# Numbers 06 š: The Nazirite Vow and Blessing
[[š Explore the Bible Books]]
[[-Numbers Overview]] | [[Numbers 05]] | [[Numbers 07]]
> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#š Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#š Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#š¤ Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#š§ Chapter Summary]]
> [[#āļø Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#š Key Principles / š Life Application]]
> [[#š¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#āļø Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#š Related Passages/Cross Reference]]
> [[#š Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#š Internal Notes]]
## š Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
### The Nazirite Vow
[[#Verse 01.]]Ā Then theĀ LordĀ spoke to Moses:Ā
[[#Verse 02.]]Ā āSpeak to the Israelites, and tell them, āWhen someoneāeither a man or a womanātakes a special vow,Ā to take a vowĀ as a Nazirite,Ā to separateĀ himself to theĀ Lord,Ā
[[#Verse 03.]]Ā he must separateĀ himself from wine and strong drink; he must drink neither vinegarĀ made from wine nor vinegar made from strong drink, nor may he drink any juiceĀ of grapes, nor eat fresh grapes or raisins.Ā
[[#Verse 04.]] All the days of his separation he must not eat anything that is produced by the grapevine, from seedĀ to skin.
[[#Verse 05.]]Ā āāAll the days of the vowĀ of his separation no razor may be used on his headĀ until the timeĀ is fulfilled for which he separated himself to theĀ Lord. He will be holy,Ā and he must letĀ the locks of hair on his head grow long.
[[#Verse 06.]]Ā āāAll the days that he separates himself to theĀ LordĀ he must not contactĀ a dead body.Ā
[[#Verse 07.]]Ā He must not defile himself evenĀ for his father or his mother or his brother or his sister if they die,Ā because the separationĀ forĀ his God is on his head.Ā
[[#Verse 08.]]Ā All the days of his separation he must be holy to theĀ Lord.
### Contingencies for Defilement
[[#Verse 09.]]Ā āāIf anyone dies very suddenlyĀ beside him and he defilesĀ his consecrated head,Ā then he must shave his head on the day of his purificationāon the seventh day he must shave it.
[[#Verse 10.]]Ā On the eighth day he is to bringĀ two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest, to the entrance to the tent of meeting.Ā
[[#Verse 11.]]Ā Then the priest will offer one for a purification offeringĀ and the otherĀ as a burnt offering,Ā and make atonementĀ for him, because of his transgressionĀ in regard to the corpse. So he must reconsecrateĀ his head on that day.Ā
[[#Verse 12.]]Ā He must rededicateĀ to theĀ LordĀ the days of his separation and bring a male lamb in its first year as a reparation offering,Ā but the former days will not be countedĀ because his separationĀ was defiled.
### Fulfilling the Vows
[[#Verse 13.]]Ā āāNow this is the law of the Nazirite: When the days of his separation are fulfilled, he must be broughtĀ to the entrance of the tent of meeting,Ā
[[#Verse 14.]]Ā and he must present his offeringĀ to theĀ Lord: one male lamb in its first year without blemish for a burnt offering, one ewe lamb in its first year without blemish for a purification offering, one ram without blemish for a peace offering,Ā
[[#Verse 15.]]Ā and a basket of bread made without yeast, cakes of fine flour mixed with olive oil, wafers made without yeast and smeared with olive oil, and theirĀ grain offering and their drink offerings.
[[#Verse 16.]]Ā āāThen the priest must present all theseĀ before theĀ LordĀ and offerĀ his purification offering and his burnt offering.Ā
[[#Verse 17.]]Ā Then he must offer the ram as a peace offeringĀ to theĀ LordĀ along with the basket of bread made without yeast; the priest must also offer his grain offering and his drink offering.
[[#Verse 18.]]Ā āāThen the Nazirite must shave his consecrated headĀ at the entrance to the tent of meeting and must take the hair from his consecrated head and put it on the fireĀ where the peace offering is burning.Ā
[[#Verse 19.]]Ā And the priest must take the boiled shoulder of the ram, one cake made without yeast from the basket, and one wafer made without yeast, and put them on the hands of the Nazirite after he has shaved his consecrated head;Ā
[[#Verse 20.]]Ā then the priest must wave them as a wave offeringĀ before theĀ Lord; it is a holy portion for the priest, together with the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the raised offering.Ā After this the Nazirite may drinkĀ wine.
