Numbers 6: Nazirite Vow and Priestly Blessing

Short answer: Numbers 6 gives the law of the Nazirite, a voluntary vow of separation to Yahweh involving abstinence from grape products, uncut hair, and avoidance of dead bodies. It also records the priestly blessing that puts Yahweh's name on Israel.

What Numbers 6 says

Verses 1 through 8 introduce the Nazirite vow. Either a man or a woman could make this special vow to separate himself or herself to Yahweh. The person had to abstain from wine and strong drink, from vinegar of wine or fermented drink, from juice of grapes, and from fresh or dried grapes. Even the seeds and skins of the grape were off limits. During the entire period of separation, no razor was to touch the head; the hair was to grow long. The Nazirite was holy to Yahweh and was not to go near a dead body, not even for a father, mother, brother, or sister. The separation to God was on his head.

Verses 9 through 12 handle defilement during the vow. If someone died very suddenly beside the Nazirite, defiling the head of his separation, he had to shave his head on the day of his cleansing, the seventh day. On the eighth day he brought two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest at the door of the Tent of Meeting. The priest offered one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to make atonement, because the Nazirite had sinned by reason of the dead. That same day the priest made his head holy. Then the Nazirite was to separate to Yahweh the days of his separation and bring a male lamb a year old for a trespass offering. But the former days were void because his separation had been defiled.

Verses 13 through 21 describe the completion of the vow. When the days of separation were fulfilled, the Nazirite was brought to the door of the Tent of Meeting and offered to Yahweh a male lamb a year old without defect for a burnt offering, a ewe lamb a year old without defect for a sin offering, and a ram without defect for peace offerings. Along with these came a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, with their meal offering and drink offerings. The priest presented them before Yahweh and offered the sin offering and burnt offering. The ram was sacrificed as peace offerings with the basket of unleavened bread, and the priest offered its meal offering and drink offering. Then the Nazirite shaved the head of his separation at the door of the Tent of Meeting, took the hair, and put it on the fire under the sacrifice of peace offerings. The priest took the boiled shoulder of the ram, one unleavened cake, and one unleavened wafer, and put them on the hands of the Nazirite after he had shaved. The priest waved them for a wave offering before Yahweh. They were holy for the priest, together with the breast that was waved and the thigh that was offered. After that the Nazirite could drink wine. This was the law of the Nazirite who vowed, in addition to what he was able to afford; according to his vow, so he had to do after the law of his separation.

Verses 22 through 27 record the priestly blessing. Yahweh spoke to Moses, telling him to speak to Aaron and his sons, saying that this is how they should bless the children of Israel. They were to say: Yahweh bless you and keep you; Yahweh make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; Yahweh lift up his face toward you and give you peace. So they were to put Yahweh's name on the children of Israel, and Yahweh would bless them.

Verses that carry the chapter

• ““Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them: ‘When either man or woman shall make a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself to Yahweh,” (Numbers 6:2) — This verse establishes that the Nazirite vow was open to both men and women, showing that separation to Yahweh was not limited by gender. It introduces the voluntary nature of the vow.
• ““ ‘All the days of his vow of separation no razor shall 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.” (Numbers 6:5) — This verse highlights the visible sign of the vow: uncut hair. It ties the outward appearance to the inward reality of being holy to Yahweh.
• “The priest shall offer one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make atonement for him, because he sinned by reason of the dead, and shall make his head holy that same day.” (Numbers 6:11) — This verse shows the need for atonement even when defilement happened unintentionally. It underscores the seriousness of the vow and the provision of sacrifice.
• ““So they shall put my name on the children of Israel; and I will bless them.” (Numbers 6:27)” (Numbers 6:27) — This verse explains the purpose of the priestly blessing: to put Yahweh's name on Israel, with the promise that He will bless them. It connects the spoken blessing to divine action.

Gospel connection

The Nazirite vow in Numbers 6 points forward to the greater separation and dedication of Jesus Christ, who was wholly devoted to the Father. While the Nazirite avoided dead bodies and grape products, Jesus touched the dead and turned water to wine, yet He remained without sin. The vow's provisions for defilement and the need for atonement anticipate the perfect sacrifice of Christ, who cleanses us from all defilement. The priestly blessing, with its threefold invocation of Yahweh's name, foreshadows the triune blessing that believers receive through the gospel. Just as the Nazirite could drink wine only after completing the vow, so we enter full joy only through the finished work of Christ. The blessing of peace finds its ultimate fulfillment in the Prince of Peace, who puts God's name on His people and grants them peace with God.

Application

This chapter asks the reader to consider what wholehearted devotion to Yahweh looks like. The Nazirite vow was voluntary, but once made, it was binding and costly. It involved giving up legitimate things for a season to be set apart. For the Christian, this does not mean adopting the same external rules, but it does mean asking whether there are areas where we need to separate ourselves for God's purposes. The priestly blessing invites us to speak words of blessing over others, trusting that God Himself will keep, shine upon, and give peace to His people. It also calls us to rest in the name of Yahweh, which is placed on us, and to live as those who are blessed and kept by Him.

Biblical fidelity check

The chapter does not claim that the Nazirite vow was required for all Israelites; it was a special, voluntary vow. It does not specify the length of the vow, leaving that to the individual. It does not explain why grape products and uncut hair were chosen, nor does it give the origin of the priestly blessing beyond Yahweh's instruction. It does not say that the Nazirite became a priest or had priestly functions. It does not promise that the blessing would automatically come to all Israelites regardless of their obedience; it simply states that Yahweh would bless them when the priests put His name on them. The text is silent on the inner motives of the Nazirite and on how the vow was actually practiced in later Israelite history.

Questions for study

1. Why do you think the Nazirite vow was open to both men and women, and what does that suggest about dedication to God?
2. What might be the significance of the three prohibitions: wine, uncut hair, and avoiding dead bodies? How do they relate to holiness?
3. How does the provision for accidental defilement show God's justice and mercy? What does it teach about the seriousness of vows?
4. What is the role of the priest in the completion of the Nazirite vow, and how does that point to the need for mediation?
5. How can the priestly blessing shape the way we speak to and about others in our daily lives?

Keep reading

Related studies: Numbers 1 Bible Study, Numbers 10 Bible Study, Numbers 11 Bible Study, Numbers 12 Bible Study.

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FAQ

What was a Nazirite?

A Nazirite was a person who made a special vow to separate himself or herself to Yahweh, involving abstinence from grape products, not cutting the hair, and avoiding contact with dead bodies.

Could a woman make a Nazirite vow?

Yes, verse 2 explicitly says that either a man or a woman could make the vow of a Nazirite.

What is the priestly blessing?

It is the blessing that Aaron and his sons were to speak over the children of Israel, asking Yahweh to bless, keep, shine His face upon, be gracious to, lift up His face toward, and give peace to His people.