SERIES E --- YHVH’S LAWS --- LESSON 06

A SPECIAL VOW

THE NAZIRITE VOW

From Numbers 6

When a man or a woman takes a vow to become a Nazirite, separating himself to Adonai, he must separate himself from wine and strong drink, Adonai Instructed Moses. During the period of separation to Adonai, the Nazirite must not eat or drink anything from the grapevine; no wine, grape juice, grapes or raisins; not even the skins or seeds of the grapes. During the period of separation, the Nazirite will not cut his hair, but will let his hair grow to show his holy vows to Adonai. During the time of his vow, he will not go near a dead body, even though it is his father, mother, brother or sister. If someone dies suddenly in his presence and defiles him in that way, the Nazirite shall shave his head seven days later, on the day of his purification. On the eighth day, the next day, he will bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest at the door to the tabernacle. To atone for the man’s defilement, the priest will offer one bird as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. On that day the man will let his hair grow again and renew his vows. The vows will begin again, for the previous days of the vow do not count. The man must also bring a year-old male lamb for a guilt offering because the man’s separation was defiled. When the period necessary for consecration has ended, the Nazirite will offer a flawless year-old lamb as a burnt offering to Adonai at the entrance to the tabernacle. He will also offer a flawless year-old ewe lamb as a sin offering and a flawless ram as a peace offering. Along with a cereal and drink offering, he will present a basket of unleavened bread, cakes made with fine flour mixed with olive oil and unleavened wafers spread with oil. At the entrance to the tabernacle the Nazirite will shave the hair which he grew as a sign of his consecration and then burn this hair in the fire under the peace offering. Then the priest will place the cooked shoulder of the lamb, one unleavened cake from the basket and one unleavened wafer in the hands of the Nazirite. He will lift the man’s hands with all these things in them and wave them back and forth before Adonai as a sign that they are offered to Him. These are a holy portion for the priest to keep, as well as the breast of the wave offering and the shoulder of the heave offering. When this ceremony is finished, the Nazirite may drink wine again, for he has fulfilled his vow. These are the Laws for a Nazirite and his ceremony at the end of his period of consecration. He must also bring any other offering which he promised when he vowed to become a Nazirite. Adonai also said to Moses, tell Aaron and his sons this blessing with which they are to bless the people of Israel. This is what they shall say,

[Adonai bless you and keep you. Adonai make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you. Adonai look favourably upon you, and give you peace.]

Aaron and his sons will call My Name and blessings upon the people of Israel and I will bless them.’’

COMMENTARY

THE NAZIRITE VOW

People often make promises and take vows they never keep. That was just as true thousands of years ago as it is today. For as short a time as thirty days or for as long as a lifetime, a person could take the Nazirite vow and devote himself to YHVH by swearing three things.

1 -- He promised not to eat grapes or anything made from grapes; wine, juice, grape vinegar or raisins. He was also to avoid all strong drink.
2 -- Every Nazirite could not cut his hair or shave for as long as the vow lasted. That made him very easy to recognize.
3 -- No Nazirite could come near the body of a dead person, no matter who it was; not even his own mother and father.

If a Nazirite accidentally came into contact with a dead body, he had to make a sacrifice, cut off his hair and bury it and start the period of his vow all over again. If his hair was cut accidently, he was set back thirty days in his vow. Only accidentally drinking a product of the grape brought about no penalty. But if a Nazirite deliberately broke any of the vows, he was whipped once for each one he broke. When the set time period was over, the end of the vow was marked by a special offering at the temple. A sacrifice had to be made of two rams, an ewe, ten unleavened cakes of flour and ten unleavened wafers sprinkled with oil, along with other meat and drink offerings. The head and beard would be shaved and the hair burned in the fire with the meat offering. A person could take the Nazirite vow for a lifetime. A father could make it for his son before he was thirteen. Samson’s mother gave him to YHVH before he was even born. As the story is related in the Bible, he broke the vow three times.

First, Samson killed thirty men; and made himself unclean by contact with their bodies.
Secondly, he drank wine at his own wedding feast.
Thirdly, after telling the secret of his YHVH-given strength to Delilah, his hair was cut and he lost his sight, strength and freedom.

The prophet Samuel and John the Baptist were two other life-long Nazirites. Even the apostle Paul was a Nazirite for a brief time.