Numbers 6:3-8

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 6:1-21

After the law for the discovery and shame of those that by sin had made themselves vile, fitly follows this for the direction and encouragement of those who by their eminent piety and devotion had made themselves honourable, and distinguished themselves from their neighbours. It is very probable that there were those before the making of this law who went under the character of Nazarites, and were celebrated by that title as persons professing greater strictness and zeal in religion than other... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 6:3

He shall separate himself from wine ,.... Old or new, as Ben Gersom; from drinking it, any of it: not only from an immoderate and excessive drinking of it, which every man should abstain from, but from drinking of it at all, that he might be more free and fit for the service of God; for prayer, meditation, reading the Scriptures, and attendance on the worship of God in all its branches, and be less liable to temptations to sin; for, as Aben Ezra observes, many transgressions are occasioned... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 6:4

All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree ,.... Of its leaves, branches, and fruit, especially the latter, put into any sort of food, or infused into any liquor, or mixed with any sauce for food: the days or time of separation were according as the vow was made, for a shorter or longer time; though the Jews F20 Misn. Nazir, c. 1. sect. 3. & c. 6. sect. 3. say, where the vow is, absolutely expressed, it is always to be understood of thirty... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 6:5

All the days of the vow of his separation ,.... Be the time he has vowed to be a Nazarite a week, a, month, or more, even a thousand days, but not less than thirty, as Ben Gersom observes: there shall no razor come upon his head ; he might not shave his beard, nor cut off his locks, and shave his head, nor cut short his locks with a pair of scissors, nor any with anything by which the hair may be removed, as Ben Gersom; nor pluck off his hair with his hands, as Maimonides says F24 ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 6:6

All the days that he separateth himself unto the Lord ,.... This phrase is repeated at every new article and branch of the law of the Nazarites, of which what follows is the third; showing that each part of it, during that time, was strictly to be observed: he shall come at no dead body : not near to any, not even to be in the same place where a dead body lay, nor to touch one, nor to attend the funeral of any, nor be concerned at all about burying the dead; now, as such so defiled... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 6:7

He shall not make himself unclean for his father or for his mother, for his brother or for his sister, when they die ,.... Aben Ezra adds also, for his wife, and for his daughter, and for others; what even the priests of the Lord, the common priests might do, a Nazarite might not, not come near any of his relations when dead, as to touch them, to close their eyes, or wash their bodies, and provide for their funeral, and attend that, or to be where they were; in this respect they were upon a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 6:8

All the days of his separation he is holy unto the Lord. Set apart for his service, separate from all others, especially the dead, and under obligation to abstain from the above things; from drinking wine, from shaving his hair, and from defiling himself for the dead, and to be employed in holy and religious exercises during the time his vow is upon him. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 6:3

No vinegar of wine, etc. - חמץ chomets signifies fermented wine, and is probably used here to signify wine of a strong body, or any highly intoxicating liquor. Dr. Lightfoot supposes that the Leper being the most defiled and loathsome of creatures, was an emblem of the wretched, miserable state of man by the fall; and that the Nazarite was the emblem of man in his state of innocence. Wine and grapes are here particularly forbidden to the Nazarite because, as the doctor thinks, being an... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 6:5

There shall no razor come upon his head - The vow of the Nazarite consisted in the following particulars: - He consecrated himself in a very especial and extraordinary manner to God. This was to continue for a certain season, probably never less than a whole year, that he might have a full growth of hair to burn in the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace-offering, Numbers 6:18 . During the time of his separation, or nazarate, he drank no wine nor strong drink; nor used... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 6:7

The consecration of his God is upon his head - Literally, The separation of his God is upon his head; meaning his hair, which was the proof and emblem of his separation. Now as the hair of the Nazarite was a token of his subjection to God through all the peculiarities of his nazarate, a woman, who is married, is considered as a Nazarite for life, i. e., separated from all others, and joined to one husband who is her lord; hence St. Paul, probably alluding to this circumstance, says, 1... read more

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