New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Numbers 6
1
The Lord said to Moses,
2
"Speak to the people of Israel. Say to them, 'Suppose a man or woman wants to make a special promise. They want to set themselves apart to the Lord for a certain period of time. They want to be Nazirites.
Reference
3
" 'Then they must not drink any kind of wine. They must not drink vinegar that is made out of wine of any kind. They must not drink grape juice. They must not eat grapes or raisins.
Reference
4
As long as they are Nazirites, they must not eat anything grapevines produce. They must not even eat the seeds or skins of grapes.
Reference
Parallel theme
Numbers 6:5
5
" 'They must not use razors on their heads. They must not cut their hair during the whole time they have set themselves apart to the Lord. They must be holy until that time is over. They must let the hair on their heads grow long.
Reference
7
" 'But what if their father or mother dies? Or what if their brother or sister dies? Then they must not make themselves "unclean" because of them. The hair on their heads shows they are set apart for God.
Reference
Parallel theme
Numbers 9:6
8
During the whole time they are set apart they are holy to the Lord.
9
" 'Suppose someone dies suddenly in front of them. That makes the hair they have set apart to the Lord "unclean." So they must shave their heads on the day they will be made "clean." That is the seventh day.
Reference
10
" 'Then on the eighth day they must bring two doves. Or they can bring two young pigeons. They must bring them to the priest. He will be at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
Reference
11
The priest must offer one of the birds as a sin offering. And he must offer the other as a burnt offering. The sacrifices will pay for the sin of the Nazirite man or woman. They sinned by being near a dead body. That same day they must set their heads apart as holy.
12
" 'They must set themselves apart to the Lord again. They must do it for the same period of time they had agreed to at first. And they must bring a male lamb that is a year old as a guilt offering. The days before that day do not count. That is because they became "unclean" during the time they were set apart.
Reference
Sacrifice
Leviticus 5:6
13
" 'The time when the Nazirites are set apart will come to an end. Here is the law that applies to them at that time. They must be brought to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
Reference
Temple
Acts 21:26
14
" 'There they must sacrifice their offerings to the Lord. They must bring a male lamb that is a year old. It must not have any flaws. It is for a burnt offering. Then they must bring a female lamb that is a year old. It must not have any flaws. It is for a sin offering. And they must bring a ram that does not have any flaws. It is for a friendship offering.
Reference
15
" 'They must sacrifice the offerings together with their grain offerings and drink offerings. And they must also bring a basket of bread that is made without yeast. The offering must include flat cakes that are made out of fine flour mixed with olive oil. And it must include wafers that are spread with oil.
Reference
16
" 'The priest must bring all of those things to the Lord. He must sacrifice the sin offering and the burnt offering.
17
He must bring the basket of bread that is made without yeast. And he must sacrifice the ram. It will be a friendship offering to the Lord. The priest must bring it together with its grain offering and drink offering.
18
" 'Then the Nazirites must shave off the hair they had set apart to the Lord. They must do it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. And they must put the hair in the fire that burns the sacrifice of the friendship offering.
Reference
19
" 'After the Nazirites have shaved off their hair, the priest must take a boiled shoulder of the ram. He must remove a cake and a wafer from the basket. They must be made without yeast. And he must place the shoulder and the bread in the hands of the Nazirites.
Reference
20
" 'Then he must lift up the shoulder and bread and wave them in front of the Lord. They are a wave offering. They are holy. They belong to the priest. The breast that was waved belongs to him. The thigh that was offered belongs to him too. After the offering is waved, the Nazirites can drink wine.
Reference
21
" 'That is the law of the Nazirites. They promise to sacrifice offerings to the Lord. They do it when they set themselves apart. And they should bring anything else they can afford. They must carry out the promises they have made. They must do it in keeping with the law of the Nazirites.' "
22
The Lord spoke to Moses. He said,
23
"Tell Aaron and his sons, 'Here is how I want you to bless the people of Israel. Say to them,
Reference
Blessing
1 Chronicles 23:13
Deuteronomy 21:5
Hebrews 7:1
Genesis 47:7
Genesis 48:20
Parallel theme
2 Corinthians 13:14
2 John 1:3
24
" ' "May the Lord bless you and take good care of you.
Reference
Blessing
Psalm 134:3
Ruth 2:4
Parallel theme
Philippians 4:7
Jude 1:24
John 17:11
Psalm 91:11
Psalm 17:8
1 Samuel 2:9
References Lord
1 Thessalonians 5:23
Isaiah 42:6
25
May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you.
