Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 6:13
And this [is] the law of the Nazarite, when the days of his separation are fulfilled: he shall be brought unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:
13 21. The ceremony at the completion of the vow. This consisted of three parts: ( a) The Nazirite brought a burnt-offering, sin-offering, and peace-offering, with the usual meal-offering and libations attached to the burnt-offering and the sin-offering (see Num 15:4-6), and the priest offered them (Num 6:13-17). ( b) He shaved his head, standing near the door of the Tent by the altar in the court, and threw the hair into the fire on the altar that was consuming the fat of the peace-offering ( Num 6:18). ( c) After the fat was burnt, the priest waved the shoulder of the peace-offering and part of the meal-offering, and took them as his own perquisite, together with the breast and the ‘thigh of contribution’ which usually fell to him. A sacrificial feast, not here mentioned, must have followed, at which the meat was eaten, and perhaps the Nazirite joined in it, for the worshipper in all other cases had a share in the peace-offering (see art. ‘Sacrifice’ in Hastings’ DB. iv. 338).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
By the priests appointment and direction.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
13-20. when the days of hisseparation are fulfilled, c.On the accomplishment of a limitedvow of Nazaritism, Nazarites might cut their hair wherever theyhappened to be (Ac 18:18) butthe hair was to be carefully kept and brought to the door of thesanctuary. Then after the presentation of sin offerings and burntofferings, it was put under the vessel in which the peace offeringswere boiled; and the priest, taking the shoulder (Le7:32), when boiled, and a cake and wafer of the meat offering,put them on the hands of the Nazarites to wave before the Lord, as atoken of thanksgiving, and thus released them from their vow.
Nu6:23-27. THE FORMOF BLESSING THEPEOPLE.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
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 binding upon him, what offerings he is to bring, and what rites and ceremonies are to be observed by him when he has finished his vow:
when the days of his separation, or Nazariteship,
are fulfilled; whether more or fewer; when the time is quite up, and he has gone through his vow without any breach of it:
he shall be brought unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation; it is not said by whom he should be brought, whether by himself or by the priest; the Targum of Jonathan is,
“he shall bring himself;”
that is, present himself; and so Jarchi and Aben Ezra; which latter adds, or the priest shall bring him by command, whether he will or not, to offer his offering.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Verses 13-21:
The Nazarite Vow Fulfilled.
The Nazarite Vow might be permanent, as in the cases of Samson (Jg 13:5), Samuel (1Sa 1:11), and John the Baptist (Lu 1:15). Or, it might be temporary, for a limited time. In the latter case, certain rituals were necessary when the vow was fulfilled. ,
1. A public announcement, before the priest at the Tabernacle, of the fulfillment of the vow.
2. Four offerings must be made:
(1) Burnt Offering, consisting of a male lamb, Le 1:10-13.
(2) Sin Offering, consisting of a female lamb, Le 4:33-35.
(3) Peace Offering, consisting of a ram, Le 3:12-17.
(4) Meat (food) Offerings, consisting of cakes made from fine flour mixed with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread dressed with oil, Le 2:1-16, along with drink offerings.
3. The Nazarite’s hair must be shorn, presented to the Lord in token of the fulfillment of the vow, and burned in the fire of the peace offering.
4. Portions of the offerings were offered as wave offerings before the Lord.
After the necessary rituals were performed, the Nazarite was free from his vow, and he could partake of wine once more.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
13. And this is the law of the Nazarites. Moses now shews at last how, after the full period of the vow, the Nazarites must return to their common life. And, first, he commands them to place themselves at the door of the tabernacle; then, to offer there a lamb without spot for a burnt-offering, a ewe-lamb for a sin-offering, and a ram for peace-offerings, with cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, wafers, and unleavened bread, and meat-offering, and drink-offerings. As to the peace-offering, because it was presented in thanksgiving, it was by no means inappropriate; nor the burnt-offering either, because they might justly congratulate themselves, and celebrate God’s goodness, when they had discharged their pious duty, since God had vouchsafed them no ordinary honor. But what was meant by the sin-offering may be questioned, since expiation was needless for the pure and holy. Here we clearly perceive, that however cheerfully and earnestly men endeavor to offer themselves altogether to God, yet they never attain to the goal of perfection, nor arrive at what they desire, but are always exposed to God’s judgment, unless He should pardon their sins. Whence it appears how base is the Papists’ folly, when they dream of appeasing God by works of supererogation. For, if ever any supererogation were pleasing to God, the holiness of the Nazarites, being testified to by the Law, was worthy of this honor; yet God, when the work is complete, commands them to confess their guilt, and suffers not this service to intrude into the place of merit, but requires of them a sacrifice, that they may borrow from elsewhere what belongs not to themselves, though they appear to be the most perfect of all men.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
13. This is the law of the Nazarite The following verses (13-21) contain the rites required for the discharge of a Nazarite of days, prescribing the mode of expressing his gratitude for the attainment of the object of his vow and for its successful termination. The whole list of sacrifices described in Leviticus i-vii is exhausted, with the exception of the trespass offering, which is appropriated to a broken vow.
