Numbers chapter 6 details the law of the Nazarite vow, a special consecration to the Lord. Individuals taking this vow were required to abstain from wine and all products of the vine, avoid cutting their hair, and not come near any dead body. Upon completion, specific offerings were made, and the Nazarite's hair was shaved and burned. The chapter concludes with the Aaronic blessing, a formula for priests to bless the children of Israel.
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 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.
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.
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 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 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 they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.
Study Notes for Numbers 6
Verse 2
The term 'Nazarite' (Heb. *nazir*) means 'separated' or 'consecrated.' Unlike the hereditary priesthood, this vow was typically voluntary and temporary, symbolizing intense, personal dedication to the LORD.
Verse 3
The requirement to abstain entirely from all grape products (wine, vinegar, grapes) ensured a radical separation from common celebration and symbolized self-denial and focus on holiness.
Verse 5
The uncut hair was the visible physical sign of the Nazirite’s consecration (*nezer*). This physical manifestation of the vow paralleled the high priest's requirement not to cut his hair, emphasizing the Nazirite's temporary priestly status.
Verse 6
The Nazirite had to avoid all contact with the dead, a stringent requirement mirroring the highest standard of cultic purity demanded of the high priest, signifying the holiness of the vow.
Verse 7
Even immediate family members could not override the sanctity of the vow. The consecration of God upon his head took precedence over common duties of mourning.
Verse 9
This section addresses accidental defilement. God provides a path for purification and restoration, demonstrating that the vow, though broken unintentionally, could be resumed rather than permanently cancelled.
Verse 11
The required sin offering and burnt offering indicate that defilement, even accidental, required purification and atonement before the Nazirite could resume their consecrated status.
Verse 12
If defiled, the previous days were 'lost,' meaning the Nazirite had to restart the entire period of separation after completing the purification ritual, emphasizing the seriousness of maintaining purity.
Verse 13
This transition marks the end of the separation period, where the Nazirite publicly fulfills the vow and returns to ordinary status by presenting specific offerings at the Tabernacle door.
Verse 14
The required offerings covered dedication (burnt), purification (sin), and fellowship (peace), comprehensively concluding the period of special holiness.
Verse 18
Shaving the head symbolized the transfer of the signs of consecration (the hair) to the sanctuary fire. This public act formally ended the separation.
Verse 20
After the concluding ritual, the Nazirite was permitted to drink wine again, signifying the successful completion and termination of the temporary heightened status of holiness.
Verse 22
This sudden thematic shift introduces the formal, trifold blessing mandated by God for the priests to pronounce over the people, ensuring divine favor upon the community.
Verse 24
The first line focuses on material provision and divine protection ('keep thee'), essential for Israel's journey and survival in the wilderness.
Verse 25
The second line uses the metaphor of God's 'face shining' to request divine favor, acceptance, and grace, implying a benevolent and intimate relationship.
Verse 26
The final line requests *shalom* (wholeness, well-being, peace)—the ultimate blessing in ancient Israel—climaxing the blessing formula.
Verse 27
By pronouncing God's name (YHWH) upon the people, the priests acted as authorized representatives, but the actual power and resulting blessing came directly from God ('I will bless them').
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