Chapter 6 The Nazirite Vow (Numbers 6:1-21) And The Blessing of Yahweh (Numbers 6:22-27).
It will be noted that in the introductory scheme (see Chapter Comments for Numbers 5 and the Book Comments for Numbers) this vow of dedication is set in juxtaposition to the dedication of the Levites in Numbers 8:5-26. It was giving all in Israel, of whatever tribe, the opportunity to share something similar to the holiness of the priests and Levites.
Thus the camp having been cleansed from uncleanness and trespass and secret adultery, there was now a call to the people to partake in holiness positively, either temporarily or permanently, and thus contribute to the overall holiness of the camp. If people became ‘jealous' in a godly way of the priests and Levites a way was made open for them to join in their lifestyle. And if they had a burning desire to please Yahweh, again a way was made open for them to become especially ‘holy'. So full holiness before Yahweh was available to all, not just the Levites and priests. All could become a Nazirite. The word seems to indicate ‘one separated'. The Nazirite epitomised all that Israel was meant to be.
While the requirements given are physical; abstaining from the fruit of the vine, letting the hair grow long, and avoiding contact with the dead, we must not be deceived by this. These restrictions were with a purpose. They were to ensure that there was nothing lacking in their dedication. Wine could interfere in their service for God (compare Leviticus 10:9-10); cutting their hair would be a reducing of the fullness of their dedication (part of what they had dedicated was being removed), thus leaving it uncut stressed that there must be no diminishing of their dedication in any way; contact with the dead would mean that they were unable to approach Yahweh, that they had wandered from the way of life and wholeness. The point was that their period of separation to God had to be involved totally in worshipping and serving Him. It was the way of ‘life'. Nothing was to be held back or defiled.
Once again the passage appears to have been constructed chiastically.
Analysis.
a The decision to make a vow (Numbers 6:2).
b Abstinence from wine (Numbers 6:3-4).
c The hair not to be cut (Numbers 6:5).
d The taint of death to be avoided (Numbers 6:6-8).
e Sacrifices to be offered if he sins for the dead (Numbers 6:9-11).
f Consecration of ‘the days of his separation' (Numbers 6:12).
f Fulfilment of ‘the days of his separation' (Numbers 6:13).
e Sacrifices to be offered for his sins and dedication (Numbers 6:14-15).
d The death of these victims to be brought about on his behalf (Numbers 6:16-17).
c The head of the Nazirite to be shaved (Numbers 6:18-19).
b The Nazirite to drink wine (Numbers 6:20).
a The law concerning the decision to make a vow (Numbers 6:21).
Apart from d which is a contrast between non-death and death the remainder is in clear balance.
The Dedication of Himself/Herself By A Nazirite, A ‘Separated One' (Numbers 6:1-8).
‘And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,'
Again we are informed that these were the words of Moses as spoken to him by Yahweh. Even if the writer was Joshua or Eleazar, the words were the words of Moses.
“ Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, “When either a man or a woman shall make a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself to Yahweh, he shall separate himself from wine and strong drink. He shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any juice of grapes, nor eat fresh grapes or dried. All the days of his separation he shall eat nothing that is made of the grapevine, from the kernels even to the husk.”
When any man or woman, (for Yahweh believed in equal opportunity in spiritual things), sought to become holy to Yahweh they could take a special vow, a Nazirite vow. While it would not make them priests it would give them the same standing before Yahweh as a priest, or in many ways as the High Priest. Thus like them they would have to abstain from wine and strong drink (Leviticus 10:9-10) and avoid all contact with the dead (Leviticus 21:1-4; Leviticus 21:11-12). The priests were also forbidden to shave their heads (Leviticus 21:5), but the Nazirites went further than the priest because their action was voluntary. They did not partake of wine or strong drink at any time, and they did not cut their hair at all.
We should note that this was not a kind of hermitry. The Nazirite continued to live normally within the camp, he would be expected to be an example to all, but he was living in order to please Yahweh as one ‘separated to Yahweh', because of his love for Him. And Yahweh would treat him as having an especial ‘holiness'. It is clear that these provisions were given in order that they might be carried out. Israel were being called on to recognise the need for periods when they individually fully separated themselves to Him so that they could fully seek His face without the distraction of other things. They were being called on to increase the holiness of the camp.
