Numbers 6
DOYLYChap. VII. ver. 1. — on the day] An Hebraism, signifying not only a precise and stated day, but often used to signify in or about, or after such a time. Pyle. “On the day that;” in English, when.
Numbers 6:2
- — the princes — offered:] They testified, by their several gifts, their joyful celebration of the dedication of the tabernacle and the altar. Bp. Hall. They agreed together, whether at their own proper expense, or in conjunction with others of the richer and abler sort, to make a liberal present or offering for the use of this house of God, each as the representative of his own tribe. Pyle.
Numbers 6:3
- He shall separate himself from wine] That by abstaining from every intoxicating liquor he might the better attend to the study of the law and other exercises of religion. Bp. Patrick.
— and strong drink.] Chiefly such drink was here meant, as was made of dates, figs, or other fruits; or of honey, as metheglin or mead. Malt liquor was very little, if at all, used in those countries and times. Dr. Wells.
— liquor of grapes.] That which is made of grapes bruised in water, after the juice had been pressed out to make wine. Bp. Patrick.
Numbers 6:4
- All the days of his separation] Or “Nazariteship,” as in the margin. This might be for a whole life, as in the cases of Samson, and John the Baptist: or for a
set time; even as little as a week. See Acts xxi. 26, 27. Bp. Patrick.
Numbers 6:5
- — thou shalt give them unto the Levites, to every man according to his service.] Agreeably to this, Moses distributed them to two families of the Levites, for the third were to carry the part assigned to them, the furniture of the Holy of Holes, upon their shoulders: of these two families, to one were assigned two wagons, to the other, four. The reason of this inequality is not specified: but on turning back to the fourth chapter we find, that the family, to which the four wagons are assigned, had been appointed to carry the solid, and therefore heavy, part of the tabernacle, its boards, and bars, and pillars; while that family, to which the two wagons are assigned,
was appointed to carry the lighter parts; its curtains and coverings, its hangings and cords. Such minute and apparently unimportant coincidences as these could not have arisen from any thing but reality, and supply very decisive proofs of the truth and authenticity of the history. Dr. Graves.
Numbers 6:7
- He shall not make himself unclean for his father, &c.] By attending on any funeral solemnity; looking on himself as one so entirely consecrated to God, as to be obliged to abstain in these cases, more than the ordinary priests, and as much as the high priest himself. Pyle.
Numbers 6:9
9.—he hath defiled the head of his consecration:] Meaning, the consecration of his head; that is, his hair, which, having been consecrated to God, was defiled by being accidentally near a dead body. His Nazariteship was interrupted by this defilement, so that it could not proceed further; but, after the usual purifications, was to be begun anew, by shaving off the polluted hair, and letting new hair grow instead of it. Moses here speaks only of such as made this vow for a limited time. Perpetual Nazarites were never shaven, whatever defilement they might contract. Bp. Patrick.
Numbers 6:10
- — dedicating] The “dedicating” of a thing, here, and in several other places, signifies the first application of it to sacred uses, or to the Divine service, to which it had been designed and consecrated. The altar had been “dedicated,” in the sense of setting it apart and sanctifying it for the service of God, Exod. xxix. 27; Lev. viii. 11. It now began to be used, after it had been so sanctified. Bps. Patrick and Kidder.
Numbers 6:11
11.—he sinned by the dead.] Contracted a legal defilement by means of the dead. Bp. Patrick.
- — each prince on his day,] To render the dedication more solemn; to avoid all confusion; and that every tribe, by its representative, might distinctly express its devotion to God, and receive a gracious entertainment from Him. Pyle.
