Law of the Nazirites

Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When a man or woman makes [a]a special vow, namely, the vow of (A)a [b]Nazirite, to live as a Nazirite for the Lord, he shall (B)abstain from wine and [c]strong drink; he shall [d]consume no vinegar, whether made from wine or strong drink, nor shall he drink any grape juice nor eat fresh or dried grapes. All the days of his consecration he shall not eat anything that is produced from the grape vine, from the seeds even to the skin.

‘All the days of his vow of consecration (C)no razor shall pass over his head. He shall be holy until the days are fulfilled which he lives as a Nazirite for the Lord; he shall let the locks of hair on his head grow long.

(D)All the days of his life as a Nazirite for the Lord he shall not come up to a dead person. He (E)shall not make himself unclean for his father or for his mother, for his brother or for his sister, when they die, because his consecration to God is [e]on his head. All the days of his consecration he is holy to the Lord.

‘But if someone dies very suddenly beside him and he defiles his consecrated head of hair, then (F)he shall shave his head on the day when he becomes clean; (G)he shall shave it on the seventh day. 10 Then on the eighth day he shall bring (H)two turtledoves or two young doves to the priest, to the entrance of the tent of meeting. 11 And the priest shall offer (I)one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, and make atonement for him [f]regarding his sin because of the dead person. And on that same day he shall consecrate his head, 12 and shall live his days of consecration as a Nazirite for the Lord, and shall bring a male lamb a year old as a guilt offering; but the preceding days will [g]not count, because his consecration was defiled.

13 ‘Now this is the law of the Nazirite (J)when the days of his consecration are fulfilled: he shall bring [h]his offering to the entrance of the tent of meeting. 14 And he shall present his offering to the Lord: one male lamb a year old without defect as a burnt offering, one (K)ewe lamb a year old without defect as a sin offering, one ram without defect as a peace offering, 15 and a basket of (L)unleavened loaves of fine flour mixed with oil and unleavened wafers spread with oil, along with (M)their grain offering and their drink offering. 16 Then the priest shall present them before the Lord and offer his sin offering and his burnt offering. 17 He shall also offer the ram as a sacrifice of peace offerings to the Lord, together with the basket of unleavened bread; the priest shall also offer its grain offering and its drink offering. 18 (N)The Nazirite shall then shave his consecrated head of hair at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and take the consecrated hair of his head and put it on the fire which is under the sacrifice of peace offerings. 19 (O)And the priest shall take the ram’s shoulder when it has been boiled, and one unleavened loaf from the basket and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them on the [i]hands of the Nazirite after he has shaved his consecrated hair. 20 Then the priest shall wave them as a wave offering before the Lord. It is holy for the priest, together with the breast offered as a wave offering, and the thigh offered as [j]a contribution; and (P)afterward the Nazirite may drink wine.’

21 “This is the law of the Nazirite who vows his offering to the Lord according to his consecration, in addition to what else [k]he can afford; corresponding to his vow which he makes, so he shall do according to the law of his consecration.”

Aaron’s Benediction

22 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 23 “Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘In this way (Q)you shall bless the sons of Israel. You are to say to them:

24 The Lord (R)bless you, and [l](S)keep you;

25 The Lord (T)cause His face to shine on you,
And (U)be gracious to you;

26 The Lord (V)lift up His face to you,
And (W)give you peace.’

27 So they shall [m](X)invoke My name on the sons of Israel, and then I will bless them.”

Offerings of the Leaders

Now on (Y)the day that Moses had finished setting up the tabernacle, he (Z)anointed it and consecrated it with all its furnishings, and the altar and all its utensils; he anointed them and consecrated them also. Then (AA)the leaders of Israel, the heads of their fathers’ households, (AB)made an offering (they were the leaders of the tribes; they were the [n]supervisors over the [o]numbered men). When they brought their offering before the Lord, six (AC)covered carts and twelve oxen, a cart for every two of the leaders and an ox for each one, then they presented them in front of the tabernacle. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Accept these things from them, that they may be [p]used in the service of the tent of meeting, and you shall give them to the Levites, to each man according to his service.” So Moses took the carts and the oxen and gave them to the Levites. Two carts and four oxen he gave to the sons of Gershon, according to (AD)their service, and four carts and eight oxen he gave to the sons of Merari, according to (AE)their service, [q]under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. But he did not give any to the sons of Kohath, because theirs was (AF)the service of the holy objects, which they carried on the shoulder.

10 And the leaders offered the dedication offering [r]for the altar [s]when (AG)it was anointed, so the leaders offered their offering before the altar. 11 Then the Lord said to Moses, “They shall present their offering, one leader each day, for the dedication of the altar.”

12 Now the one who presented his offering on the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah; 13 and his offering was one silver [t](AH)dish whose weight was 130 shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels (AI)in [u]sanctuary shekels, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 14 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 15 one [v]bull, one ram, and one male lamb one year old, as a burnt offering; 16 (AJ)one male goat as a sin offering; 17 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of (AK)Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

18 On the second day Nethanel the son of Zuar, leader of Issachar, presented an offering; 19 he presented as his offering one silver dish whose weight was 130 shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels in sanctuary shekels, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 20 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 21 one bull, one ram, and one male lamb one year old, as a burnt offering; 22 one male goat as a sin offering; 23 and for the sacrifice of (AL)peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Nethanel the son of Zuar.

24 On the third day it was Eliab the son of Helon, leader of the sons of Zebulun; 25 his offering was also one silver dish whose weight was 130 shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels in sanctuary shekels, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 26 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 27 one bull, one ram, and one (AM)male lamb one year old, as a burnt offering; 28 one male goat as a sin offering; 29 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Eliab the son of Helon.

