Even if his father or mother or brother or sister should die, he is not to defile himself, because the crown of consecration to his God is upon his head. Even if his father or mother or brother or sister should dieThis phrase emphasizes the depth of commitment required of a Nazirite. In ancient Israel, family bonds were of utmost importance, and the death of a close relative was a significant event that demanded mourning and participation in burial rites. The Hebrew culture placed a high value on honoring one's parents and family, as seen in the Ten Commandments ( Exodus 20:12). However, the Nazirite vow required a higher level of dedication to God, even above familial obligations. This reflects the call to prioritize one's relationship with God above all else, a theme echoed in the New Testament when Jesus speaks of the cost of discipleship ( Luke 14:26). he is not to defile himself
The term "defile" in Hebrew is "טָמֵא" (tamei), which means to become ceremonially unclean. In the context of the Nazirite vow, maintaining ceremonial purity was crucial. Contact with a dead body was one of the most severe forms of defilement in Jewish law (Leviticus 21:1-4). This requirement underscores the holiness and separation expected of those who dedicate themselves to God. It serves as a reminder of the call to holiness for all believers, as seen in 1 Peter 1:15-16, where Christians are called to be holy in all their conduct. because the crown of consecration to his God is upon his head
The "crown" here is metaphorical, representing the Nazirite's special status and dedication to God. The Hebrew word for "crown" is "נֵזֶר" (nezer), which is related to the word for "consecration" or "separation." This imagery signifies honor and divine favor, akin to a king's crown. The Nazirite vow was a visible sign of one's commitment to God, much like the anointing of kings and priests in the Old Testament. This consecration is a foreshadowing of the believer's call to be set apart for God's purposes, as seen in Romans 12:1-2, where Christians are urged to present their bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. is upon his head
The head is often symbolic of leadership, authority, and identity in biblical literature. In the case of the Nazirite, the uncut hair served as a physical manifestation of their vow and separation unto God. This visible sign was a constant reminder of their commitment and the presence of God's calling upon their life. It parallels the New Testament concept of the believer's identity in Christ, where the Holy Spirit marks the believer as God's own (Ephesians 1:13-14). The emphasis on the head also points to the idea of submission to God's authority and the acknowledgment of His sovereignty over one's life. Persons / Places / Events 1. NaziriteAn individual who takes a special vow of consecration to God, which includes abstaining from wine, avoiding contact with dead bodies, and not cutting their hair. 2. Father, Mother, Brother, SisterImmediate family members mentioned in the context of mourning and defilement, highlighting the personal cost of the Nazirite vow. 3. Crown of ConsecrationSymbolizes the Nazirite's dedication and separation unto God, representing holiness and commitment. 4. DefilementThe act of becoming ceremonially unclean, particularly through contact with a dead body, which is prohibited for Nazirites. 5. GodThe ultimate focus of the Nazirite vow, emphasizing a life set apart for divine purposes. Teaching Points Holiness and SeparationThe Nazirite vow underscores the importance of living a life set apart for God. Believers today are called to be distinct in their conduct and values, reflecting God's holiness in a secular world. Commitment to GodThe vow demonstrates a deep commitment to God that surpasses even familial obligations. Christians are encouraged to prioritize their relationship with God above all else. Sacrifice and Self-DenialThe restrictions of the Nazirite vow teach the value of sacrifice and self-denial in the pursuit of spiritual growth. Believers are called to deny themselves and take up their cross daily. Symbolism of the CrownThe "crown of consecration" signifies honor and dedication. Christians are reminded that their identity in Christ is their greatest honor, and they should live in a way that reflects this truth. Avoiding Spiritual DefilementJust as Nazirites avoided physical defilement, believers are to guard against spiritual defilement by staying away from sin and maintaining purity in thought and action. Bible Study Questions 1. What does the Nazirite vow teach us about the nature of commitment and dedication to God in our own lives? 2. How can we apply the principle of being "set apart" in our daily interactions and decisions? 3. In what ways does the concept of avoiding defilement relate to the New Testament teachings on holiness and purity? 4. How can the account of Samson serve as both a warning and an encouragement in maintaining our spiritual commitments? 5. What practical steps can we take to ensure that our relationship with God remains our highest priority, even above familial and social obligations? Connections to Other Scriptures Leviticus 21Discusses the holiness required of priests, who also must avoid defilement from the dead, drawing a parallel to the Nazirite's call to holiness. Judges 13-16The account of Samson, a Nazirite from birth, illustrates the challenges and failures in maintaining the vow, emphasizing the importance of faithfulness. 1 Peter 1:15-16Calls believers to be holy as God is holy, echoing the theme of consecration and separation found in the Nazirite vow. People Aaron, Israelites, Moses, NaziriteshipPlaces SinaiTopics Account, Brother, Ceremonially, Consecration, Death, Die, Dies, Oath, Separate, Separation, Sister, Symbol, UncleanDictionary of Bible Themes Numbers 6:1-8 5794 asceticism Numbers 6:1-20 5155 hair Numbers 6:1-21 4544 wine
5741 vows Numbers 6:2-7 5731 parents Numbers 6:5-12 7340 clean and unclean Numbers 6:6-7 5661 brothers Library Separation to God.