Numbers 6:12
- And he that offered his offering &c.] The offerings of all the princes were the same in kind, number, and value: to prevent all vanity and emulation among the tribes; and to shew that they were all equally interested in the altar, and acceptable to the Divine Majesty. The offering of each consisted of one silver bason, for receiving the parts of the several sacrifices, weighing 130 shekels, or about sixty-five ounces; one silver bowl, to hold the blood, wine, or flour, of seventy shekels, or about thirty-five ounces weight; both of these being full of flour and oil: one gold spoon, to take up the incense with, full of incense, weighing ten shekels or about five ounces: a burnt offering, consisting of a bullock, a ram, and a lamb: a sin offering, of a goat: and an eucharistical, or peace offering, consisting of two oxen, five rams, five he goats, and five lambs, with meat offerings of bread, and cakes, annexed to them: the
Numbers 6:14
14.—he shall offer his offering &c.] Here are all sorts of offerings: a burnt offering, as an acknowledgment of God’s sovereign dominion; a sin offering, imploring pardon for any omission, of which he might have been
The law of the Nazarites. The form of blessing the people. Before CHRIST 1400. b Acts 21. 24.
LORD, with the basket of unleavened bread: the priest shall offer also his meat offering, and his drink offering.
Numbers 6:19
19.—shall put them upon the hands of the Nazarite.] That he might present them to the priest in token of gratitude. Bp. Patrick.
Numbers 6:22
- Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons.] Whose proper office it was to bless the people; as it was to offer sacrifices, and burn incense, Deut. xxi. 5. Bp. Patrick.
Numbers 6:24
- The Lord bless thee, and keep thee.] Give thee all good things, and preserve thee from evil. Bp. Patrick.
Numbers 6:25
- The Lord make his face shine upon thee.] Make thee to perceive that He looks on thee with a pleasing and favourable countenance: “and be gracious unto thee,” especially in the pardon of thy sins. Dr. Wells.
Numbers 6:26
- The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee.] As a man is wont to lift up his countenance upon one, for whom he has a favour; and therefore loves to look upon as much as he can. Dr. Wells. The “lifting up of the countenance” upon any person denotes favour and goodwill towards him. Dr. Blayney.
— and give thee peace.] Outward and inward. Dr. Wells. As a proof of His care and special protection, may He give thee all the tokens of His kindness, the greatest of His benefits and favours. Bp. Kidder.
The repetition of the name JERROVAH three times in these three verses, and that with a different accent in each of them, hath made the Jews themselves think that there is some mystery in it. It may well be looked upon, as having respect to the three Persons in the blessed Trinity; who are one God, from whom all blessings flow unto us, 2 Cor. xiii. 14. This mystery, as Luther wisely expresses it, is here secretly insinuated, though not plainly revealed. And it is not hard to shew, if this were the place for it, how properly God the Father may be said to bless and keep us; and God the Son, to be gracious unto us; and God the Holy Ghost, to give us peace. Bp. Patrick.
After this form the high priest was commanded to bless the children of Israel. The name of the LORD, in Hebrew JERROVAH, is here repeated three times. And
Numbers 6:27
- And they shall put my name &c.] Laying their hands upon the children of Israel, they shall call upon My name for a blessing, and it shall be given by Me, according to their prayers. Bp. Hall. The Jews from hence observe, that God’s blessing in some sort depends upon the blessing of the priest. And this they thought so necessary, that such priests, as were admitted to no other service, might perform this, for fear the people should at any time want it. Bp. Patrick.
When the priest pronounced this blessing to the people, as we still do in the Visitation of the Sick, God promised that He Himself would accordingly bless them. And when men faithfully and devoutly receive it as they ought, there is no question but that God continues to bless them now: or when the priest pronounces in His name the same blessing, according to the Apostolical form of words, “The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God, and the Communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.” 2 Cor. xiii. 14. Bp. Beveridge.
— and I will bless them.] Last any should despise this blessing, because pronounced by a poor mortal like themselves, it is added, “I will bless them.” The blessing dependeth, not on the priest, but on God’s ordinance. Bp. Wilson. To promote a due regard in His people to their teachers and rulers, the sacred writings ascribe a peculiar efficacy to their praying over those
Before CHRIST 1400. The offering of the princes. Before CHRIST 1490. # CHAP. VII.