30 On the fourth day it was Elizur the son of Shedeur, leader of the sons of Reuben; 31 his offering was also one silver dish whose weight was 130 shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels in sanctuary shekels, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 32 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 33 one bull, one ram, and one (AN)male lamb one year old, as a burnt offering; 34 one male goat as a sin offering; 35 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Elizur the son of Shedeur.

36 On the fifth day it was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai, leader of the sons of Simeon; 37 his offering was also one silver dish whose weight was 130 shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels in sanctuary shekels, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 38 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 39 one bull, one ram, and one male lamb one year old, as a burnt offering; 40 one male goat as a sin offering; 41 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.

42 On the sixth day it was (AO)Eliasaph the son of Deuel, leader of the sons of Gad; 43 his offering was also one silver dish whose weight was 130 shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels in sanctuary shekels, both of them full of (AP)fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 44 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 45 (AQ)one bull, one ram, and one male lamb one year old, as a burnt offering; 46 one male goat as a sin offering; 47 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

48 On the seventh day it was (AR)Elishama the son of Ammihud, leader of the sons of Ephraim; 49 his offering was also one silver dish whose weight was 130 shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels in sanctuary shekels, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 50 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of (AS)incense; 51 (AT)one bull, one ram, and one male lamb one year old, as a burnt offering; 52 one male goat as a sin offering; 53 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Elishama the son of Ammihud.

54 On the eighth day it was (AU)Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, leader of the sons of Manasseh; 55 his offering was also one silver dish whose weight was 130 shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels in sanctuary shekels, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 56 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of (AV)incense; 57 one bull, one ram, and one (AW)male lamb one year old, as a burnt offering; 58 one male goat as a sin offering; 59 and for the (AX)sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.

60 On the ninth day it was (AY)Abidan the son of Gideoni, leader of the sons of Benjamin; 61 his offering was also one silver dish whose weight was 130 shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels in sanctuary shekels, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 62 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of (AZ)incense; 63 one bull, one ram, and one male lamb one year old, as a burnt offering; 64 one male goat as a (BA)sin offering; 65 and for the sacrifice of (BB)peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Abidan the son of Gideoni.

66 On the tenth day it was (BC)Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai, leader of the sons of Dan; 67 his offering was also one silver dish whose weight was 130 shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels in sanctuary (BD)shekels, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 68 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of (BE)incense; 69 one bull, one ram, and one male lamb one year old, as a burnt offering; 70 one male goat as a sin offering; 71 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

72 On the eleventh day it was (BF)Pagiel the son of Ochran, leader of the sons of Asher; 73 his offering was also one silver dish whose weight was 130 shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels in sanctuary shekels, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 74 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of (BG)incense; 75 one bull, one ram, and one male lamb one year old, as a burnt offering; 76 one male goat as a sin offering; 77 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Pagiel the son of Ochran.

78 On the twelfth day it was (BH)Ahira the son of Enan, leader of the sons of Naphtali; 79 his offering was also one (BI)silver dish whose weight was 130 shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels in sanctuary shekels, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 80 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 81 one bull, one ram, and one male lamb one year old, as a burnt offering; 82 one male goat as a sin offering; 83 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Ahira the son of Enan.

84 This was (BJ)the dedication offering [w]for the altar from the leaders of Israel [x]when (BK)it was anointed: twelve silver dishes, twelve silver bowls, and twelve gold pans, 85 each silver dish weighing 130 shekels and each bowl seventy; all the silver of the utensils totaled 2,400 in sanctuary shekels; 86 the twelve gold pans full of incense, weighing ten shekels apiece in sanctuary (BL)shekels, all the gold of the pans totaled 120 shekels. 87 All the oxen for the burnt offering totaled twelve bulls, all the rams, twelve, the male lambs one year old with their grain offering, twelve, and the male goats as a sin offering, twelve; 88 and all the oxen for the sacrifice of peace offerings totaled twenty-four bulls, all the rams, sixty, the male goats, sixty, and the male lambs one year old, sixty. (BM)This was the dedication offering for the altar after it was anointed.

89 Now when (BN)Moses entered the tent of meeting to speak with Him, he heard the voice speaking to him from above (BO)the [y]atoning cover that was on the ark of the testimony, from (BP)between the two [z]cherubim; so He spoke to him.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 6:2 Or an extraordinary
  2. Numbers 6:2 I.e., one consecrated to God
  3. Numbers 6:3 I.e., other alcoholic drink
  4. Numbers 6:3 Lit drink
  5. Numbers 6:7 I.e., referring either to the visibility of the long hair, or to the consequences of violating the vow
  6. Numbers 6:11 Lit because of that which he sinned
  7. Numbers 6:12 Lit fall
  8. Numbers 6:13 Lit it
  9. Numbers 6:19 Lit palms
  10. Numbers 6:20 Or an uplifted offering
  11. Numbers 6:21 Lit his hand reaches
  12. Numbers 6:24 Or watch over; or take care of
  13. Numbers 6:27 Lit put
  14. Numbers 7:2 Lit ones standing
  15. Numbers 7:2 Lit mustered
  16. Numbers 7:5 Lit for serving
  17. Numbers 7:8 Lit by the hand
  18. Numbers 7:10 Lit of
  19. Numbers 7:10 Lit in the day that
  20. Numbers 7:13 Or platter, and so through v 85
  21. Numbers 7:13 About 0.5 oz. or 14 gm, and so through v 86
  22. Numbers 7:15 Lit bull, a son of the herd, and so through v 81
  23. Numbers 7:84 Lit of
  24. Numbers 7:84 Lit in the day that
  25. Numbers 7:89 Also called mercy seat; i.e., where blood was sprinkled on the Day of Atonement
  26. Numbers 7:89 Heb plural of cherub

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