Numbers 6

1 And the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] said [to speak, communicate, or utter] to Moses [the Israelite leader, mediator of God’s law], word study 2 “Speak [to communicate, declare] to the Israelites [children of Israel, descendants of Jacob] and tell them [say, command, proclaim] that if a man [male person, individual] or woman [female person, wife] makes a special [unique, extraordinary] vow [promise, commitment], the vow [pledge, oath] of a Nazirite [consecrated one, devoted to God], to separate [dedicate, set apart] himself [as an individual, personally] to the LORD [Yehovah, God Almighty, the supreme Creator], word study 3 he is to abstain [separate himself, dedicate] from wine [fermented wine] and strong drink [intoxicating liquor]. He must not drink vinegar [sour liquid] made from wine or strong drink, and he must not drink any grape juice [juice of grapes, wine] or eat fresh [moist, new] grapes or raisins [dried grapes]. word study 4 All [the entire duration] the days of his separation [consecration, a Nazirite vow], he is not to eat [devour, consume] anything that comes from the grapevine [vine tree, from which wine is made], not even the seeds [kernels, pips] or skins [husk, outer covering]. word study 5 For the entire period [all the days, the whole time] of his vow [promise, solemn oath] of separation [consecration, dedication to God], no razor [sharp knife, cutting instrument] shall pass over his head [the top of his head, his entire being]. He must be holy [set apart, sacred, dedicated to God] until the time [the appointed days, the fulness of the days] of his separation [dedication, consecration] to the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] is complete; he must let the hair [locks, disheveled hair] of his head [the top of his head, his entire being] grow long [be magnified, increase in length]. word study 6 Throughout [all the time, during the entire period] the days [a literal 24-hour period or a figurative space of time] of his separation [to dedicate, set oneself apart] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], he must not [under no circumstances] go near [come at, approach] a dead [lifeless, deceased] body [a corpse, a lifeless physical form]. word study 7 Even if his [a close relative] father or mother or brother or sister should die, he is not to [make himself unclean, become defiled] defile himself, because the [consecration, dedication] crown of consecration to his [Elohim, the supreme God] God is upon his head. word study 8 Throughout [all the days of, during the entire period of] the time of his separation [consecration, a Nazirite vow], he is [set apart as, declared] holy [sacred, devoted to God’s service] to the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God]. word study 9 If someone suddenly [in an instant, without warning] dies [passes away, meets their end] in his presence and defiles [makes unclean, contaminates] his consecrated [dedicated, set apart] head of hair [the crown of his separation], he must shave [cut off, remove] his head on the day [the time, the occasion] of his cleansing [purification, restoration]—the seventh [the final] day. word study 10 On the eighth [following a week of purification] day he must bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons [doves] to the priest [spiritual leader] at the entrance [doorway] to the Tent [tabernacle, place of meeting] of Meeting [assembly, gathering]. word study 11 And the priest [the spiritual leader, mediator] is to offer one [the first, a sin offering] as a sin offering [a sacrifice for atonement, to make amends] and the other [the second, a burnt offering] as a burnt offering [a sacrifice completely consumed by fire] to make atonement [to cover, reconcile, restore] for him, because he has sinned [missed the mark, gone wrong] by being in the presence [near, among] of the dead body [a corpse, a lifeless form]. On that day [the same day, a specific time] he must consecrate [set apart, dedicate] his head [the topmost part of the body] again [anew, once more]. word study 12 He must rededicate [consecrate unto the Lord, set apart] his time of separation [days of being separate, Nazirite vow] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] and bring a year-old [of the first year] male lamb [a young ram or lamb] as a guilt offering [for a trespass, sin, or fault]. But the preceding days [the former days, earlier days] shall not be counted [lost, void], because his separation [consecration, Nazirite vow] was defiled [made unclean, profaned]. word study 13 Now this [specific, particular] is the law [instruction, guidance] of the Nazirite [one consecrated, devoted to God] when his time [period, season] of separation [consecration, dedication] is complete [fulfilled, finished]: He must be brought [led, taken] to the entrance [doorway, gate] to the Tent [tabernacle, dwelling place] of Meeting [assembly, gathering], word study 14 and he is to present [offer, bring near] an offering [sacrifice, oblation] to the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] of an unblemished [perfect, without defect] year-old male lamb [he-lamb, a young