Reference
Grace
Psalm 67:1
Exodus 33:19
Malachi 1:9
Genesis 43:29
John 1:17
Parallel theme
Psalm 119:135
Psalm 31:16
Psalm 80:7
References Lord
Psalm 80:19
Daniel 9:17
26
May the Lord look on you with favor and give you his peace." '
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 2:28
Psalm 42:5
Peace
Psalm 29:11
2 Thessalonians 3:16
Romans 15:13
John 16:33
Isaiah 26:3
Romans 15:33
John 20:21
References Lord
Psalm 4:6
Chapter Summary
Numbers chapter 6 speaks about the Nazirite vow, the requirements for those who had vowed to separate themselves to the Lord, and ends with a most familiar blessing from the priests. It ties together the themes of a personal choice to dedicate oneself to the Lord, separation as a result of such a choice, responsibility for breaking vows and God's desire to bless His people.
The chapter begins with God instructing Moses concerning the Nazirite vow. Those who made this vow dedicated themselves to the Lord in a unique way showing their willingness to separate from some of the common experiences of life. A nazirite did not become a priest necessarily, nor was the vow confined only to one family or tribe. Anyone making the vow subjected himself or herself to a period of separation and dedication to the Lord.
The nazirite was forbidden to drink wine or any other liquor made from grapes. They were not allowed to eat wine vinegar or strong drink or fresh grapes or dried grapes or anything prepared from the vine. The limitation applied to the nazirite during the entire period of dedication.
The nazirite was also forbidden to cut his head hair, from the beginning of the period of dedication until its completion, a period of time in which they were to let their head hair grow. This outward expression indicated the special vow of separation to the Lord.
There was a further restriction that a nazirite was not permitted to go near a dead body. Even for those most dear to them, their father, mother, brother or sister, they did not stop their separation to the Lord, in fact, they were doubly separated to the Lord because of the time spent in the vow of separation that they had already undertaken.
If by any chance a nazirite was made unclean beside a dead person and was not aware of it, when he or she learned the fact, they were to shave the head on the seventh day and bring offerings to the priests on the eighth day. They brought a young pigeon or a turtledove as a sin offering, and another pigeon or a turtledove as a burnt offering to the Lord. Further, they brought a lamb as a trespass offering to the Lord. The previous dedication did not count because of the unexpected uncleanness and the person began their period of dedication from this point.
The next set of instructions in the chapter concern what was to be done when the period of dedication was completed. The nazirite was brought to the door of the tabernacle where they were to bring certain offerings to the Lord, namely, a male lamb for a burnt offering and a female lamb for a sin offering. A ram was also to be brought for a peace offering, in addition to a basket of unleavened bread, grain offerings, drink offerings and various sacrifices.
The priest then brought the offerings before the Lord including the nazirite's hair, which had grown long during the period of separation, the hair was placed upon the sacrifice of peace offering. The person then completed the special period of dedication and could resume their normal way of life.
The nazirite vow, while it may seem like an unusual practice, highlights the possibility of dedicating oneself to the Lord in unique ways. The person making the vow deliberately chose to dedicate themselves to the Lord. They abstained from the pleasures normally available to persons of that day and allowed their head hair to grow as a sign of their separation to the Lord. The choice was not made lightly; such a choice affected their daily life, what they could eat or drink and the contacts they could have with others. They were particularly forbidden to touch a dead body of any kind.
The chapter moves on to consider the instructions for Aaron and his sons concerning how they were to bless the children of Israel. This is perhaps one of the most familiar blessings found in the Old Testament. The Lord instructed the priests to bless His people with a particular blessing.
"The LORD bless thee, and keep thee." The Lord was to bless His people and have compassion upon them. "The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee." The Lord was to show His favor upon His people. "The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace." Finally, the Lord was to look with favor upon His people and grant them peace.
The Lord told Moses that Aaron and his sons were to put His name upon upon the children of Israel. It was not the priests who gave the blessings, rather it was the Lord God Himself who had promised to bless His people.
This closing message on blessings is most apt since it follows directly from the discussion of the nazirite vow. The vow concerned the separation of one person to the Lord, whereas the blessing from the priests is a message concerning the Lord's care for His people. The chapter speaks of the choice that the children of Israel had concerning how they lived their lives and dedicated themselves to the Lord. It also speaks of how the Lord cared for them, even when they did not fulfill their obligations to Him. They were to remember always that they belonged to Him, and He would care for them and protect them and show them His favor and peace.
