Numbers 6:9

_ALL THE DAYS OF HIS SEPARATION HE IS HOLY UNTO THE LORD._ If any man die very suddenly by him. Cases of sudden death might occur to make him contract pollution; and in such circumstances he required, after shaving his head, to make the prescribed offerings necessary for the removal of ceremonial defilement (Leviticus 15:13; Numbers 19:11). But by the terms of this law an accidental defilement vitiated the whole of his previous observances and he required to begin the period of his Nazaritism afresh. But even this full completion did not supersede the necessity of a sin offering at the close. Sin mingles with our best and holiest performances, and the blood of sprinkling is necessary to procure acceptance to us and our services....

9._And if any man die very suddenly. _Here is prescribed what must be done, if a defilement should have been contracted which no precaution could have prevented. If a Nazarite should have willingly and knowingly entered a house of mourning, or should have come near a dead body, his consecration would have been violated not without, sin; but, in the case of a sudden death, the error was excusable, though God commands that it should be expiated; for whatever time of the vow had passed He counts for nothing, nor will it be taken into account. This was no light punishment, that he, who had been guilty of no fault, should begin to pay his vow altogether afresh. Besides the loss of the time, a sacrifice is also added, whereby he who was polluted should prepare himself for a new consecration. But, because this consecration was voluntary, none could complain of the immoderate rigor to which he h...

1-21 The word Nazarite signifies separation. Some were appointed of God, before their birth, to be Nazarites all their days, as Samson and John the Baptist. But, in general, it was a vow of separation from the world and devotedness to the services of religion, for a limited time, and under certain rules, which any person might make if they pleased. A Nazarite is spoken of as well known; but his obligation is brought to a greater certainty than before. That the fancies of superstitious men might not multiply the restraints endlessly, God gives them rules. They must not drink wine or strong drink, nor eat grapes. Those who separate themselves to God, must not gratify the desires of the body, but keep it under. Let all Christians be very moderate in the use of wine and strong drink; for if the love of these once gets the mastery of a man, he becomes an easy prey to Satan. The Nazarites wer...

The law of the Nazarite is appropriately added to other enactments which concern the sanctity of the holy nation. That sanctity found its highest expression in the Nazarite vow, which was the voluntary adoption for a time of obligations to high and strict modes of self-dedication resembling, and indeed in some particulars exceeding, those under which the priests were placed. The present enactments do not institute a new kind of observance, but only regulate one already familiar to the Israelites Numbers 6:2. Numbers 6:2 A NAZARITE - Strictly, Nazirite. This term signifies “separated” i. e., as the words following show, “unto God.” It became a technical term at an early date; compare...

EXPOSITION THE VOW Or THE NAZIRITE (Numbers 6:1). _Note.—_The Hebrew _Nazir _has been written Nazarite in English under the mistaken impression that there is some connection between Nazir and Nazarene (Matthew 2:23). A very little reflection will show that "the Nazarene" not only was no Nazir, but that he even took pains to let it be seen that he was not. John the Baptist was the Nazir of the New Testament, and in all outward things the contrast was strongly marked between them (Luke 7:14, Luke 7:33,...

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 increase the sense, but others think they have a different meaning: the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan render them, "suddenly through ignorance,'' understanding it of a chance matter, as when one man is killed by another, not wilfully and through malice, but without intention and design: Jarchi interprets the first of them by violence, and the latter through error or mistake, and so may include both cases; as when a man dies at once, through the force of a disease seizing him, or he is killed by the violent hands of a man, who stabs him in the presence of a Nazarite; or else when this is done...

CHAPTER 6 The Nazarite _ 1. The vow of a Nazarite (Numbers 6:1)_ 2. The defilement of the Nazarite (Numbers 6:9) 3. The law of the Nazarite (Numbers 6:15) 4. The blessing of Aaron and his sons (Numbers 6:22) The word Nazarite means, one who is separated. The vow of the Nazarite meant separation unto Jehovah and separation in three things: 1. Separation from wine and strong drink, vinegar of wine, vinegar of strong drink, liquor of grapes, moist or dried grapes, from all that is made of the wine-tree, from the kernels even unto the husks. 2. His hair was to grow long and no razor was to come upon hi

REGULATIONS FOR NAZIRITES. A Nazirite was one, whether man or woman (2), who undertook either for life or for a shorter time a vow to observe certain rules, involving various abstinences. An instance of a lifelong vow is afforded by Samson (Judges 13:7): examples of temporary vows occur only outside the OT (1Ma_3:49, _cf._ perhaps Acts 18:18; Acts 21:23 f.), though it is to the latter kind alone that the regulations here prescribed relate. The three requirements insisted on are (1) abstinence from all intoxicants and all products of the vine (_cf._ Amos 2:11 f.); (2) abstinence from cutting the hair; (3) precautions against incurring defilement th

_the head of his separation_ i.e. his head with the long hair, the symbol of his consecration. _in the day of his cleansing_ Better _of his_ CLEANNESS, i.e. in the day when he became clean. _shall he shave it_ The hair, being polluted, must be got rid of in some way that would prevent it defiling other objects. The present law does not mention this; but in accordance with ancient practice it would probably be buried (W. R. Smith, _Rel. Sem._2 369 ff.); and this is laid down in the Mishnah....

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 offerings as the law prescribes, (see chap. Numbers 19:11.Leviticus 15:14.) he was to begin his vow of purity anew, and the former days of his Nazariteship were to go for nothing; Numbers 6:12....