ram] as a burnt offering [a step to the altar, a holocaust], an unblemished [perfect, without blemish] year-old female lamb [ewe-lamb, a young female sheep] as a sin offering [a sacrifice for atonement, a purification], and an unblemished [perfect, without defect] ram [a strong male sheep] as a peace offering [a voluntary sacrifice, a way to express gratitude]— word study 15 together with their grain offerings [and their meal offerings] and drink offerings [poured out as a sacrifice]—and a basket [of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour] of unleavened cakes [sweet bread made without yeast] made from fine flour [the best flour for baking] mixed with oil [olive oil, ointment] and unleavened wafers [thin flatbread] coated with oil [anointed with shamen]. word study 16 The priest [the one who serves God, a spiritual leader] is to present [bring near, offer] all these before [in the presence of] the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] and make [perform, carry out] the sin offering [a sacrifice for atonement, to cover guilt] and the burnt offering [a sacrifice completely consumed by fire]. word study 17 He shall also offer the ram [a strong male sheep] as a peace offering [a voluntary sacrifice, a gift of thanks] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], along with the basket [a container made of woven twigs] of unleavened bread [a sweet bread made without yeast]. And the priest [a person who serves God and leads others in worship] is to offer the accompanying grain offering [a gift of fine flour] and drink offering [a liquid poured out as a sacrifice, a ceremonial act]. word study 18 Then at the entrance [doorway, threshold] to the Tent [tabernacle, sacred dwelling] of Meeting [assembly, gathering], the Nazirite [one consecrated, devoted to God] is to shave [cut off, lay waste] his consecrated [dedicated, set apart] head, take the hair [locks, tresses], and put it on the fire [flame, burning] under [beneath, below] the peace offering [sacrifice of thanksgiving, fellowship]. word study 19 And the priest [the spiritual leader, mediator] is to take [receive, get] the boiled [cooked, prepared] shoulder [arm] from the ram [a strong male sheep], one unleavened [without yeast, pure] cake [bread, food] from the basket [container, vessel], and one unleavened [without yeast, pure] wafer [flatbread, thin bread], and put [give, place] them into the hands [palm, care] of the Nazirite [consecrated one, devoted to God] who has just [recently, after] shaved [cut off, laid waste] the hair [head, crown] of his consecration [dedication, vow]. word study 20 The priest [the one who serves God] shall then wave [move back and forth, elevate] them as a wave offering [a ceremonial gesture, a sacred presentation] before the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God]. This is a holy [set apart, consecrated] portion for the priest [the one who serves God], in addition to the breast [the front, the choicest part] of the wave offering [the lifted-up gift] and the thigh [the leg, the strongest part] that was presented [given, offered]. After that [following this ritual], the Nazirite [one consecrated to God] may drink [partake of, indulge in] wine [fermented grape juice]. word study 21 This [the following regulation] is the law [instruction, guiding principle] of the Nazirite [a person consecrated to God, devoted] who vows [makes a promise, takes an oath] his offering [sacrifice, gift] to the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] for his separation [consecration, dedication], in addition to [besides, apart from] whatever else he can afford [get, attain]; he must fulfill [carry out, complete] whatever vow [promise, oath] he makes [takes, vows], according to [in accordance with, following] the law [instruction, guiding principle] of his separation [consecration, dedication].” word study 22 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said [to speak, communicate] to Moses [the Israelite leader, prophet], word study 23 “Tell [speak to, command] Aaron [the first high priest] and his sons [descendants, spiritual leaders]: This is how [in this manner, thus] you are to bless [praise, honor, kneel in worship] the Israelites [God’s chosen people, descendants of Jacob]. Say [declare, proclaim, speak] to them: word study 24 ‘May the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] bless [praise or honor, kneeling in worship] you and keep [protect, attend to, or guard] you; word study 25 may the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] cause His face [presence, being in front of] to shine [give light, illuminate] upon you and be gracious [show kindness, favor] to you; word study 26 may the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] lift up [raise, exalt] His countenance [face, presence] toward [to, in the direction of] you and give [appoint, bestow] you peace [shalom, completeness, wellness].’ word study 27 So they shall put [invoke, call upon] My name [My identity, character] on [upon, above] the Israelites [children of Israel, descendants of Jacob], and I [the Lord] will bless [praise, honor, bestow divine favor] them.” word study