The Fourth Book of Moses, called Numbers
Numbers 6
Chapter VI · Vol. I, pp. 423–425
1 The law of the Nazarite. 22 The form of blessing the people.
1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When a either man or woman shall separate1 themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite,2 to separate themselves unto the LORD;
a Ju. 13.5; 16.17. 1 Sa. 1.11, 28. Lu. 1.15. Ac. 21.24. Le. 27.2. La. 4.7. Am. 2.11. He. 7.26. 1 Th. 2.10. 2 Co. 6.17.
1 Or, make themselves Nazarites.
2 Nazarite—a person separated from the world, and dedicated, either for life or for a specified time, to the service of God. Those for life were sometimes so dedicated by their parents, as Samson, Ju. 13.5, Samuel, 1 Sa. 1.11, and the Baptist, Lu. 1.15. Samson is expressly called a Nazarite; Samuel and John are not so called, but the law of the Nazarite being applied to both in the passages quoted, the conclusion that they were Nazarites seems unavoidable.—C.
3 He shall b 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 moist grapes, or dried.
4 All the days of his separation3 shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine-tree,4 from the kernels even to the husk.
A.M. 2514. B.C. 1490.
3 Or, Nazariteship.
4 Heb. wine of the wine.
5 All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no c razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.
c Ju. 13.5; 16.17. 1 Sa. 1.11. Thus his hair was a perpetual token of his consecration to God.
6 All the days that he separateth himself unto the LORD he shall d come at no dead body.
d Le. 21.10,11; 19.28. ch. 19.11. 1 Pe. 2.22. He. 7.26. Ep. 5.7, 11. Re. 18.4. 1 Co. 5.11,13. 2 Co. 6.14-17. 2 Ti. 3.2-5. This taught him to moderate his affection to, and sorrow for, the loss of relations; and that God required the most exact spiritual purity.
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 consecration5 of his God is upon his head.
5 Heb. separation.
8 All the days of his separation he is holy unto the6 LORD.7
6 Dedicated to his most special service.
7 The law of the Nazarite during his vow, included five things. (1) Abstinence from all excitement in drink or food, the two means of living, ver. 3, 4. (2) From all cutting of the hair, ver. 5, in which was life without feeling, weakness made strength, Ju. 16.17. 2 Co. 12.9. (3) In separation from the dead, ver. 6-9, even where kindred was nearest. (4) Sacrifice, even for the most unexpected and involuntary breach of vow, ver. 9. (5) The loss of past time, and its necessary recommencement, in case of any infringement of the vow, ver. 12. (6) Sacrifice after his vow has been legally fulfilled. In every point of this law, the necessity of holiness, and the utter unprofitableness of our best services, is plainly and explicitly set forth, Lu. 17.10. The whole law is a beautiful and expressive type of Christ, who was 'separate from sinners'—who really paid his vow, He. 10.5-7, and offered himself the sacrifice that perfects for ever them that are sanctified, He. 10.10.—C.
9 And if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of his consecration; then he shall e shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it.
e Ac. 21.23. Phi. 3.8, 9.
10 And f 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:
f Le. 9.1-21; 14.10-31; 15.14,29; 12.6,8; 1.14. Ro. 4.25. 1 Jn. 2.1,2.
11 And the priest shall offer the one for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt-offering, and make an atonement 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 g a lamb of the first year for a trespass-offering: but the days that were before h shall be lost, because his separation was defiled.
h Ga. 3.10. Eze. 18.24. 2 Jn. 8, with Mat. 3.15. Jn. 8.29. Mat. 24.13. Job 17.9. Pr. 4.18.
13 And this is the law of the Nazarite: Wheni the days of his separation are fulfilled, he shall be brought unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:
i Ac. 21.26.
14 And he shall offer k 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,
k Le. 1.10-13; 4.27-35; 8.2,22; 9.4; 19.10. ch. 15.3-11. He. 10.10,12,14; 9.12. 2 Co. 5.21. Ep. 2.13-15; 1.3,6,7. Jn. 6.53-57.
15 And a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oil, and their meat-offering,8 and their drink-offerings.
A.M. 2514. B.C. 1490.
8 This, as Patrick remarks, seems to relate to the burnt-offering and peace-offering before mentioned, ver. 14, which were to have their proper meat-offering and drink-offering: besides the basket of unleavened bread, with the cakes and the wafers. See Le. 7.12. Nu. 15.2, 3, &c., where these accessory offerings are made to accompany the burnt and peace offerings.—I.
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 Andl 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 m put it in the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace-offerings.
l Ac. 21.24. Jn. 17.4, 5; 19.30. 2 Ti. 4.7,8.
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 n for a wave-offering before the LORD: this is holy for the priest, with the wave-breast and heave-shoulder: and after that o 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, p besides9 that that his hand shall get: according to the vow which he vowed, so he must do after the law of his separation.
p Ezr. 2.69. 1 Pe. 4.11. Ga. 6.6. He. 13.16.
9 Besides the product of his industry during the time of his separation from the world and dedication to God.—C.
22 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
23 Speak unto Aaron, and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall q bless1 the children of Israel, saying unto them,
q 1 Ch. 23.13. Le. 9.22,23. Lu. 24.50. Ac. 3.21. Mat. 5.2-12.
1 For the primary meaning of blessing, see note on Ge. 1.28. Ver. 24-26, when compared with 2 Co. 13.14, clearly imply the doctrine of the Trinity, and exhibit Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each bestowing his appropriate blessing in the economy of redemption.—C.
26 The LORD t lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.2
t Ps. 4.6. Ep. 2.14,15. Ro. 5.1.
2 This was apparently the formal 'blessing' or 'benediction' which the priests were to use on all solemn occasions when the people met in public assembly. It is comprehensive and most cheering. It consists of three distinct parts. The first part embodies simple preservation. The second progresses to favour, and favour specially developed in grace or pardon. The third part advances still farther to love—love evidenced in the beaming countenance, and love realized in the peace which the God of love implants in the soul. Preservation is the peculiar work of God the Father; pardon, of God the Son; and peace, of God the Holy Ghost.—P.
Notes
Reflections.—In these Nazarites let me behold the blessed Jesus solemnly separated by himself and his Father to the service of God in our redemption:—Jesus, never defiled with carnal comforts or pleasures, nor intoxicated with sinful lusts or worldly cares, nor polluted by his connection with sinners naturally dead in trespasses and sins:—Jesus, who, for Nazarine hair, hath the most noted graces and good works; yea, hath his people growing up into him as their head:—Jesus, never failing, but persevering in his work, and finishing it in his all-comprehensive offering of himself for us; and, in his resurrection, laying aside every token of continued subjection to a just God or broken law. In these Nazarites let ministers also, let saints, separated to the service of God, learn to deny themselves, mortify the deeds of the body, renounce this world and the pleasures of sin or sense, and behave as solemnly consecrated to God alone. Let every breach of their vows, through fellowship with dead and unfruitful works of darkness, occasion repeated application to Jesus' purifying blood, and to more diligence in duty. And, after finishing their course, let them thank God for his gracious assistance, account themselves unprofitable servants, and trust only to Jesus' all-sufficient sacrifice of himself as the ground of their hope and joy.—In this priestly benediction of the Hebrews let me behold Jesus, appointed of God to bless sinful men; yea, becoming blessings to them;—and God discovering his grace, by rendering his ordinances, apparently simple in themselves, gracious for blessing us with all spiritual blessings in Christ. Let me therefore look only to God for what blessings I need; and by faith hold communion with Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in order to the enjoyment of them.