Numbers 6

Numbers 6:1-21

In this chapter we have, 1. The law concerning Nazarites, (1.) What it was which the view of a Nazarite obliged him to, ver. 1—8. (2.) A remedial law in case a Nazarite happened to be polluted by the tomb of a dead body, ver. 9—12. (3.) The solemnity of his discharge when his time was up, ver. 13—21. 2. Instructions given to the priest: how they should keep the people, ver. 22—27.

Or make themselves Nazarites. d. 1 Chron. xii. 14.

1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2. Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall be separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the LORD: 3. He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat most grapes or dried. 4. All the days of his separation shall be eat nothing that is made of the wine-tree, from the kernels even to the husk. 5. All the days of the vow of his separation, there shall be no razor come upon his head: until the days he fulfilled in the which he separated himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy; and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow. 6. All the days that he separated himself unto the LORD, he shall come at no dead body. 7. He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the 3 consecration of his God is upon his head. 8. All the days of his separation, he is holy unto the LORD. 9. And if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of his consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it. 10. And on the eighth day he shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons to the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 11. And the priest shall offer the one for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make an anorement for him, for that he sinned by the dead, and shall hallow his head that same day. 12. And he shall consecrate unto the LORD the days of his separation, and shall bring a lamb of the first year for a trespass-offering: but the days that were before shall be lost, because his separation was defiled. 13. And this is the law of the Nazarite: When the days of his separation are fulfilled, he

shall be brought unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 14. And he shall offer his offering unto the LORD, one he-lamb of the first year without blemish, for a burnt-offering, and one ewe-lamb of the first year without blemish, for a sin-offering, and one ram without blemish, for peace-offerings. 15. And a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread, moistened with oil, and their meat-offering, and their drink-offerings. 16. And the priest shall bring them before the LORD, and shall offer his sin offering, and his burnt-offering. 17. And he shall offer the ram, for a sacrifice of peace-offerings unto the LORD, with the basket of unleavened bread: the priest shall offer also his meat-offering, and his drink-offering. 18. And the Nazarite shall shave the head of his separation, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it in the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace-offerings. 19. And the priest shall take the sodden shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer; and shall put them upon the hands of the Nazarite, after the hair of his separation is shaven. 20. And the priest shall wave them for a wave-offering before the LORD: this is holy for the priest, with the wave, bread, and heave-shoulder: and after that the Nazarite may drink wine. 21. This is the law of the Nazarite, who hath vowed, and of his offering unto the LORD for his separation, besides that that his hand shall get: according to the vow which he vowed, so he must do after the law of his separation.

The law of the Nazarites is here appointed. This consisted in a solemn separation of themselves for God, in a more peculiar employment of their time in the exercises of devotion, and communion with God. It must be the voluntary engagement of a person at their own liberty, whether man or woman, and for so long a time as they chuse to vow, but never for less than thirty days. Note, There will be found among God’s people some more eminent for their grace than others, peculiar ornaments of their profession, and Nazarites among their brethren. The person who made the vow of separation, was under particular obligations, (1.) Not to taste wine, nor any thing which came from the vine, that they might shew themselves patterns of temperance and sobriety, and be ever fit for the service of God. Note, Though the use of wine be not denied, the greatest moderation in strong drink is required of every christian. Intemperance must immediately disqualify for every act and exercise of devotion, and cut off all intercourse between God and the soul. (2.) They might not share their beasts, nor clip their hair: they who have a deep concern about their soul, will have a noble neglect of the body; and without being liberally, will ever shew that they are indifferent about the niceness of their appearance, and careful of ornaments before men, whilst their great attention is engaged about their appearing acceptable in the eyes of God. (3.) They might approach no dead body, not even their nearest relations: they must keep their persons as free from ceremonial, as their fools from moral uncleaners; and it became those, whose dedication to God distinguished them from others, and obliged them to the peculiar exercise of every holy temper, to shew the subdued of their affections upon earth, and universal resignation to the Divine will. Note, We expect from eminent slums, eminent submission; the greater the profession, the more every appearance of evil is to be avoided.

In case of some unavoidable accident, as sudden death, and death often strikes without warning, then, 1. He was not only as others, seven days unclean, but must bring particular sacrifices, v. 10, 11. Sins of surprise require an anorement, and though no eminence of grace secures from temptation, every false step in such, requires double pains to retrieve it. 2. All the past time was lost; he must shave himself, and begin the days of his consecration again. Note, Every sin is mortal, and unless we were each day, each hour, to be renewing our application to the blood of sprinkling, all would be lost.

If the vow were fulfilled, at the expiration of the time he was discharged from it. 1. By sacrifices, a burnt-offering, a sin-offering, a peace-offering, meat-offerings, and whatever free-will offerings he chose to add. We may not think when we serve God, he is our abbot, but even after we have done what is commanded, must acknowledge ourselves unprofitable. We have to give him thanks for the strength and grace he hath bestowed, and in our honest duties, own the need of an anorement, also our very righteousness should be our ruin; and we must still be offering the sacrifice of prayer, that the same supposes which have been vouchsafed, may be continued. 2. His head was shaved publicly, at the door of the tabernacle, and

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Before Christ the hair was burnt under the sacrifice of peace-offering. Thus all men saw his vow fulfilled, and might not be offended at seeing him afterwards drink wine, or mourn for the dead. Nate, We are not only to take care that we do right, but to let all men for that we do so, and remove every occasion which might raise suspicion or censure.

22. ¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, 24. The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: 25. The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: 26. The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. 27. And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them.

23. 22-27. The sacerdotal benediction was a part of the priest’s office. And though it is not in man’s power to convey the blessing, yet, being by God’s command, it was accompanied with his effectual grace. Jesus, our great high priest, ever lives to bless his people, and his ministers commissioned from him, may comfortably and confidently pronounce his benediction on them: and what they declare on earth, he will ratify in heaven. The Lord bless thee, Jehovah, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, bestow on thee the blessings of his eternal covenant of grace and peace; make thee partake of the Father’s electing love, of the Son’s redeeming grace, of the Spirit’s comforting and sanctifying influences; and keep thee from all those evils of sin and Satan, from which of thyself thou art utterly unable to escape. The Lord make his face to show upon thee, as the bright sun of righteousness, enlightening thy darkness, warming thy heart with his enlivening rays, kindling thy fervent affections, and comforting thee with the smiles of his reconciled face; and be gracious unto thee, bestowing more abundant creatures of his Divine strength and confessions; and lift up the light of his countenance upon thee, assuring thy conscience of thy part and interest in his regard, and daily reshaping thy soul to that joy, of which remaining corruption would deprive it; and give thee peace, such as nothing can interrupt, nothing take away, begun in time, to be perpetuated in eternity! To such a blessing and prayer, well might the people with delight and joy reply, Amen! Amen!