The Wilderness Years

He is not to make himself unclean for his father, mother, brother or sister when they die, since his consecration to God is on his head.

Throughout the time of his being a nazir he is holy for ADONAI.

"'If someone next to him dies very suddenly, so that he defiles his consecrated head, then he is to shave his head on the day of his purification; he is to shave it on the seventh day.

On the eighth day he is to bring two doves or two young pigeons to the cohen at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

The cohen is to prepare one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering and thus make atonement for him, inasmuch as he sinned because of the dead person. That same day he is to re-consecrate his head;

he is to consecrate to ADONAI the full period of his being a nazir by bringing a male lamb in its first year as a guilt offering. The previous days will not be counted, because his consecration became defiled.

"'This is the law for the nazir when his period of consecration is over: he is to be brought to the entrance of the tent of meeting,

where he will present his offering to ADONAI - one male lamb in its first year without defect as a burnt offering, one female lamb in its first year without defect as a sin offering, one ram without defect as peace offerings,

a basket of matzah, loaves made of fine flour mixed with olive oil, unleavened wafers spread with olive oil, their grain offering and their drink offerings.

The cohen is to bring them before ADONAI, offer his sin offering, his burnt offering,

and his ram as a sacrifice of peace offerings to ADONAI, with the basket of matzah. The cohen will also offer the grain offering and drink offering that go with the peace offering.

The nazir will shave his consecrated head at the entrance to the tent of meeting, take the hair removed from his consecrated head and put it on the fire under the sacrifice of peace offerings.

When the ram has been boiled, the cohen is to take its shoulder, one loaf of matzah from the basket and one unleavened wafer, and place them in the hands of the nazir, after he has shaved his consecrated head.

The cohen is to wave them as a wave offering before ADONAI; this is set aside for the cohen, along with the breast for waving and the raised-up thigh. Following that, the nazir may drink wine.

"'This is the law for the nazir who makes a vow and for his offering to ADONAI for his being a nazir - in addition to anything more for which he has sufficient means. In keeping with whatever vow he makes, he must do it according to the law for the nazir.'"

ADONAI said to Moshe,

"Speak to Aharon and his sons, and tell them that this is how you are to bless the people of Isra'el: you are to say to them,

'Y'varekh'kha ADONAI v'yishmerekha. [May ADONAI bless you and keep you.]

Ya'er ADONAI panav eleikha vichunekka. [May ADONAI make his face shine on you and show you his favor.]

Yissa ADONAI panav eleikha v'yasem l'kha shalom. [May ADONAI lift up his face toward you and give you peace.]'

"In this way they are to put my name on the people of Isra'el, so that I will bless them."

On the day Moshe finished putting up the tabernacle, he anointed and consecrated it, all its furnishings, and the altar with its utensils. After anointing and consecrating them,

the leaders of Isra'el, who were heads of their father's clans, made an offering. These were the tribal leaders in charge of those counted in the census.

They brought their offering before ADONAI, six covered wagons and twelve oxen -a wagon for every two leaders and for each an ox -and presented them in front of the tabernacle.

ADONAI said to Moshe,