Numbers 6 - Introduction
_THE LAW OF THE NAZARITES: THE FORM OF BLESSING THE PEOPLE._ _Before Christ 1490._... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE LAW OF THE NAZARITES: THE FORM OF BLESSING THE PEOPLE._ _Before Christ 1490._... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN EITHER MAN OR WOMAN SHALL SEPARATE THEMSELVES, &C.— The word _Nazarite_ signifies _separated;_ because those who came under this vow separated themselves from the use of certain things specified in the following verses, and dedicated themselves peculiarly to the service of the Lord. Either man... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SHALL SEPARATE HIMSELF FROM WINE— The first thing from which the Nazarite, engaged to a peculiar holiness of life, was to abstain, is wine and all vinous liquors, that so he might preserve an uninterrupted temperance, and be always fit for sacred services. Respecting the _strong drink,_ see Levit... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE DAYS OF HIS SEPARATION— It is not said how many days, for there was no stated number; every one devoted himself for as long time as he chose. But not for a less time, says Houbigant, than might be sufficient for the hair to grow, which, at the completion of the time, the Nazarite was to burn... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE SHALL NO RAZOR COME UPON HIS HEAD— The second rule which the Nazarite was to observe was, never to shave his head during the time of his vow, but to let his hair grow, in token of austerity. For the same reasons, such persons were accustomed, not only to let their beards and hair grow, but to... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SHALL COME AT NO DEAD BODY, &C.— A third rule of the Nazarite is, that he, like the priest, should have no concern with dead bodies, or funeral solemnities, which rendered a man unclean for seven days. See chap. Numbers 19:11, &c. Leviticus 21:1; Leviticus 21:24. The Nazarite was obliged to the s... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SHALL SHAVE HIS HEAD IN THE DAY OF HIS CLEANSING— See chap. Numbers 8:7. Leviticus 14:8. Being rendered impure by touching the dead, he was to remain in that state for a week, and then shave off his polluted hair, that new and holy hair might grow instead of it. And, having presented such offerin... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THAT HE SINNED BY THE DEAD— i.e. Contracted a legal impurity, by touching or being near a dead body; which, though it was involuntary, yet was a breach of the ceremonial law, and therefore thus to be purged. The reason of this was, according to the most judicious rabbis, to make men more cautiou... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE NAZARITE SHALL SHAVE THE HEAD OF HIS SEPARATION— The shaving off the hair, mentioned in the 9th verse, differed totally from this. The former was in consequence of legal uncleanness; this was to be done as a public thankful testimony that the Nazarite had ended his vow, and had no further ob... [ Continue Reading ]
BESIDES THAT THAT HIS HAND SHALL GET— _Praeter id quod assequetur manus ejus._ Houbigant. The French has it, _outre ce qu'il aura encore moyen d'offrir._ As if it had been said, _unless he shall be able to offer a greater sacrifice:_ for, because it follows _According to the vow which he vowed, so m... [ Continue Reading ]
SPEAK UNTO AARON AND UNTO HIS SONS— The Lord here prescribes the form of blessing wherewith the congregation was to be dismissed by the priest in waiting; who, with loud voice and uplifted hands, used to say, _The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:_ "May God both bestow upon thee plenty of good things,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY SHALL PUT MY NAME UPON THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL— A very strong Hebraism: which seems, as Ainsworth observes, to be an allusion to the ancient custom of laying on or lifting up of hands in bestowing benedictions, to signify the imposing the _name_ or _blessing_ of God upon the Israelites. "The... [ Continue Reading ]