He shall be brought Literally, he shall bring him, or it that is, the offering. We are left in doubt whether the priest brings the Nazarite, or he brings himself or his sacrifice, or some unknown person presents him. The English happily expresses the ambiguity.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
His Actions On The Completion of His Vow ( Num 6:13-21 ).
Num 6:13-15
“ And this is the law of the Nazirite, when the days of his separation are fulfilled. He shall be brought to the door of the tent of meeting, and he shall offer his oblation to Yahweh, one he-lamb a year old without blemish for a whole burnt offering, and one ewe-lamb a year old without blemish for a purification for sin offering, and one ram without blemish for peace-offerings, and a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of milled grain mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and their grain offering, and their drink-offerings.”
From this point on there is a complete reversal of the situation, brought about by the fulfilment of the days of his separation, the arrival of the last day in his period of total and complete dedication, after which he would return to normal life, yet never to be the same again.
Once the period of his separation was successfully completed the Nazirite would be brought to the door of the Tent of Meeting (i.e. be brought into the courtyard where sacrifices were made) and there he was to offer a whole burnt offering, an act of dedication and atonement which would be a pleasing odour to God; a purification for sin offering, which would remove his sin and again make atonement for him; a ram ‘for peace or wellbeing offerings’ which would put him at peace with Yahweh and again make atonement and be a pleasing odour to God; and a grain offering which would also be a pleasing odour to God, dedicating his life and activity to God; and drink offerings which regularly accompanied a whole burnt offering (Numbers 15). The cakes and wafers were regularly offered with peace/wellbeing offerings (Lev 7:12-13). For all the major offerings see our commentary on Leviticus 1-4.
Comparison with Leviticus 8 will bring out how close all this was to the offerings for the consecration of the priests, slightly reduced because only one person was involved. This might suggest that the Nazirite was being returned to being one of the people and yet was still to be seen as someone specially consecrated. He/she could no longer be the same again. Note also the requirement for the purification for sin offering. Like all men, what he was, and what he had done, was not perfect before God. Sin always reveals its ugly presence in even the best of men and interferes in the most holy of activities.
Num 6:16
“ And the priest shall present them before Yahweh, and shall offer his purification for sin offering, and his whole burnt offering. And he shall offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace-offerings to Yahweh, with the basket of unleavened bread. The priest shall offer also its grain offering, and its drink-offering.”
So all the whole range of offerings, with all their significance, were to be duly offered by the priest in accordance with the requirements of Leviticus 1-4. Here instead of death negating his vow (as in Num 6:6-8), it was sealing it. The result would be purification, and forgiveness, renewed dedication, the offering of tribute and thanksgiving, and renewed reconciliation and peace with God. While his vow was over his dedication to Yahweh was to continue permanently.
Num 6:18
“ And the Nazirite shall shave the head of his separation at the door of the tent of meeting, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it on the fire which is under the sacrifice of peace-offerings.”
The reversal continues. In contrast with allowing his hair to grow long the Nazirite will shave it. The Nazirite will then shave ‘the head of his separation’ there in the courtyard ‘at the door of the Tent of Meeting’, as close to Yahweh’s physical presence as he was permitted, and take his hair and place it on the fire under the peace offerings on the altar, in order that it might be burned up. For the one and only time an ‘ordinary’ Israelite could approach the altar. This had two purposes. Firstly in that it was itself an offering to God of the Nazirite’s period of separation, now ended, and secondly in order to ensure that the hair could never be taken and used for superstitious practises. The hair of such holy men would have been highly prized, and could have been greatly misused.
Num 6:19
“ And the priest shall take the boiled shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them on the hands of the Nazirite, after he has shaved the head of his separation,”
One unleavened cake and one unleavened wafer would have been retained from what was in the basket (the remainder having been offered). Once the Nazirite had shaved off the indication of his separation, the priest was to take these, along with the boiled shoulder of the ram, and place them on the Nazirite’s hands. This indicated that he was identifying the Nazirite with them.
Num 6:20
“ And the priest shall wave them for a wave-offering before Yahweh. This is holy for the priest, together with the wave-breast and heave-thigh, and after that the Nazirite may drink wine.”
The priest would then ‘wave’ or present them before Yahweh, an indication that they were an offering to Him, after which he would retain them for his own use as the servant of Yahweh. This was in addition to the wave-breast and the heave-thigh which normally went to the priests. The ram’s shoulder was an addition to the priest’s portion in this case. It may well be seen as confirming that the Nazirite was still leaving something of himself in the hands of Yahweh. No one who had been a Nazirite could go back totally to ‘normal’ life. But after that, in contrast with ceasing from wine he could once again drink wine. He would then partake of the remainder of the peace/wellbeing offering, and probably drink again of the wine from which he had previously refrained.
Num 6:21
“ This is the law of the Nazirite who vows, and of his oblation to Yahweh for his separation, besides that which he is able to get. According to his vow which he vows, so he must do after the law of his separation.”
