INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 6 In this chapter is given the law concerning Nazarites, Numbers 6:1; which directs what they were to abstain from, from drinking wine, or any strong liquors, from shaving their heads, and defiling themselves with the dead, Numbers 6:3; and in case of a defilement, direction... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES,.... At the same time, or immediately after the law concerning the woman suspected of adultery was given; with which the following law concerning Nazarites may be thought to have a close connection, as some Jewish writers observe, women being concerned in it as well as... [ Continue Reading ]
SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND SAY UNTO THEM,.... Whom the following law only concerned, and not Gentiles; so runs the Jewish canon, "the Gentiles have no Nazariteship, though they may bring their vows and freewill offerings as an Israelite, yet if they vow the vow of a Nazarite, the law of... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SHALL SEPARATE [HIMSELF] FROM WINE,.... Old or new, as Ben Gersom; from drinking it, any of it: not only from an immoderate and excessive drinking of it, which every man should abstain from, but from drinking of it at all, that he might be more free and fit for the service of God; for prayer, med... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE DAYS OF HIS SEPARATION SHALL HE EAT NOTHING THAT IS MADE OF THE VINE TREE,.... Of its leaves, branches, and fruit, especially the latter, put into any sort of food, or infused into any liquor, or mixed with any sauce for food: the days or time of separation were according as the vow was made... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE DAYS OF THE VOW OF HIS SEPARATION,.... Be the time he has vowed to be a Nazarite a week, a, month, or more, even a thousand days, but not less than thirty, as Ben Gersom observes: THERE SHALL NO RAZOR COME UPON HIS HEAD; he might not shave his beard, nor cut off his locks, and shave his hea... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE DAYS THAT HE SEPARATETH [HIMSELF] UNTO THE LORD,.... This phrase is repeated at every new article and branch of the law of the Nazarites, of which what follows is the third; showing that each part of it, during that time, was strictly to be observed: HE SHALL COME AT NO DEAD BODY: not near... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SHALL NOT MAKE HIMSELF UNCLEAN FOR HIS FATHER OR FOR HIS MOTHER, FOR HIS BROTHER OR FOR HIS SISTER, WHEN THEY DIE,.... Aben Ezra adds also, for his wife, and for his daughter, and for others; what even the priests of the Lord, the common priests might do, a Nazarite might not, not come near any o... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE DAYS OF HIS SEPARATION HE [IS] HOLY UNTO THE LORD. Set apart for his service, separate from all others, especially the dead, and under obligation to abstain from the above things; from drinking wine, from shaving his hair, and from defiling himself for the dead, and to be employed in holy an... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF ANY MAN DIE VERY SUDDENLY BY HIM,.... In the place where he is, whether house or field, a public or private place, in the tent where he is, as Jarchi; there are two words we render, "very suddenly", which many take to be synonymous; and that being of the same signification, two being used inc... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ON THE EIGHTH DAY HE SHALL BRING TWO TURTLES OR TWO YOUNG PIGEONS TO THE PRIEST,.... Not a turtledove and a young pigeon, as Ben Gersom observes, but two of one of the sorts, which was the offering of the poorer sort of childbearing women at their purification, and of profluvious persons, men or... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE PRIEST SHALL OFFER THE ONE FOR A SIN OFFERING, AND THE OTHER FOR A BURNT OFFERING,.... That is, one of the turtles or young pigeons for the one kind of sacrifice, and one for the other sort; both being necessary; the one to expiate sin, and the other as a gift to God by way of thankfulness f... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SHALL CONSECRATE UNTO THE LORD THE DAYS OF HIS SEPARATION,.... He was to begin his account again, from the time of his shaving his head, and devote as many days to the service of the Lord as what he had vowed before: AND SHALL BRING A LAMB OF THE FIRST YEAR FOR A TRESPASS OFFERING; we see ho... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THIS [IS] THE LAW OF THE NAZARITE,.... This has respect either to what goes before; those are the things he is obliged to that vows the vow of a Nazarite; what he is to abstain from during the time of his vow, and what he is to do in case of any defilement; or to what follows after, what is bind... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SHALL OFFER HIS OFFERING UNTO THE LORD,.... The Nazarite was to present his offering at the door of the tabernacle, to the priest, in order to be offered for him to the Lord: ONE HE LAMB OF THE FIRST YEAR WITHOUT BLEMISH FOR A BURNT OFFERING; according to the law, manner, and custom of a bur... [ Continue Reading ]
