The Law · Chapter 6 of 36
Numbers 6
God gives the law of the Nazarite vow, by which any man or woman may set themselves apart to the LORD for a season. They abstain from all products of the vine, let no razor touch their head, and avoid all contact with the dead. Rules cover accidental defilement and the vow's completion with offerings. The chapter ends with the Aaronic blessing, in which God puts his name upon his people.
What happens in Numbers 6
The LORD tells Moses that any man or woman may take a special vow of separation to become a Nazarite. For the duration, they must drink no wine or strong drink and eat nothing from the grapevine, let their hair grow uncut, and touch no dead body, even a parent's, because their consecration is upon them. If someone dies suddenly beside them, they are defiled and must shave, offer birds for cleansing, and begin the days again.
When the vow is fulfilled, the Nazarite brings burnt, sin, and peace offerings, shaves the head at the tent door, and burns the hair under the sacrifice, after which they may drink wine again. Then God gives Aaron and his sons the words to bless Israel: the LORD bless and keep you, make his face shine and be gracious, lift up his countenance and give peace. So God's name is placed on his people.
Numbers 6 in context
Chapter six completes a section on keeping the camp holy by opening consecration to ordinary Israelites, not only priests. The Nazarite vow let anyone draw near through voluntary devotion for a time. The chapter then crowns this holiness material with the priestly blessing, one of the oldest and most beloved benedictions in Scripture, showing that the aim of all this separation is that God's face would shine on his people in peace.
Main themes of Numbers 6
Numbers 6 (KJV)
1And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the LORD: 3He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried. 4All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk. 5All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow. 6All the days that he separateth himself unto the LORD he shall come at no dead body. 7He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God is upon his head. 8All the days of his separation he is holy unto the LORD. 9And if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of his consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it. 10And on the eighth day he shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons, to the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: 11And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make an atonement for him, for that he sinned by the dead, and shall hallow his head that same day. 12And he shall consecrate unto the LORD the days of his separation, and shall bring a lamb of the first year for a trespass offering: but the days that were before shall be lost, because his separation was defiled. 13And this is the law of the Nazarite, when the days of his separation are fulfilled: he shall be brought unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: 14And he shall offer his offering unto the LORD, one he lamb of the first year without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish for a sin offering, and one ram without blemish for peace offerings, 15And a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oil, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings. 16And the priest shall bring them before the LORD, and shall offer his sin offering, and his burnt offering: 17And he shall offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD, with the basket of unleavened bread: the priest shall offer also his meat offering, and his drink offering. 18And the Nazarite shall shave the head of his separation at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it in the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace offerings. 19And the priest shall take the sodden shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them upon the hands of the Nazarite, after the hair of his separation is shaven: 20And the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the LORD: this is holy for the priest, with the wave breast and heave shoulder: and after that the Nazarite may drink wine. 21This is the law of the Nazarite who hath vowed, and of his offering unto the LORD for his separation, beside that that his hand shall get: according to the vow which he vowed, so he must do after the law of his separation. 22And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 23Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, 24The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: 25The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: 26The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. 27And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.
Verses to carry from Numbers 6
“Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the LORD:”Numbers 6:2
“The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:”Numbers 6:24
“The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.”Numbers 6:26
Thematic connection
How Numbers 6 points to Jesus
The Nazarite set himself apart wholly to God, and the priestly blessing longed for God's face to shine upon his people. Both find their fullness in Christ. He is the truly consecrated one, set apart to the Father, holy and undefiled, though he was called a Nazarene in a different sense. More deeply, the blessing that God's face would shine is answered in him, for Scripture says the light of the knowledge of God's glory shines in the face of Jesus Christ, and he himself is our peace.
The benediction that placed God's name upon Israel is realized as believers are gathered into the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit. This is a thematic connection, honestly tracing consecration and the shining face to their fulfillment in Christ.
Questions about Numbers 6
What was the purpose of the Nazarite vow?
It gave ordinary Israelites, women as well as men, a way to consecrate themselves fully to God for a chosen season. The abstinence from the vine, uncut hair, and separation from death were visible marks of a life set apart. The vow shows that deep devotion was not reserved for priests, but could be freely embraced by anyone whose heart longed to draw nearer to the LORD.
Why does the chapter end with the priestly blessing?
Because the aim of all this holiness is not distance but blessing. After laws of separation, God reveals that his desire is to make his face shine on his people and give them peace. The blessing places his very name upon them, marking them as his own. It shows that consecration leads to communion, and that God's heart toward his people is fundamentally to bless them.
Reflection
The Nazarite chose a season set wholly apart for God, and the chapter ends with God's face shining in blessing. Consider whether your devotion has any visible cost, any deliberate setting apart. And receive the benediction as your own: the God who dwells among his people longs to lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
A prayer from Numbers 6
Read the whole Bible with the family
Open it in the app, study it live with someone, and let it lead you to Christ.
Open the BibleRead it togetherSee what God is doing