1.
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
spake. See note on Numbers 1:1 .
2.
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the LORD:
children = sons.
man. Hebrew. 'ish. See App-14 .
woman. Either could be a Nazarite.
vow a vow. Figure of speech Polyptoton ( App-6 ), for emphasis = make a special vow. Compare Acts 18:18 ; Acts 21:23 .
a Nazarite = one separate, from Hebrew. nazir, to separate. Compare Genesis 49:26 . Judges 13:5 , Judges 13:7 . Lamentations 4:7 .
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 moist grapes, or dried.
wine. Hebrew. yayin. See App-27 .
strong drink. Hebrew. shekar. See App-27 .
liquor of grapes = mashed grapes.
moist = green or "fresh".
4.
All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk.
separation = Nazariteship.
vine tree = grape vine.
5.
All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no rasor 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.
6.
All the days that he separateth himself unto the LORD he shall come at no dead body.
come at = come near.
no dead body = no dead soul. Hebrew. nephesh. See App-13 , and note on Leviticus 19:28 .
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 consecration of his God is upon his head.
consecration = separation, or Nazariteship.
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .
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:
turtles = turtle-doves.
door = entrance.
tabernacle of the congregation = tent of assembly. See App-40 .
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.
offer = prepare. See App-43 .
atonement. See note on Exodus 29:33 .
dead = soul. Hebrew. nephesh ( App-13 ): i.e. the dead person.
hallow his head: i.e. by beginning anew the days of his vow (Numbers 6:9 ), during which the hair must grow, as in Numbers 6:5 . See note on "holy", Exodus 3:5 .
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.
consecrate = separate.
separation = Nazarite ship.
trespass offering. See App-43 .
be lost. Hebrew fall, i.e. not be counted.
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:
the Nazarite = the one separate.
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,
offer = bring near. Hebrew. karab. See App-43 .
offering = approach offering. App-43 .
sin offering. See App-43 .
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, and their drink offerings.
cakes = pierced cakes.
meat offering = meal or gift offering. App-43 .
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.
sacrifice. App-43 . Compare Acts 21:26 , Acts 21:27 .
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:
sodden = boiled.
20.
And the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the LORD: this is holy for the priest, with the wave breast and heave shoulder: and after that the Nazarite may drink wine.
wave offering. See note on Exodus 29:27 .
holy. See note on Exodus 3:5 .
21.
This is the law of the Nazarite who hath vowed, and of his offering unto the LORD for his separation, beside that that his hand shall get: according to the vow which he vowed, so he must do after the law of his separation.
beside, &c.: i.e., if able, he might voluntarily make an addition thereto.
22.
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
23.
Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them,
24.
The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
The LORD = Jehovah the Father, the source of all blessing. Compare Ephesians 1:3 .Hebrews 10:7 .
25.
The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
The LORD = Jehovah the Son, the channel of all blessing, Ephesians 1:3 . Compare Acts 3:26 . Hebrews 10:10 .
face: put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), for whole Person. App-6 . Also Figure of speech Anthropopatheia.
26.
The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
The LORD = Jehovah the Spirit, the witness of all blessing. Compare Hebrews 10:7 , Hebrews 10:10 , Hebrews 10:15 .
countenance: same as "face" in Numbers 6:25 , this is the token of Divine favour and delight. Compare Job 29:24 .Psalms 4:6 , and the result Numbers 6:7 .
peace = rest or security.
27.
And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.