As previously (see Num 5:29) the instruction is now summarised. In it has been described the Nazirite’s oblation to Yahweh for his separation as evidenced in the offerings described. ‘Besides that which he is able to get’ may suggest that this was the minimum and that a Nazirite usually offered much more. But what was most important was that he had performed his vow once he had entered under the ‘law of separation’.
The dedication of men and women as Nazirites was a picture of what it would mean for Israel to be a ‘kingdom of priests’ (Exo 19:6). The intention was probably that all should at one stage or another voluntarily take such vows. While they would not perform priestly functions they would for the period of their vows become as holy as priests. It was a foretaste of what being in the kingdom of priests meant, and as we have suggested, once having experienced such a dedication the person would be expected to still continue to be bound by the principles of the higher life, even though the outward trappings had gone. They could not fully return to their old ways. It was a call to live such a higher life.
It is important to us because it reminds us that God seeks from us all a higher dedication, and especially times when we lay all else aside so as to seek Him (compare 1Co 7:5; Rom 12:1-2), a dedication that is then to continue on in our daily lives. Once we have wholly committed ourselves to Him we can never return to what we were. We are to put off the old man, and put on the new (Eph 4:22-24).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The Nazarite Sacrifices
v. 13. And this is the law of the Nazarite, when the days of his separation are fulfilled, v. 14. and he shall offer his offering unto the Lord, one he-lamb of the first year without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe-lamb of the first year without blemish for a sin-offering, v. 15. and a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oil, v. 16. And the priest shall bring them before the Lord, and shall offer his sin-offering and his burnt offering; v. 17. and he shall offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace-offerings unto the Lord, with the basket of unleavened bread; the priest shall offer also his meat-offering and his drink-offering.
v. 18. And the Nazarite shall shave the head of his separation, v. 19. And the priest shall take the sodden shoulder, v. 20. and the priest shall wave them for a wave-offering before the Lord. This is holy for the priest, with the wave-breast and heave-shoulder, v. 21. This is the law of the Nazarite “who hath vowed, and of his offering unto the Lord for his separation, beside that that his hand shall get,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Let not the Reader overlook in all this process of the sin-offering, and meat-offering, and drink-offering, and peace-offering, now that one grand and all sufficient-offering of the LORD JESUS is shadowed forth. The waving before the LORD evidently manifested to when the offering was made: and while it testified the sense of sin, it proclaimed, that pardon and peace could only be obtained by the Saviour. Dearest JESUS! may the account of all the sacrifices I read of under the law have this happy effect, to lead my heart to thee, who by thy one sacrifice, once offered, forever perfected them that are sanctified. Heb 10:14 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Num 6:13 And this [is] the law of the Nazarite, when the days of his separation are fulfilled: he shall be brought unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:
Ver. 13. And this is the law of the Nazarite. ] The third part of it, to teach him thankfulness, that most needful, but much neglected duty.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the Nazarite = the one separate.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the Nazarite Offering; the Priestly Blessing
Num 6:13-27
Take heed, O Christian soul, who has dedicated thyself to some lofty purpose, to be warned by the law of the Nazarite! Thy God expects of thee a more careful walk than is required of others. The cups of gaiety of which they drink are not for thee. Shame and contumely may fall to thy lot, from which they escape.
Thou art specially to beware against defiling contact with aught that savors of death-those who are dead in trespasses and sins. Go with them only to save them, but never to participate in their ways.
If the Nazarite vows were vitiated, even by accident, the time that had elapsed was cancelled. Ah, how many of our days we have rendered void! The beautiful benediction with which the chapter closes has its counterpart in 2Co 13:14. What the human lips spoke on earth, God authenticated from heaven, Num 6:27. Be very careful for the honor of the Name! 3Jn 1:7.
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
are fulfilled: Act 21:26
Reciprocal: Lev 14:54 – the law Lev 15:32 – General Num 6:4 – separation Mat 2:23 – He shall Act 21:24 – that they
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Num 6:13-21. The Offerings Required at the Termination of the Nazirite Vow.The most distinctive feature of the concluding ritual was the shaving of the hair (cf. Act 18:18) and the burning of it in the fire on the altar. This was probably at first of the nature of an offering, the primitive idea being that, as the hair was the seat of vitality ana energy, to present it to the Deity was to present to Him the best of ones self. Offerings of hair have been common in many religions, and were made on various occasions, particularly by girls just before marriage, and by mourners for the dead (see Pausanias, Description of Greece, i. 43, ii. 32; sch., Cho. 6; Hom. Il. xxiii. 141). Of the sacrifice offered by the Nazirite a larger share than ordinary fell to the priest; for of the ram of the peace offering, in addition to the usual perquisites (Lev 7:34), he received also the shoulder.
Num 6:13. shall be brought: this is inappropriate, and the text is probably in some disorder.
Num 6:15. their meal offering and their drink offerings: see Num 15:4 f.
Num 6:20. heave thigh: better, thigh of the contribution.
Num 6:21. beside that which he is able to get: i.e. besides that which his means shall allow. The sacrifices explicitly prescribed are the minimum, but they are not to exclude others, if the offerer can afford them.