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 must he do, it is understood that he, who should vow a greater sacrifice, was not compelled to offer two turtles; which birds the law usually obliged no others than poor people to bring. The Nazarite, in each of the particulars mentioned in this chapter, was a type of Christ, whose extraordinary endowments, as man, were not from any natural causes, but from above, even from the Spirit of God; who was invested with all power and authority, of which hair was an emblem, (compare Joshua 20:22 with 1 Corinthians 11:7 in the Greek,) and who was entirely separate from dead works, from sin and sinners. See more on this subject in Parkhurst on the word נזר. Though this law is no longer observed, Christians may be admonished from hence, that they are separated from the world, and consecrated to God, after a more express and holy manner, and by vows more solemn and irreversible, than were the Nazarites themselves, and that these vows particularly oblige them to live in temperance and sobriety, and to distinguish themselves from other men by pure and examplary lives.
REFLECTIONS.—The law of the Nazarites is here appointed. This consisted in a solemn separation of themselves for God, in a more peculiar employment of their time in the exercises of devotion and communion with God. Note; There will be found among God's people some more eminent for their graces than others, peculiar ornaments of their profession, and Nazarites among their brethren. The persons who made the vow of separation were under particular obligations: 1. Not to taste wine, or any thing which came from the vine, that they might shew themselves patterns of temperance and sobriety, and be ever fit for the service of God. Note; Though the use of wine be not denied to us, the greatest moderation in strong drink is required of every christian. Intemperance must immediately disqualify for every act and exercise of devotion, and cut off all intercourse between God and the soul. 2. They might not shave their beards, or clip their hair: they who have a deep concern about their souls will have a noble neglect of the body, and without being slovenly will ever shew that they are indifferent about the niceness of their appearance, and careless of ornament before men, whilst their great attention is engaged about their appearing acceptable in the eyes of God. 3. They might approach no dead body, not even those of their nearest relations: they must keep their persons as free from ceremonial as their souls from moral uncleanness; and it became those, whose dedication to God distinguished them from others, and obliged them to the peculiar exercise of every holy temper, to shew the subdual of their affections upon earth, and universal resignation to the Divine will. Note; We expect from eminent saints eminent submission; the greater the profession, the more every appearance of evil is to be avoided.
In case of some unavoidable accident, as sudden death, (and death often strikes without warning,) then, 1. He was not only, as others, seven days unclean, but must bring particular sacrifices. Sins of surprise require an atonement; and though no eminence of grace secures from temptation, every false step in such requires double pains to retrieve it. 2. All the time past was lost; he must shave himself, and begin the days of his consecration again, Note; Every sin is mortal; and unless we were each day, each hour, to be renewing our application to the Blood of Sprinkling, all would be lost.
If the vow were fulfilled, at the expiration of the time he was discharged from it. 1. By sacrifices. We must not think, when we serve God, that he is our debtor; but, even after we have done what is commanded, must acknowledge ourselves unprofitable. We have to give him thanks for the strength and grace he has bestowed, and in our holiest duties own the need of an atonement; else our very righteousness would be our ruin; and we must still be offering the sacrifice of prayer, that the same supports which have been vouchsafed may be continued. 2. His head was shaved publicly at the door of the tabernacle, &c. Thus all men saw his vow fulfilled, and might not be offended at seeing him afterwards drink wine, or mourn for the dead. Note; We are not only to take care that we do right, but in various instances to let all men see that we do so, and thereby remove every occasion which might raise suspicion or censure.