Bible Commentaries

Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate [themselves] to vow a vow of a ^a Nazarite, to separate [themselves] unto the LORD:

(a) Who separated themselves from the world, and dedicated themselves to God: a figure which was accomplished in Christ.

All the days that he separateth [himself] unto the LORD he shall come at no ^b dead body.

(b) As at burials, or mournings.

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 consecration of his God [is] upon ^c his head.

(c) In that he allowed his hair to grow, he signified that he was consecrated to God.

And if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the ^d head of his consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it.

(d) Whose long hair is a sign that he is dedicated to God.

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 ^e the dead, and shall hallow his head that same day.

(e) By being present where the deceased was.

And he shall ^f consecrate unto the LORD the days of his separation, and shall bring a lamb of the first year for a trespass offering: but the ^g days that were before shall be lost, because his separation was defiled.

(f) Beginning at the eighth day, when he is purified.

(g) So that he shall begin his vow anew.

And the Nazarite shall shave the head ^h of his separation [at] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and ⁱ put [it] in the fire which [is] under the sacrifice of the peace offerings.

(h) In token that his vow is ended.

(i) For the hair which was consecrated to the Lord, might not be cast into any profane place.

This [is] the law of the Nazarite who hath vowed, [and of] his offering unto the LORD for his separation, ^k beside [that] that his hand shall get: according to the vow which he vowed, so he must do after the law of his separation.

(k) At the least he shall do this, if he is not able to offer more.

Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall ^l bless the children of Israel, saying unto them,

(l) That is, pray for them.

And they shall put my ^m name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.

(m) They shall pray in my Name for them.