Note: Words are shown in their original Hebrew order, which differs from English translations. This reflects the emphasis and structure of Scripture as originally written. Click any word to see its full lexicon entry.
3he is to abstain from wine and strong drink. He must not drink vinegar made from wine or strong drink, and he must not drink any grape juice or eat fresh grapes or raisins.
5For the entire period of his vow of separation, no razor shall pass over his head. He must be holy until the time of his separation to the LORD is complete; he must let the hair of his head grow long.
7Even if his father or mother or brother or sister should die, he is not to defile himself, because the crown of consecration to his God is upon his head.
9If someone suddenly dies in his presence and defiles his consecrated head of hair, he must shave his head on the day of his cleansing—the seventh day.
11And the priest is to offer one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to make atonement for him, because he has sinned by being in the presence of the dead body. On that day he must consecrate his head again.
12He must rededicate his time of separation to the LORD and bring a year-old male lamb as a guilt offering. But the preceding days shall not be counted, because his separation was defiled.
14and he is to present an offering to the LORD of an unblemished year-old male lamb as a burnt offering, an unblemished year-old female lamb as a sin offering, and an unblemished ram as a peace offering—
15together with their grain offerings and drink offerings—and a basket of unleavened cakes made from fine flour mixed with oil and unleavened wafers coated with oil.
17He shall also offer the ram as a peace offering to the LORD, along with the basket of unleavened bread. And the priest is to offer the accompanying grain offering and drink offering.
18Then at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the Nazirite is to shave his consecrated head, take the hair, and put it on the fire under the peace offering.
19And the priest is to take the boiled shoulder from the ram, one unleavened cake from the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and put them into the hands of the Nazirite who has just shaved the hair of his consecration.
20The priest shall then wave them as a wave offering before the LORD. This is a holy portion for the priest, in addition to the breast of the wave offering and the thigh that was presented. After that, the Nazirite may drink wine.
21This is the law of the Nazirite who vows his offering to the LORD for his separation, in addition to whatever else he can afford; he must fulfill whatever vow he makes, according to the law of his separation.”
Numbers 6 presents two distinct but spiritually significant topics: the law of the Nazarite vow and the Aaronic blessing. The Nazarite vow was a voluntary act of consecration by which an Israelite—man or woman—could set themselves apart to the LORD for a specific period through strict observance of three prohibitions: abstaining from wine and grape products, refusing to cut their hair, and avoiding contact with the dead. Following this, the chapter concludes with God's instruction to Aaron and his sons to pronounce the beautiful threefold blessing upon Israel, which remains one of the most treasured benedictions in Scripture.
The Nazarite vow (from the Hebrew nazir, meaning "separated" or "consecrated") was voluntary and temporary. Verses 2-4 establish the first prohibition: complete abstinence from all grape products—wine, strong drink, vinegar, and even fresh or dried grapes. This was not a blanket condemnation of wine itself, but rather a symbol of deliberate self-denial and separation from worldly pleasures. The second requirement (verse 5) forbade cutting the hair; the uncut hair became a visible sign of the vow, a public declaration of devotion to God. Both prohibitions emphasized that holiness involves both internal dedication and external witness. For us today, this reminds us that our faith should be visibly evident and willingly costly.
Verse 6 introduces the third requirement: avoiding contact with the dead, which rendered a person ceremonially unclean. Verses 6-7 explain that even family deaths could not exempt the Nazarite from this rule—the consecration of God upon their head superseded natural family obligations. This was radical and countercultural. However, verses 9-12 show God's mercy: accidental defilement was remediable through confession, sacrifices (a sin offering and burnt offering), and recommencement of the vow period. Those forfeited days "were lost" (verse 12), emphasizing both the seriousness of the vow and God's gracious provision for restoration through atonement.
Upon fulfilling the vow's duration, the Nazarite brought elaborate offerings to the tabernacle: a male lamb for a burnt offering, a female lamb for a sin offering, a ram for peace offerings, and unleavened bread with oil (verses 14-15). The priest would present these before the LORD, and the Nazarite would shave his head at the tabernacle door, placing the hair in the fire beneath the peace offering (verse 18). The priest then waved the shoulder and cake before the LORD as a wave offering (verse 20), after which the Nazarite could return to normal life, including drinking wine again. This detailed ceremony underscores that dedicated service to God, though requiring sacrifice, culminates in blessing, peace, and restoration to community.
