Numbers 6
Expanded Bible
Rules for the Nazirites
6 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell the Lord ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel]: ‘If men or women want to ·promise [make a special vow] to ·belong to the Lord in a special way [separate themselves to the Lord], they will be called Nazirites [C people especially set apart in devotion to God; Samson and Samuel are examples]. 3 During this time, they must not drink wine or ·beer [T strong drink; C an alcoholic beverage made from grain], or vinegar made from wine or ·beer [T strong drink]. They must not even drink grape juice or eat grapes or raisins. 4 While they are Nazirites, they must not eat anything that comes from the grapevine, even the seeds or the skin.
5 “‘During the time they have ·promised [vowed] to ·belong to the [separate themselves to the] Lord, they must not cut their hair [C avoiding contact with dead matter]. They must be holy until this special time is over. They must let their hair grow long. 6 During ·their special time of belonging [the time of their vow] to the Lord, Nazirites must not go near a dead body. 7 Even if their own father, mother, brother, or sister dies, they must not ·touch them, or they will become unclean [L defile themselves; C in a ritual sense]. ·They must still keep their promise to belong to God in a special way [L The consecration/separation to God is on their head]. 8 While they are Nazirites, they ·belong to the Lord in a special way [L are holy to the Lord].
9 “‘If they are next to someone who dies suddenly, their hair, which was ·part of their promise [consecrated], has been ·made unclean [defiled; C in a ritual sense]. So they must shave their head seven days later to be clean. 10 Then on the eighth day, they must bring two doves or two young pigeons to the priest at the entrance to the Meeting Tent. 11 The priest will offer one as a ·sin [or purification; Lev. 4:3] offering and the other as a burnt offering [Lev. 1:1–17]. This ·removes sin so they will belong to the Lord [makes atonement for them]. (They had sinned because they were near a dead body.) That same day they ·will again promise to let their hair grow [L sanctify/consecrate the head] 12 and ·give themselves [separate themselves] to the Lord for ·another special time [L their time as Nazirites]. They must bring a male lamb a year old as a ·penalty [guilt; reparation; Lev. 5:14—6:9] offering. The days of the special time before don’t count, because ·they became unclean during their first special time [L the consecrated/sanctified head became defiled].
13 “‘This is the ·teaching [instruction; law] for the Nazirites. When the ·promised time [time of their consecration] is over, they must go to the entrance of the Meeting Tent 14 and give their offerings to the Lord. They must offer a year-old male lamb that ·has nothing wrong with it [is unblemished], as a burnt offering [Lev. 1:1–17], a year-old female lamb that ·has nothing wrong with it [is unblemished], as a ·sin [or purification; Lev. 4:3] offering, and a ·male sheep [ram] that ·has nothing wrong with it [is unblemished], for a ·fellowship [or peace; well-being] offering [Lev. 3:1]. 15 They must also bring the ·grain [L gift; tribute] offerings [Lev. 2:1] and drink offerings that go with them. And they must bring a basket of bread made without ·yeast [leaven], loaves made with ·fine [choice] flour mixed with oil, and wafers made without ·yeast [leaven] spread with oil.
16 “‘The priest will give these offerings to the Lord and make the ·sin [or purification; Lev. 4:3] offering and the burnt offering [Lev. 1:1–17]. 17 Then he will ·kill [L offer] the ·male sheep [ram] as a ·fellowship [or peace; well-being] offering [Lev. 3:1] to the Lord; along with it, he will present the basket of bread made without yeast [leaven], the ·grain [L gift; tribute] offering [Lev. 2:1], and the drink offering.
18 “‘The Nazirites must go to the entrance of the Meeting Tent and shave ·off their hair that they grew for their promise [L their consecrated head]. The hair will be put in the fire that is under the sacrifice of the ·fellowship [or peace; well-being] offering [Lev. 3:1].
19 “‘After the Nazirites ·cut off their hair [L shave their consecrated head], the priest will give them a boiled shoulder from the ·male sheep [ram]. From the basket he will also give a loaf and a wafer, both made without ·yeast [leaven]. 20 Then the priest will ·present [elevate] them to the Lord. They are ·holy and belong to [a holy portion for] the priest. Also, he is to ·present [elevate] the breast and the thigh from the ·male sheep [ram]. After that, the Nazirites may drink wine.
