Numbers 6

Chap. VI. Ver. 1—27. The vow of the Nazarite, and the blessing of the people—Vows were of course voluntary, but when once made, were to be religiously observed, except only when plainly contrary to the divine law, in which case they were null and void. Parents might dedicate their children by vow unto the Lord, that is, to serve him; but not to sacrifice them, because human sacrifices were prohibited, as we shall see. To the service of the tabernacle, and the Lord himself demanded the dedication to his service of Sampson and of John the Baptist under this vow. The term Nazarite means “one who is separated,” whether for life, as in the above instances, or for a season only, as in the case of Paul, (Acts 18:18).; xxi. 24—27. The vow of the Nazarite comprehended, 1. Refraining from wine and strong drink, and from every production of the vine, in whatever form. 2. Nazarites were prohibited from shaving their beards or cutting their hair, and from having either done for them. 3. They were not allowed to attend the funerals of their nearest relatives, nor to mourn for them. Without seeking out a distinct moral design in each particular, we may fairly conclude that the whole was intended to signify that the Nazarite, while his vow was upon him, was to separate himself [in] time (if not the whole) to religious services; and when the time of his vow, if temporary, was ended, then was his hair to be cut off and burnt upon the altar, at the same time as he brought his offerings to the Lord.

The Nazarite is generally considered as a type of Christ, as eminently “separated from sinners,” and devoted unto God. But our Saviour took no vow upon him, and we must be careful to distinguish this term from that of the Nazarene, which meant an inhabitant of Nazareth, and which was applied both to Jesus and his followers. (See (Matthew 2:23). (Acts 24:5).) The close of this chapter contains the form of benediction to be used by the high priest in blessing Israel, in the conclusion of their morning sacrifices, and which was always pronounced standing, and with uplifted hands. ((Leviticus 9:22).) From the word Jehovah being three times repeated, the Jews themselves suspect some mystery; and some Christian commentators explain it as equivalent to the threefold apostolical benediction.

((2 Corinthians 13:14). (Revelation 1:4-5).) But others consider the words as three different forms, which might be used separately or together, as was convenient. The light of God’s countenance which image is repeatedly employed by David, may be an allury [allusion] of the Shekinah in the most holy place, which some think was discernible even through the vail. (See Expos. of 2 Chron. u. 14.) This is called putting (imposing) the Lord’s name upon the children of Israel, claiming them as his servants, and guaranteeing to them his protection and support, ‘I will bless them.”

Notes on the verses

Chap. VI. Ver. 2. To separate themselves.—{Or, to make themselves Nazarites.—Lehazzir, from nazar, to be separate; hence nazir, a Nazarite, i.e. a person separated—one peculiarly devoted to the service of God by being separated from all servile employments. ‘The Nazarites were of two kinds; such as were devoted to God by their parents in their infancy, or even sometimes before they were born; and such as devoted themselves. The former were Nazarites for life; the latter commonly bound themselves to observe the laws of the Nazarites for a limited time. The Nazarites for life were not bound to the same strictness as the others; concerning whom these laws relate.’—Bas-

Ver. 3. From wine, &c.—Besides the religious nature of this institution, it seems to have been partly of a civil and prudential use.

The sobriety and temperance which the Nazarites were obliged to observe were very conducive to health. Accordingly, they were celebrated for their fair and ruddy complexion; being said to be both whiter than milk, and more ruddy than rubies, ((Lamentations 4:7). 3) the sure signs of a sound and healthy constitution. It may here be observed, that when God intended to raise up Samson, by his strength of body, to scourge the enemies of Israel, he ordered, that from his infancy, he should drink no wine, but live by the rule of the Nazarites, because that would greatly contribute to make him strong and healthy; intending, after nature had done her utmost to form this extraordinary instrument of his providence, to supply her defect by his own supernatural power.

See Jenning’s Jewish Antiquities.—Bagster.

Ver. 4. Made of the vine tree—Margin, “Vine of the wine,” but the text is most accurate. Wine is sometimes made even of the branches; but every thing produced from the vine, even vinegar, is here forbidden.

Ver. 7. The consecration of his God.—{Separation.—This expression, “the consecration, or separation, of God is on his head,” denotes his hair, which was the proof and emblem of his separation, and of his subjection to God through all the peculiarities of his Nazarate. St. Paul probably alludes to this circumstance in (1 Corinthians 11:10).; by considering a married woman as a Nazarite for life, i.e. separated from all others, and united to her husband, to whom she is subject.

—Bagster.

Ver. 18. Shave the head.—‘The hair, which was permitted to grow for this purpose, was shaven off as a token that the vow was accomplished. It was probably from this practice of the Jewish Nazarites that the Gentiles learned the practice of consecrating their hair to their gods, of which Suetonius relates an instance in his life of Nero, informing us, that he cut off his first beard, and put it into a golden box set with jewels, and consecrated it to Jupiter Capitolinus. Homer relates that Achilles, at the funeral of Patroclus, cut off his golden locks, which his father had dedicated to the river-god Sperchius, and threw them into the flood. From Virgil we learn that 1 topmost lock of hair