Numbers chapter 6 draws together the themes of dedication and protection. The children of Israel could choose to dedicate themselves to the Lord through vows similar to that of the nazirites. The Lord God was faithful to His people no matter what choices they made. The final section closes the chapter with a reminder that no matter what their choices concerning themselves and their lives, they were in the hands of God. They could count upon His protection, favor, peace and love.
The chapter begins with God instructing Moses concerning the Nazirite vow. Those who made this vow dedicated themselves to the Lord in a unique way showing their willingness to separate from some of the common experiences of life. A nazirite did not become a priest necessarily, nor was the vow confined only to one family or tribe. Anyone making the vow subjected himself or herself to a period of separation and dedication to the Lord.
The nazirite was forbidden to drink wine or any other liquor made from grapes. They were not allowed to eat wine vinegar or strong drink or fresh grapes or dried grapes or anything prepared from the vine. The limitation applied to the nazirite during the entire period of dedication.
The nazirite was also forbidden to cut his head hair, from the beginning of the period of dedication until its completion, a period of time in which they were to let their head hair grow. This outward expression indicated the special vow of separation to the Lord.
There was a further restriction that a nazirite was not permitted to go near a dead body. Even for those most dear to them, their father, mother, brother or sister, they did not stop their separation to the Lord, in fact, they were doubly separated to the Lord because of the time spent in the vow of separation that they had already undertaken.
If by any chance a nazirite was made unclean beside a dead person and was not aware of it, when he or she learned the fact, they were to shave the head on the seventh day and bring offerings to the priests on the eighth day. They brought a young pigeon or a turtledove as a sin offering, and another pigeon or a turtledove as a burnt offering to the Lord. Further, they brought a lamb as a trespass offering to the Lord. The previous dedication did not count because of the unexpected uncleanness and the person began their period of dedication from this point.
The next set of instructions in the chapter concern what was to be done when the period of dedication was completed. The nazirite was brought to the door of the tabernacle where they were to bring certain offerings to the Lord, namely, a male lamb for a burnt offering and a female lamb for a sin offering. A ram was also to be brought for a peace offering, in addition to a basket of unleavened bread, grain offerings, drink offerings and various sacrifices.
The priest then brought the offerings before the Lord including the nazirite's hair, which had grown long during the period of separation, the hair was placed upon the sacrifice of peace offering. The person then completed the special period of dedication and could resume their normal way of life.
The nazirite vow, while it may seem like an unusual practice, highlights the possibility of dedicating oneself to the Lord in unique ways. The person making the vow deliberately chose to dedicate themselves to the Lord. They abstained from the pleasures normally available to persons of that day and allowed their head hair to grow as a sign of their separation to the Lord. The choice was not made lightly; such a choice affected their daily life, what they could eat or drink and the contacts they could have with others. They were particularly forbidden to touch a dead body of any kind.
The chapter moves on to consider the instructions for Aaron and his sons concerning how they were to bless the children of Israel. This is perhaps one of the most familiar blessings found in the Old Testament. The Lord instructed the priests to bless His people with a particular blessing.
"The LORD bless thee, and keep thee." The Lord was to bless His people and have compassion upon them. "The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee." The Lord was to show His favor upon His people. "The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace." Finally, the Lord was to look with favor upon His people and grant them peace.
The Lord told Moses that Aaron and his sons were to put His name upon upon the children of Israel. It was not the priests who gave the blessings, rather it was the Lord God Himself who had promised to bless His people.
This closing message on blessings is most apt since it follows directly from the discussion of the nazirite vow. The vow concerned the separation of one person to the Lord, whereas the blessing from the priests is a message concerning the Lord's care for His people. The chapter speaks of the choice that the children of Israel had concerning how they lived their lives and dedicated themselves to the Lord. It also speaks of how the Lord cared for them, even when they did not fulfill their obligations to Him. They were to remember always that they belonged to Him, and He would care for them and protect them and show them His favor and peace.
Numbers chapter 6 draws together the themes of dedication and protection. The children of Israel could choose to dedicate themselves to the Lord through vows similar to that of the nazirites. The Lord God was faithful to His people no matter what choices they made. The final section closes the chapter with a reminder that no matter what their choices concerning themselves and their lives, they were in the hands of God. They could count upon His protection, favor, peace and love.