Numbers Chapter 6

The Nazirite Vow

^1-2 The LORD told Moses to say to Israel,

         “When men or women take a Nazarite vow to dedicate themselves to the LORD, ³ they must abstain from wine, alcohol, and from vinegar made from them. They can’t drink grape juice or eat fresh grapes or raisins. ⁴ They’re not to eat anything a grapevine produces from seeds to skin.

⁵ “During that time, they have to let their hair grow. ^6-7 They can’t make themselves ceremonially unclean by going near a dead body even for a parent or sibling that dies. [ ⁸ ]

Num 6:1-8

⁹ “If someone dies suddenly beside them and defiles their dedicated head, they’ll shave it the same day and on the seventh day. ¹⁰ The eighth day, they’ll take two turtledoves or young pigeons to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. ¹¹ The priest will offer one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering; that will purify them from their defilement. That same day they’ll re-consecrate their head, ¹² dedicate to the LORD their days as a Nazirite, and take a male lamb a year old for a guilt offering. Their previous days of separation are void.                                                       

Num 6:9-12

¹³ “When Nazirites finish their time of separation, they’ll take an offering to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting ¹⁴ and present it to the LORD:

one male lamb a year old without defect for a burnt offering,

one ewe lamb a year old without defect for a sin offering,

one ram without defect for a peace offering, ¹⁵ and

a basket of cakes of fine flour without yeast mixed with olive oil and

            wafers without yeast basted with olive oil, along with

their grain offering and liquid offerings.

¹⁶ The priest will present them all to the LORD. [ ¹⁷ ] ¹⁸ Then the Nazirites will shave their head and put the dedicated hair on the fire that’s under the peace offering. ¹⁹ The priest will take the ram’s boiled shoulder and one cake and wafer without yeast from the basket, and put them in the Nazirites’ hands. ²⁰ The priest will wave them in front of the LORD. They’re set apart for the priest, together with the chest offered by waving and the thigh offered by lifting up. Afterward Nazirites can drink wine again.

²¹ “That’s the law for Nazirites that vow their offering to the LORD for their separation in addition to what else they can afford.”

Num 6:13-21

Aaron’s Blessing

²² The LORD told Moses to have Aaron and his sons ²³ pronounce this blessing on Israel:

                        ²⁴ “The LORD bless you and keep you.

                        ²⁵ The LORD smile on you

                                    and be gracious to you.

                        ²⁶ The LORD lift up his countenance on you

                                    and give you peace.”

                                    ²⁷“In that way they’ll invoke my name on the people, and I’ll bless them.”            

Num 6:22-27