When either man or woman shall make a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself to Yahweh,God speaks
In plain English: "Speak to the Israelites and tell them: 'When a man or a woman makes a special vow (or: a vow out of the ordinary), the vow of a Nazirite, to set himself apart for Yahweh,
The Hebrew word: "Nazirite" is nazir, from nazar, which the dictionary gives as "to hold aloof", and "to set apart (to sacred purposes)". The verse says literally "to vow the vow of a Nazirite, to be a Nazirite to Yahweh".
How it is translated: This Bible says "Nazirite" (or Nazirites) in 11 of the 16 verses that use nazir. In it says Joseph was "separated" from his brothers, and in it is an "undressed" vine, one left unpruned.
The Hebrew word: "Make a special vow" uses pala, which the dictionary gives as "to be great, difficult, wonderful". This Bible says "wonder" or a longer form in 21 of the 69 verses that use it.
What changes: Read as "make a special vow", the words name a set kind of promise. Read as "do something wonderful (or: hard)", they say the vow is out of the ordinary.
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3he shall separate himself from wine and strong drink. He shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of fermented drink, neither shall he drink any juice of grapes, nor eat fresh grapes or dried.God speaks
In plain English: he is to keep away from wine and strong drink. He is not to drink vinegar made from wine or from strong drink, or drink any grape juice, or eat grapes, fresh or dried.
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4All the days of his separation he shall eat nothing that is made of the grapevine, from the seeds even to the skins.God speaks
In plain English: All the days of his separation (his time as a Nazirite) he is not to eat anything that comes from the grapevine, from the seeds (or: the unripe grapes) to the skins.
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5“‘All the days of his vow of separation no razor shall come on his head, until the days are fulfilled in which he separates himself to Yahweh. He shall be holy. He shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow long.God speaks
In plain English: 'All the days of his vow of separation no razor is to touch his head. Until the days of his separation to Yahweh are over, he is to be holy. He is to let the hair of his head grow long.
Good to know: "No razor shall come on his head" is said of Samson, who is called "a Nazirite to God from the womb" (), and of the son Hannah asks for in , though that verse does not use the word Nazirite. In Paul shaves his head because he had a vow. The text there does not say what kind of vow.
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6“‘All the days that he separates himself to Yahweh he shall not go near a dead body.God speaks
In plain English: 'All the days he is set apart for Yahweh, he is not to go near a dead body.
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7He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die, because his separation to God is on his head.God speaks
In plain English: He is not to make himself unclean even for his father, his mother, his brother or his sister when they die, because his separation to God (or: the crown of his God, his long hair) is on his head.
The Hebrew word: "Separation" is nezer. The dictionary gives it as "properly, something set apart, i.e. dedication (of a priest or Nazirite); hence unshorn locks; also a chaplet" (a crown).
How it is translated: In Numbers this Bible says "separation" in all 10 verses that use nezer. Elsewhere it says "crown" in 11 verses: the high priest's holy crown in , and a king's crown in .
What changes: Read as "separation", what is on his head is his dedication to God. Read as "crown", it is his uncut hair, worn as a crown for God.
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8All the days of his separation he is holy to Yahweh.God speaks
In plain English: All the days of his separation he is holy to Yahweh.
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9“‘If any man dies very suddenly beside him, and he defiles the head of his separation, then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing. On the seventh day he shall shave it.God speaks
In plain English: 'If someone dies very suddenly beside him, and he makes his consecrated head unclean (literally: the head of his separation), he is to shave his head on the day he is made clean. He is to shave it on the seventh day.
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10On the eighth day he shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest, to the door of the Tent of Meeting.God speaks
In plain English: On the eighth day he is to bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.
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11The 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, and shall make his head holy that same day.God speaks
In plain English: The priest is to offer one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, and make atonement for him, because he sinned on account of the dead body. He is to make his head holy that same day.
Good to know: "He sinned" is chata, which the dictionary gives as "properly, to miss", and also "to sin". In the death happens suddenly, beside him. In this Bible gives the same word as "cleanse".
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12He shall separate to Yahweh the days of his separation, and shall bring a male lamb a year old for a trespass offering; but the former days shall be void, because his separation was defiled.God speaks
In plain English: He is to set apart to Yahweh the days of his separation, and bring a male lamb a year old as a trespass offering (or: guilt offering). The earlier days do not count (literally: will fall), because his separation was made unclean.
