Números 6

The vow of a Nazirite

¹The LORD spoke to Moses. He said, ²“Speak to the Israelites and tell them: ‘When a man or a woman makes a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to be set apart for the LORD, ³they are to keep away from wine and beer. They must not drink vinegar made from wine or from beer, and they must not drink any grape juice or eat grapes, whether fresh or dried. ⁴As long as they remain set apart, they must not eat anything that comes from the grapevine, not even the seeds or the skins.^{a 5}For the whole time of their vow of separation, no razor may touch their head. Until the time they have set apart for the LORD is complete, they are holy, and they must let the hair of their head grow long. ⁶Throughout the time they are set apart for the LORD, they must not go near a dead body. ⁷Even if their father or mother, brother or sister dies, they must not make themselves unclean for them, because the mark of their consecration to God is on their head. ⁸For the whole time of their separation they are holy to the LORD. ⁹If someone dies very suddenly beside them, and so their consecrated head becomes unclean, they must shave their head on the day of their cleansing. On the seventh day they must shave it. ¹⁰On the eighth day they must bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting. ¹¹The priest is to offer one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, and so make atonement for them, because they sinned through the dead body. That same day they must consecrate their head again. ¹²They must dedicate to the LORD the days of their separation once more and bring a year-old male lamb as a guilt offering. The earlier days do not count, because their separation was made unclean. ¹³This is the instruction for the Nazirite when the time of their separation is complete: they are to be brought to the entrance of the tent of meeting.^{b 14}There they are to present their offering to the LORD: a year-old male lamb without defect for a burnt offering, a year-old ewe lamb without defect for a sin offering, a ram without defect for a peace offering, ¹⁵and a basket of bread made without yeast, loaves of fine flour mixed with oil and wafers spread with oil, together with the grain offerings and drink offerings that go with them. ¹⁶The priest is to present them before the LORD and offer the Nazirite’s sin offering and burnt offering. ¹⁷The ram is to be offered to the LORD as a peace offering, together with the basket of bread made without yeast, and the priest is also to present its grain offering and drink offering. ¹⁸Then at the entrance of the tent of meeting the Nazirite is to shave their consecrated head, take the hair, and put it on the fire under the peace offering. ¹⁹The priest is to take the boiled shoulder of the ram, one loaf and one wafer of bread made without yeast from the basket, and put them in the hands of the Nazirite after they have shaved off their consecrated hair. ²⁰The priest is to wave them before the LORD as a wave offering. They are holy and belong to the priest, together with the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the contribution. After that, the Nazirite may drink wine. ²¹This is the instruction for the Nazirite who makes a vow, for the offering they owe the LORD for their separation, besides anything more they can afford. They must do just what they promised in their vow, following the instruction for their separation.’”

Aaron’s blessing on the Israelites

²²The LORD spoke to Moses. He said, ²³“Tell Aaron and his sons: ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:

²⁴“May the LORD bless you \q and watch over you.

²⁵May the LORD make his face shine toward you \q and show you favor.

²⁶May the LORD lift up his face to look on you \q and grant you peace.”’

²⁷So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I myself will bless them.”