The chapter concludes with the LORD instructing Aaron to pronounce a threefold blessing: "The LORD bless thee, and keep thee" (verse 24); "The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee" (verse 25); and "The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace" (verse 26). This blessing moves from material provision, to God's favor and grace, to God's smile and peace. Verse 27 affirms that in pronouncing this blessing, the priests place God's name upon Israel, securing His covenant blessing. This blessing transcends the Old Testament and remains powerful today for all who trust Christ.
Application for Today
While we no longer take Nazarite vows, Numbers 6 teaches that wholehearted dedication to God—visible, costly, and sustained—receives His blessing. The Aaronic blessing reminds us that God's heart toward His people is generous and gracious. Whether we're called to seasons of special consecration or simply to daily discipleship, we can trust that God will keep us, show us His favor, and grant us His peace.
Study Notes — Numbers 6
5 sectionsNumbers 6 presents two distinct but spiritually significant topics: the law of the Nazarite vow and the Aaronic blessing. The Nazarite vow was a voluntary act of consecration by which an Israelite—man or woman—could set themselves apart to the LORD for a specific period through strict observance of three prohibitions: abstaining from wine and grape products, refusing to cut their hair, and avoiding contact with the dead. Following this, the chapter concludes with God's instruction to Aaron and his sons to pronounce the beautiful threefold blessing upon Israel, which remains one of the most treasured benedictions in Scripture.
The Nazarite vow (from the Hebrew nazir, meaning "separated" or "consecrated") was voluntary and temporary. Verses 2-4 establish the first prohibition: complete abstinence from all grape products—wine, strong drink, vinegar, and even fresh or dried grapes. This was not a blanket condemnation of wine itself, but rather a symbol of deliberate self-denial and separation from worldly pleasures. The second requirement (verse 5) forbade cutting the hair; the uncut hair became a visible sign of the vow, a public declaration of devotion to God. Both prohibitions emphasized that holiness involves both internal dedication and external witness. For us today, this reminds us that our faith should be visibly evident and willingly costly.
Verse 6 introduces the third requirement: avoiding contact with the dead, which rendered a person ceremonially unclean. Verses 6-7 explain that even family deaths could not exempt the Nazarite from this rule—the consecration of God upon their head superseded natural family obligations. This was radical and countercultural. However, verses 9-12 show God's mercy: accidental defilement was remediable through confession, sacrifices (a sin offering and burnt offering), and recommencement of the vow period. Those forfeited days "were lost" (verse 12), emphasizing both the seriousness of the vow and God's gracious provision for restoration through atonement.
Upon fulfilling the vow's duration, the Nazarite brought elaborate offerings to the tabernacle: a male lamb for a burnt offering, a female lamb for a sin offering, a ram for peace offerings, and unleavened bread with oil (verses 14-15). The priest would present these before the LORD, and the Nazarite would shave his head at the tabernacle door, placing the hair in the fire beneath the peace offering (verse 18). The priest then waved the shoulder and cake before the LORD as a wave offering (verse 20), after which the Nazarite could return to normal life, including drinking wine again. This detailed ceremony underscores that dedicated service to God, though requiring sacrifice, culminates in blessing, peace, and restoration to community.
The chapter concludes with the LORD instructing Aaron to pronounce a threefold blessing: "The LORD bless thee, and keep thee" (verse 24); "The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee" (verse 25); and "The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace" (verse 26). This blessing moves from material provision, to God's favor and grace, to God's smile and peace. Verse 27 affirms that in pronouncing this blessing, the priests place God's name upon Israel, securing His covenant blessing. This blessing transcends the Old Testament and remains powerful today for all who trust Christ.
While we no longer take Nazarite vows, Numbers 6 teaches that wholehearted dedication to God—visible, costly, and sustained—receives His blessing. The Aaronic blessing reminds us that God's heart toward His people is generous and gracious. Whether we're called to seasons of special consecration or simply to daily discipleship, we can trust that God will keep us, show us His favor, and grant us His peace.