NUMB. VI. 1-21. THE INSTITUTION OF THE ORDER OF NAZARITES. The first twenty-one verses of Numb. vi. give us an account of the institution and ordinances of the order of Nazarites. And let us note at the outset that this institution, like every other good and perfect gift, came from above; that GOD Himself gave this privilege--unasked--to His people; thereby showing His desire that "whosoever will" of His people may be brought into closest relationship to Himself. It was very gracious of GOD to permit …
James Hudson Taylor—Separation and ServiceTenth Day. Holiness and Separation.
I am the Lord your God, which have separated you from other people. And ye shall be holy unto me, for I the Lord am holy, and have separated you from other people that ye should be Mine.'--Lev. xx. 24, 26. 'Until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the Lord, he shall be holy.... All the days of his separation he is holy unto the Lord.'--Num. vi. 5, 8. 'Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered without the …
Andrew Murray—Holy in Christ Of the Duties which we are to Perform after Receiving the Holy Communion, Called Action or Practice.
The duty which we are to perform after the receiving of the Lord's Supper is called action or practice, without which all the rest will minister to us no comfort. The action consists of two sorts of duties:---First, Such as we are to perform in the church, or else after we are gone home. Those that we are to perform in the church are either several from our own souls, or else jointly with the congregation. The several duties which thou must perform from thine own soul are three:--First, Thou must …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety These Things, My Brother Aurelius, Most Dear unto Me...
38. These things, my brother Aurelius, most dear unto me, and in the bowels of Christ to be venerated, so far as He hath bestowed on me the ability Who through thee commanded me to do it, touching work of Monks, I have not delayed to write; making this my chief care, lest good brethren obeying apostolic precepts, should by lazy and disobedient be called even prevaricators from the Gospel: that they which work not, may at the least account them which do work to be better than themselves without doubt. …
St. Augustine—Of the Work of Monks. The Worship of the Synagogue
One of the most difficult questions in Jewish history is that connected with the existence of a synagogue within the Temple. That such a "synagogue" existed, and that its meeting-place was in "the hall of hewn stones," at the south-eastern angle of the court of the priest, cannot be called in question, in face of the clear testimony of contemporary witnesses. Considering that "the hall of hew stones" was also the meeting-place for the great Sanhedrim, and that not only legal decisions, but lectures …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life Peace
Grace unto you and peace be multiplied. I Pet 1:1. Having spoken of the first fruit of sanctification, assurance, I proceed to the second, viz., Peace, Peace be multiplied:' What are the several species or kinds of Peace? Peace, in Scripture, is compared to a river which parts itself into two silver streams. Isa 66:12. I. There is an external peace, and that is, (1.) (Economical, or peace in a family. (2.) Political, or peace in the state. Peace is the nurse of plenty. He maketh peace in thy borders, …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity Gen. xxxi. 11
Of no less importance and significance is the passage Gen. xxxi. 11 seq. According to ver. 11, the Angel of God, [Hebrew: mlaK halhiM] appears toJacob in a dream. In ver. 13, the same person calls himself the God of Bethel, with reference to the event recorded in chap. xxviii. 11-22. It cannot be supposed that in chap xxviii. the mediation of a common angel took place, who, however, had not been expressly mentioned; for Jehovah is there contrasted with the angels. In ver. 12, we read: "And behold …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament Covenanting a Privilege of Believers.
Whatever attainment is made by any as distinguished from the wicked, or whatever gracious benefit is enjoyed, is a spiritual privilege. Adoption into the family of God is of this character. "He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power (margin, or, the right; or, privilege) to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name."[617] And every co-ordinate benefit is essentially so likewise. The evidence besides, that Covenanting …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting Prayer
But I give myself unto prayer.' Psa 109: 4. I shall not here expatiate upon prayer, as it will be considered more fully in the Lord's prayer. It is one thing to pray, and another thing to be given to prayer: he who prays frequently, is said to be given to prayer; as he who often distributes alms, is said to be given to charity. Prayer is a glorious ordinance, it is the soul's trading with heaven. God comes down to us by his Spirit, and we go up to him by prayer. What is prayer? It is an offering …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments Annunciation to Zacharias of the Birth of John the Baptist.
(at Jerusalem. Probably b.c. 6.) ^C Luke I. 5-25. ^c 5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judæa [a Jewish proselyte, an Idumæan or Edomite by birth, founder of the Herodian family, king of Judæa from b.c. 40 to a.d. 4, made such by the Roman Senate on the recommendation of Mark Antony and Octavius Cæsar], a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course [David divided the priests into twenty-four bodies or courses, each course serving in rotation one week in the temple …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel Things to be Meditated on as Thou Goest to the Church.
1. That thou art going to the court of the Lord, and to speak with the great God by prayer; and to hear his majesty speak unto thee by his word; and to receive his blessing on thy soul, and thy honest labour, in the six days past. 2. Say with thyself by the way--"As the hart brayeth for the rivers of water, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, even for the living God: When shall I come and appear before the presence of God? For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety Numbers
Like the last part of Exodus, and the whole of Leviticus, the first part of Numbers, i.-x. 28--so called,[1] rather inappropriately, from the census in i., iii., (iv.), xxvi.--is unmistakably priestly in its interests and language. Beginning with a census of the men of war (i.) and the order of the camp (ii.), it devotes specific attention to the Levites, their numbers and duties (iii., iv.). Then follow laws for the exclusion of the unclean, v. 1-4, for determining the manner and amount of restitution …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Numbers 6:7 NIVNumbers 6:7 NLTNumbers 6:7 ESVNumbers 6:7 NASBNumbers 6:7 KJV
Numbers 6:7 Commentaries
Bible Hub |