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13“‘This is the law of the Nazirite: when the days of his separation are fulfilled, he shall be brought to the door of the Tent of Meeting,God speaks
In plain English: 'This is the law of the Nazirite: when the days of his separation are over, he is to be brought to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting,
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14and he shall offer his offering to Yahweh: one male lamb a year old without defect for a burnt offering, one ewe lamb a year old without defect for a sin offering, one ram without defect for peace offerings,God speaks
In plain English: and he is to offer his offering to Yahweh: one male lamb a year old with no defect as a burnt offering, one female lamb a year old with no defect as a sin offering, one ram with no defect as a peace offering,
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15a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil with their meal offering and their drink offerings.God speaks
In plain English: and a basket of bread made without yeast: cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, and wafers without yeast spread with oil, with their meal offering and their drink offerings.
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16The priest shall present them before Yahweh, and shall offer his sin offering and his burnt offering.God speaks
In plain English: The priest is to bring them before Yahweh and offer his sin offering and his burnt offering.
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17He shall offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings to Yahweh, with the basket of unleavened bread. The priest shall offer also its meal offering and its drink offering.God speaks
In plain English: He is to offer the ram as a sacrifice of peace offerings to Yahweh, with the basket of bread without yeast. The priest is also to offer its meal offering and its drink offering.
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18The Nazirite shall shave the head of his separation at the door of the Tent of Meeting, take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it on the fire which is under the sacrifice of peace offerings.God speaks
In plain English: The Nazirite is to shave his consecrated head at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. He is to take the hair of his consecrated head and put it on the fire under the sacrifice of peace offerings.
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19The priest shall take the boiled shoulder of the ram, one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them on the hands of the Nazirite after he has shaved the head of his separation;God speaks
In plain English: The priest is to take the boiled shoulder of the ram, one cake without yeast from the basket, and one wafer without yeast, and put them in the hands of the Nazirite after he has shaved his consecrated head.
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20and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before Yahweh. They are holy for the priest, together with the breast that is waved and the thigh that is offered. After that the Nazirite may drink wine.God speaks
In plain English: The priest is to wave them as a wave offering before Yahweh. They are holy and belong to the priest, along with the breast that is waved and the thigh that is given. After that the Nazirite may drink wine.
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21“‘This is the law of the Nazirite who vows and of his offering to Yahweh for his separation, in addition to that which he is able to afford. According to his vow which he vows, so he must do after the law of his separation.’”God speaks
In plain English: 'This is the law of the Nazirite who makes a vow, and of his offering to Yahweh for his separation, besides whatever else he can afford. He must do what he vowed, as the law of his separation says.'"
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22Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
In plain English: Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
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23“Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘This is how you shall bless the children of Israel.’ You shall tell them,God speaks
In plain English: "Speak to Aaron and his sons and say, 'This is how you are to bless the Israelites.' Say to them:
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24‘Yahweh bless you, and keep you.God speaks
In plain English: 'May Yahweh bless you and keep (guard) you.
The Hebrew word: "Keep" is shamar, which the dictionary gives as "properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect".
Church tradition: In Jewish practice the priests (the kohanim) still say this blessing over the people in the synagogue, and many churches use it to close a service. Some Christian writers have read the name Yahweh, said three times, as pointing to the Trinity. The text gives the blessing as the words Aaron and his sons are to say (), and it does not explain the three lines.
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25Yahweh make his face to shine on you, and be gracious to you.God speaks
In plain English: May Yahweh make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Hebrew word: "Be gracious" is chanan, which the dictionary gives as "properly, to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior; to favor".
How it is translated: This Bible says "gracious" in 11 of the 73 verses that use chanan, and "mercy" in 21.
What changes: Read as "be gracious", Yahweh shows favor. Read as "have mercy", he shows kindness to someone in need.
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26Yahweh lift up his face toward you, and give you peace.’God speaks
In plain English: May Yahweh lift up his face toward you and give you peace (or: well-being).'
The Hebrew word: "Peace" is shalom. The dictionary gives it as "safe, i.e. well, happy, friendly", and also "welfare, i.e. health, prosperity, peace".
How it is translated: This Bible says "peace" in 160 of the 209 verses that use shalom.
What changes: Read as "peace", the blessing asks for an end to trouble. Read as "well-being", it asks for health and every good thing.
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27“So they shall put my name on the children of Israel; and I will bless them.”God speaks
In plain English: "So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them."
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