“He shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any juice of grapes, nor eat fresh grapes or dried. All the days of his separation he shall eat nothing that is made of the grapevine, from the kernels even to the husk.” While the priests were only forbidden wine and strong drink when serving in the Sanctuary on their sacred duties (Leviticus 10:9-10), the Nazirites were to avoid totally all the produce of the vine. They were on sacred duty all the time. At all times wine must not be allowed to interfere with their dedication. This may well have had in mind the failure of the ‘perfect' man Noah (Genesis 6:9; Genesis 9:20-27) where after being so pleasing to God Noah had failed Him utterly because of the fruit of the vine. ‘Grape-cakes' are also mentioned in Hosea 3:1 as an indication of sensual living. The fruit of the vine epitomised all the desires of the flesh. The total ban (like the ban on work on the Sabbath) would prevent any attempt to seek loopholes, something men have always been good at. Their joy was to be in Yahweh and not in the fruit of the vine. Their hearts were to be made glad by Him, and not to look anywhere else.
Amos told how Yahweh had raised up the young men of Israel to be Nazirites, but that many of the people in their godlessness sought to make them drink wine (Amos 2:11). In other words, when those who loved God sought to please Him, the majority sought to lead them astray.
Paul stresses a similar attitude to wine as that of the Nazirites in the New Testament. ‘Do not be drunk with wine in which is excess, but be filled with the Spirit' (Ephesians 5:18). Wine in itself is not condemned but dependence on it, and drunkenness, is.
“ All the days of his vow of separation (nezer) there shall no razor come on his head. Until the days are fulfilled, in which he separates himself to Yahweh, he shall be holy, he shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow long.”
The second requirement of the Nazirites was that they were not to cut their hair. Among some peoples the hair was seen as giving strength and fuller life. Soldiers would often let their hair grow long for battle. Thus Deuteronomy 32:42 declares, ‘With the blood of the slain and the captives, from the head of the long haired ones of the enemy', while Judges 5:2 speaks of ‘the loosing of the long locks in Israel', Both speak of those going into battle as having allowed their hair to grow long, although it is usually hidden in the translation. But the idea here is probably rather that the Nazirite must not reduce himself/herself in any way when in the direct service of Yahweh. His/her concentration must be on total service. Cutting his hair would in some way diminish his setting apart to God, his ‘holiness'. It would be removing a part of what he had dedicated to God. Thus not cutting his hair is specifically connected with his period of holiness, and stressed the need for continual full dedication. It was evidence of his dedication, his separation (‘nezer'). The same word ‘nezer' is used of the High Priest's crown (Leviticus 8:9 compare Exodus 28:36) and of the oil of consecration (Leviticus 21:12) as ‘the holy separator' which separates him off from all others as ‘holiness to Yahweh'. So is the Nazirite's hair his holy separator to Yahweh.
Samson was permanently dedicated to Yahweh and also was not allowed to cut his hair, but in his case his dedication was not by his choice. His path was chosen for him by his mother. However, his dedication was not as strict as that of the Nazirites here, and that fact is never criticised. He certainly drank wine, and allowed himself to have contact with the dead by killing his people's enemies. That may, however, have been permitted because he was a permanent Nazirite raised up to be a deliverer, not a man with this kind of dedication. He was evidence of how God can use us even in our weaknesses. Compare also Samuel (1 Samuel 1:11) and John the Baptiser (Luke 1:15).
“ All the days that he separates himself to Yahweh he shall not come near to a dead body. He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die, because his separation to God is on his head.”
This again should be compared with the High Priest who was subject to similar conditions (Leviticus 21:1-12). Clearly the Nazirite's holiness was on a par with that of the High Priest. Any contact with the dead would interfere with his dedication for it would render him unclean, and during any period of uncleanness his dedication would necessarily have to lapse. So it must be avoided, for he was to be available to Yahweh at all times.
“ All the days of his separation he is holy to Yahweh.”
His position is here confirmed. All the days of his separation, that is for the period that he is under his vow, he is ‘holy to Yahweh', set apart totally for His glory. Nothing must be allowed to interfere with that. The presence of such a holy person in the camp would have been seen as contributing greatly to the holiness of the camp, made all the greater by the fact that it was wholly voluntary.
This kind of separation is one that we should all at times follow, a period when we set all else aside in order to please God (compare 1 Corinthians 7:5). It is also indicative of what the general attitude of the Christian should be towards life and its demands.