Primary source: H. P. Mansfield’s annotated HP Bible, HPB 03-Lev12-Num36.PDF, Numbers 6 annotated pages. Mansfield’s published Numbers Expositor is a separate work and is used only as a secondary cross-check.
SEPARATED UNTO YAHWEH • THE NAZIRITE VOW • WINE, HAIR AND DEATH • ACCIDENTAL DEFILEMENT • COMPLETION IN SACRIFICE • THE AARONIC BLESSING
CHAPTER OVERVIEW
Numbers 6 permits an Israelite man or woman voluntarily to enter a period of special consecration as a nazir, one separated/dedicated to Yahweh. The vow intensifies ordinary Israelite discipline but does not confer Aaronic priesthood.
The chapter moves from voluntary separation through the consequences of accidental defilement to sacrificial completion, then closes with the priestly blessing by which Yahweh places His Name upon Israel.
THE NAZIRITE VOW — NUMBERS 6:1–8
Numbers 6:1–2 — nazir means separated/consecrated
A man or woman may make a special vow, lehazzir nazir, to separate/consecrate himself or herself to Yahweh. Nazir is derived from nazar, to separate/abstain/consecrate.
The Nazirite is not the same thing as a “Nazarene,” a geographical designation connected with Nazareth in the New Testament. Nor did the vow literally make a lay Israelite an Aaronic priest; it created a temporary priest-like consecration with its own rules.
Numbers 6:3–4 — total abstinence from produce of the vine
The Nazirite abstains from yayin, wine, shekar, strong/fermented drink, their vinegars, grape-derived drink, fresh grapes and raisins, and indeed anything from the grapevine from chartzannim to zag.
Those last two terms are traditionally rendered kernels/seeds and husk/skin; their exact ancient grape-part nuances are not completely certain. The safe point is comprehensive separation from vine produce.
Numbers 6:5 — uncut hair as nezer of consecration
No razor passes over the head during the vow. The hair grows freely and is called connected with the nezer, consecration/crown, of the Nazirite’s God.
The hair is the visible sign of the vow; it is not itself a magical source of holiness.
Numbers 6:6–8 — no corpse defilement, even for nearest kin
During the vow the Nazirite may not approach a dead person, even father, mother, brother or sister, because the consecration of God is upon the head.
This is a temporary special-vow restriction stricter than ordinary Israelite mourning practice.
ACCIDENTAL DEFILEMENT — NUMBERS 6:9–12
Numbers 6:9 — sudden death beside the Nazirite
If someone dies suddenly beside the Nazirite, the consecrated head is defiled without deliberate choice. The hair is shaved on the seventh day of cleansing.
Numbers 6:10–11 — birds on the eighth day
On the eighth day two turtledoves or young pigeons are brought; one is a sin/purification offering and one a burnt offering. The priest makes atonement “because he sinned by reason of the dead.”
The wording concerns ritual breach caused by corpse defilement; it need not imply a consciously chosen moral transgression. The “dead” context again demonstrates that nephesh can refer to a dead person.
Numbers 6:12 — days lost and vow begun again
A year-old lamb is brought as an ’asham, guilt/reparation offering, and the former days fall because the separation was defiled. The original vowed period must be completed afresh.
Mansfield’s consistency lesson is appropriate: sincere intention does not erase the consequences of a broken consecratory state.
COMPLETION OF THE VOW — NUMBERS 6:13–21
Numbers 6:13–17 — burnt, sin, peace, grain and drink offerings
At completion the Nazirite comes to the Tent entrance with a year-old male lamb for burnt offering, a year-old ewe lamb for sin offering, a ram for peace offering, unleavened breads, grain offering and drink offerings.
KJV “meat offering” in this material means meal/grain offering.
Numbers 6:18 — consecrated hair burned under the peace offering
The Nazirite shaves the consecrated hair at the Tent entrance and places it on the fire associated with the peace offering.
The act visibly yields the sign accumulated during the vow back into the concluding sacrificial fellowship.
Numbers 6:19–20 — priestly wave portion and return to wine
After the ram is cooked, the priest places the specified shoulder, cake and wafer upon the Nazirite’s hands and waves/presents them before Yahweh. After the rite the Nazirite may again drink wine.
The exact physical mechanics of every “wave” action are not described and should not be reconstructed too confidently.
Numbers 6:21 — additional voluntary generosity possible
The stated offerings are the law of the Nazirite, besides whatever additional gift the person’s means permit according to the vow.
Acts 21:23–26 shows men under a vow in Jerusalem and Paul participating in their purification expenses, but the text does not explicitly say that Paul himself began a new Nazirite vow on that occasion.
THE PRIESTLY BLESSING — NUMBERS 6:22–27
Numbers 6:22–24 — “Yahweh bless thee, and keep thee”
Aaron and his sons are commanded to bless Israel. The first line joins Yahweh’s blessing with shamar, keeping/guarding/protecting.
Numbers 6:25 — face shining and grace
“Yahweh make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee.” Chanan means show favour/be gracious; the shining face expresses Divine favour and presence.
Numbers 6:26 — lifted countenance and shalom
“Yahweh lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” Shalom is wholeness, well-being and peace, more than merely absence of conflict.
Numbers 6:27 — the Name placed upon Israel
The priests “put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.” The blessing therefore marks covenant ownership and character under Yahweh’s Name.
Mansfield’s threefold summary—Protection, Pardon and Peace—is a useful homiletic arrangement, but those labels are not separate Hebrew technical meanings of the three lines.
PRINCIPAL THEMES
• Nazir means one separated/consecrated; “Nazirite” is not the same term as “Nazarene.”
• The Nazirite vow did not confer Aaronic priesthood, though it created an intensified priest-like separation.
• Abstinence extends to all grapevine produce, not merely intoxicating wine.
• Uncut hair is the visible nezer/sign of consecration.
• Accidental corpse contact still interrupts the ritual vow without proving deliberate moral wrongdoing.
• Nephesh can again refer to a dead person in the corpse-defilement law.
• Completion of the vow culminates in sacrifice and the yielding of the consecrated hair.
• The Aaronic blessing joins Divine keeping, grace, shalom and the placing of Yahweh’s Name upon Israel.