AND A BASKET OF UNLEAVENED BREAD,.... As at the consecration of Aaron and his sons, Exodus 29:2; though for peace offerings for thanksgiving leavened bread was offered, Leviticus 7:13; CAKES OF FINE FLOUR MINGLED WITH OIL, AND WAFERS OF UNLEAVENED BREAD ANOINTED WITH OIL; ten of each sort, as Jarch... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE PRIEST SHALL BRING [THEM] BEFORE THE LORD,.... All the above offerings to the altar of burnt offering, and there present them to the Lord in the name of the Nazarite: AND SHALL OFFER HIS SIN OFFERING, AND HIS BURNT OFFERING: here they stand in the proper order in which they were offered.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SHALL OFFER THE RAM [FOR] A SACRIFICE OF PEACE OFFERINGS UNTO THE LORD,.... After he had offered the other two: WITH THE BASKET OF UNLEAVENED BREAD; which went along with that: THE PRIEST SHALL ALSO OFFER HIS MEAT OFFERING, AND HIS DRINK OFFERING: of which he had his part, and were the usua... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE NAZARITE SHALL SHAVE THE HEAD OF HIS SEPARATION, [AT] THE DOOR OF THE TABERNACLE OF THE CONGREGATION,.... The Targum of Jonathan is, "and the Nazarite shall shave the head of his separation without,'' without the tabernacle, the door of it, where the people assembled together; so that this... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE PRIEST SHALL TAKE THE SODDEN SHOULDER OF THE RAM,.... The left shoulder, for the right shoulder, which is the heave shoulder of every peace offering, belonged to the priest by another law; and by this law of the Nazarite, he had also the other shoulder, and so had both, which was peculiar to... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE PRIEST SHALL WAVE THEM [FOR] A WAVE OFFERING BEFORE THE LORD,.... Putting his hands under the Nazarite's, as in other cases where this ceremony was used; and so moving them to and fro, backwards and forwards, upwards and downwards, testifying hereby the goodness of God unto him, his sovereig... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS [IS] THE LAW OF THE NAZARITE, WHO HATH VOWED,.... The vow of a Nazarite; what he is obliged to do when his Nazariteship is up: [AND OF] HIS OFFERING UNTO THE LORD FOR HIS SEPARATION; of the several offerings required of him, to offer to the Lord, for and upon his going through his Nazariteship... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES,.... At the same time perhaps that the above law was given concerning the Nazarites; though why this should follow upon that, and what connection there is between the one and the other, it is not easy to say; the Nazarites were holy persons, and so were the priests; and... [ Continue Reading ]
SPEAK UNTO AARON, AND UNTO HIS SONS,.... Aaron and his sons that succeeded him in all after generations, being the persons that were in a public manner to bless the people of Israel, they are particularly addressed, see Deuteronomy 10:8; SAYING, ON THIS WISE YE SHALL BLESS THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL; i... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD BLESS THEE,.... Jehovah, Father, Son, and Spirit; the word "Jehovah" being three times used, and a different accent put to each word, denoting three distinct persons and one Jehovah, according to Deuteronomy 6:4; who are each of them concerned in the blessing of the Lord's people, the spiri... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD MAKE HIS FACE TO SHINE UPON THEE,.... Cause himself, the sun of righteousness, to arise and shine upon them, and give both spiritual light and heat unto them; grant his gracious presence, the manifestations of himself, communion with him, clearer discoveries of his love, of interest in him,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD LIFT UP HIS COUNTENANCE UPON THEE,.... Show his face and favour, look cheerfully on his people, declare himself well pleased with them in Christ, and appear as smiling upon them through him, indulging them with visits of love, restoring to them the joys of his salvation, and upholding t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY SHALL PUT MY NAME UPON THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL,.... Call them by his name, the people of the Lord; call upon the name of the Lord to bless them, and pronounce the blessing on them in the name of the Lord, in or by the name Jehovah, as Jarchi, three times used in this form of blessing: AND I... [ Continue Reading ]