[[#Verse 21.]]Ā āāThis is the lawĀ of the Nazirite who vows to theĀ LordĀ his offering according to his separation, as well as whatever else he can provide.Ā Thus he must fulfillĀ his vow that he makes, according to the law of his separation.āā
### The Priestly Benediction
[[#Verse 22.]]Ā Ā TheĀ LordĀ spoke to Moses:Ā
[[#Verse 23.]]Ā āTell Aaron and his sons, āThis is the wayĀ you are to blessĀ the Israelites. SayĀ to them:
[[#Verse 24.]]Ā āTheĀ LordĀ bless youĀ and protectĀ you;
[[#Verse 25.]]Ā TheĀ LordĀ make his face to shine upon you,
and be gracious to you;
[[#Verse 26.]]Ā TheĀ LordĀ lift up his countenance upon you
and give you peace.āā
[[#Verse 27.]]Ā āSo they will put my nameĀ on the Israelites, and I will bless them.ā
## š Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
###### Verse 02.
###### Verse 03.
###### Verse 04.
###### Verse 05.
###### Verse 06.
###### Verse 07.
###### Verse 08.
###### Verse 09.
###### Verse 10.
###### Verse 11.
###### Verse 12.
###### Verse 13.
###### Verse 14.
###### Verse 15.
###### Verse 16.
###### Verse 17.
###### Verse 18.
###### Verse 19.
###### Verse 20.
###### Verse 21.
###### Verse 22.
###### Verse 23.
###### Verse 24.
###### Verse 25.
###### Verse 26.
###### Verse 27.
## š¤ Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. "Nazirite" comes from the Hebrew *nazir*, meaning "separated" or "consecrated."
2. Both men and women could take the Nazirite vow (6:2).
3. A Nazirite avoided anything from the grapevine, did not cut his hair, and stayed away from dead bodies (6:3-6).
4. The vow was usually for a set time, but Samson, Samuel, and John the Baptist were set apart for life (Judges 13:5; 1 Samuel 1:11; Luke 1:15).
5. A Nazirite could not touch the body of even a parent or sibling who died (6:7).
6. At the end of the vow, the shaved hair was burned in the fire under the peace offering (6:18).
7. Paul took a vow and cut his hair at Cenchreae (Acts 18:18), and he paid the expenses of men completing a vow (Acts 21:23-26).
8. In Hebrew the three lines of the priestly blessing grow from three words to five to seven.
9. Two tiny silver scrolls found at Ketef Hinnom in Jerusalem contain the priestly blessing and are among the oldest known texts from the Bible, dated around 600 BC.
10. The priestly blessing is still spoken in synagogues and in many churches today.
## š§ Chapter Summary
> [!note] š± Still growing. This section is on its way.
## āļø Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the One through whom God's blessing rests on us. The priestly blessing places the Lord's name on His people (6:24-27), and in Christ God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3).
## š Key Principles / š Life Application
> [!note] š± Still growing. This section is on its way.
## š¬ Discussion Questions
1. The Nazirite vow was a voluntary way to be set apart to the Lord (6:2). What would it look like to set yourself apart for God in this season?
2. If a Nazirite became defiled, he had to start over (6:9-12). What does that teach about the seriousness of holy commitments?
3. Read the blessing in 6:24-26 slowly. Which line speaks most to you right now, and why?
## āļø Key Verses to Remember
- š verse 2: Any man or woman may take a Nazirite vow to separate to the Lord.
- š verses 24-26: The Lord bless you and keep you, make His face shine on you, and give you peace.
- š verse 27: The priests put the Lord's name on the Israelites, and He blesses them.
## š Related Passages/Cross Reference
- š [[Judges 13#Verse 05.|Judges 13:5]] - Samson set apart as a Nazirite from birth.
- š [[Luke 01#Verse 15.|Luke 1:15]] - John the Baptist will drink no wine.
- š [[Acts 21#Verse 23.|Acts 21:23-26]] - Paul joins men completing a vow.
- š [[Psalm 67#Verse 01.|Psalm 67:1]] - May God be gracious and make His face shine on us.
- š [[Ephesians 01#Verse 03.|Ephesians 1:3]] - Every spiritual blessing in Christ.
## š Devotional Reflection
> [!note] š± Still growing. This section is on its way.
## š Internal Notes