21 “‘This is the ·teaching [instruction; law] for the Nazirites who ·make a promise [take a vow]. Everyone who makes the Nazirite ·promise [vow] must give all of these gifts to the Lord. If they promised to do more, they must keep their ·promise [vow], according to the ·teaching [instruction; law] of the Nazirites.’”
The Priests’ Blessings
22 The Lord said to Moses, 23 “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you should bless the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel]. Say to them:
24 “May the Lord bless you and ·keep [guard] you.
25 May the Lord ·show you his kindness [L make his face shine upon you]
and ·have mercy on [be gracious to] you.
26 May the Lord ·watch over [L lift his face/presence/countenance upon] you
and give you peace.”’
27 “So Aaron and his sons will ·bless the Israelites with my name [L put my name upon the sons/T children of Israel], and I will bless them.”
Numbers 6
Amplified Bible
Law of the Nazirites
6 Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Say to the sons of Israel, ‘When a man or a woman makes a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, that is, one separated and dedicated to the Lord, 3 he shall abstain from wine and strong drink; he shall drink no vinegar, whether made from wine or strong drink, nor shall he drink any grape juice nor eat fresh or dried grapes.(A) 4 [a]All the time of his separation he shall not eat anything produced from the grapevine, from the seeds even to the skins.
5 ‘All the time of the vow of his separation no razor shall be used on his head. Until the time of his separation to the Lord is completed, he shall be holy, and shall let the hair of his head grow long.
6 ‘All the time that he separates himself to the Lord he shall not go near a dead body. 7 He shall not make himself [ceremonially] unclean for his father, mother, brother, or sister, when they die, because [the responsibility for] his separation to God is on his head. 8 All the time of his separation he is holy to the Lord.
9 ‘If a man dies very suddenly beside him, and he defiles his dedicated head, then he shall shave his head on the day that he becomes [ceremonially] clean; he shall shave it on the seventh day [the end of the purification period]. 10 On the eighth day he shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest, to the doorway of the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle). 11 The priest shall offer the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering and make atonement for him concerning his sin because of the [dead] body. He shall consecrate his head the same day, 12 and he shall dedicate himself to the Lord for the time of his separation and shall bring a male lamb a year old as a guilt offering; but the previous days will be void and lost, because his separation was defiled.
13 ‘Now this is the law of the Nazirite when the days of his separation and dedication are fulfilled: he shall bring the offering to the doorway of the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle). 14 and he shall offer his gift to the Lord: one male lamb a year old without blemish as a burnt offering, and one female lamb a year old without blemish as a sin offering, and one ram without blemish as a peace offering, 15 and a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread spread with oil, along with their grain offering and their drink offering. 16 Then the priest shall present them before the Lord and shall offer the person’s 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 offer also its grain offering and its drink offering. 18 The Nazirite shall shave his dedicated head at the doorway of the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle), and take the dedicated hair of his head and put it on the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace offerings. 19 The priest shall take the boiled shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened [ring-shaped] loaf out of the basket, and one unleavened flat cake and shall put them on the hands of the Nazirite after he has shaved his dedicated hair. 20 Then the priest shall wave them as a wave offering before the Lord; they are a holy portion for the priest, together with the breast that is waved and the thigh that is offered by lifting up; and afterward the Nazirite may drink wine.’
21 “This is the law for the [b]Nazirite who vows his offering to the Lord for his separation, besides what else [c]he is able to afford, according to the vow which he has vowed; so shall he do according to the law for his separation and abstinence [as a Nazirite].”(B)
Aaron’s Benediction
22 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the way you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them:
24
The Lord bless you, and keep you [protect you, sustain you, and guard you];
25
The Lord make His face shine upon you [with favor],
And be gracious to you [surrounding you with lovingkindness];
26
The Lord lift up His countenance (face) upon you [with divine approval],
And give you peace [a tranquil heart and life].’
27 So Aaron and his sons shall put My name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them.”
Footnotes
- Numbers 6:4 Lit All the days of his consecration and so throughout.
- Numbers 6:21 Normally, the Nazirite vow was for a limited duration (usually two weeks). Samson’s Nazirite vow was special in that it seemed to have involved a lifetime commitment (Judg 13:1-16:31).
- Numbers 6:21 Lit his hand can reach.
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