For men or women, taking on a Nazarite vow meant they would consecrate themselves or dedicate their lives for service to God, Numbers 6:1-2 / Amos 2:11-12.
Whitelaw, in his commentary, says the following.
‘A recognition of the Divine liberty of the Holy Spirit, and an anticipation of the time when the spirit of self-devotion should be poured out without distinction upon men and women.’
There were three stipulations regarding this divine calling, which we find here.
1. They couldn’t partake of the ‘fruit of the vine’, which meant they were to abstain from drinking wine, in order to live a simple and sober life, Numbers 6:3-4.
The Nazarites were essentially prohibited from eating or drinking anything that was produced from the grapevine. Samson’s mother had to abstain during her pregnancy, as Samson was set apart from the womb, Judges 13:4. Samson also broke this vow, Judges 14:10.
2. Nazirites had to refrain from cutting their hair as an observable sign of their vow, Numbers 6:5.
The outward symbol of the vow was necessary in order that others would not offer the Nazarite something that would contradict his or her vow. For the Jews, if a person had an abundance of hair, this was seen as a sign of physical strength and perfection, 2 Samuel 14:25-26. However, if a man was bald, this was regarded as a grave blemish, Leviticus 13:40-46 / Leviticus 21:20 / 2 Kings 2:23 / Isaiah 3:24.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘It is significant that the long hair of the Nazirite “separated” even in the matter of his appearance, because in antiquity long hair for a man was considered a shame, even as the apostle Paul himself taught in the New Testament, 1 Corinthians 11:14.’
3. Nazirites were to avoid contact with a dead body, which would disqualify them for tabernacle worship, Numbers 6:6-7.
There was a chance that they would become unclean, and so, the Nazarite wasn’t even permitted to help in the burial of his or her own family members, Leviticus 21:1-3. Samson broke this vow too when he touched a dead carcass, Judges 14:8-9.
They were to a people separated for the Lord, and so, committed to the Lord’s service. And so, to take the Nazirite vow was indeed a privilege for any man or woman to take, but it also carried with it a lot of responsibility.
There was a possibility that someone could die suddenly in the presence of a Nazarite, which indirectly would lead to them defiling their hair, Numbers 6:9. If this happens, they were to shave their head on the seventh day and take two doves or two young pigeons to the priest for an offering, Numbers 6:10.
Notice that there are three Levitical sacrifices required.
1. The sin offering, Numbers 6:11.
2. The burnt offering, Numbers 6:11.
3. The guilt offering, Numbers 6:12.
What was done with the hair that was shaved off after such a violation?
Jewish tradition says the following concerning the hair.
‘They buried it because it was then considered defiled. The hair shaved off after the completion of the vow was burnt as a sacrifice, Numbers 6:18.’
The Nazarite vow was to last at least one year, Numbers 6:13, and at the end of this time, the Nazarite would bring offerings before the priest in order to end the time of the vow, Numbers 6:14 / Acts 21:23-26.
They are to present 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 fellowship offering, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and a basket of bread made with the finest flour and without yeast, thick loaves with olive oil mixed in, and thin loaves brushed with olive oil, Numbers 6:14-15.
The priest is to present all these before the LORD and make the sin offering and the burnt offering, Numbers 6:16. The priest is to present the basket of unleavened bread and sacrifice the ram as a fellowship offering to the LORD, together with its grain offering and drink offering, Numbers 6:17.
Once the priest did all the proper ceremonies to end the vow, the Nazarite’s head was shaved to show the public that they had finished the time of the vow, Numbers 6:18.
Jewish tradition says the following concerning the hair.
‘It was burned, not as a sacrifice, but in order to keep an object of consecration from being profaned.’
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The burning of the hair ‘in the fire under the sacrifice of the peace offering’ represented the eucharistic communion with God obtained by those who realised the ideal which the Nazarite set forth.’
After the Nazirite has shaved off the hair that symbolises their dedication, the priest is to place in their hands a boiled shoulder of the ram, Leviticus 7:30, and one thick loaf and one thin loaf from the basket, both made without yeast, Numbers 6:19.
Next, the priest is to wave these before the LORD as a wave offering. Numbers 6:20. They are holy and belong to the priest, together with the breast that was waved and the thigh that was presented and after that, the Nazirite may drink wine, Numbers 6:20.
The fellowship offerings, Numbers 6:18, were normally consumed by the offeror and his friends, celebrating at the same time the lifting of the ban against drinking wine.
This is the law of the Nazirite who vows offerings to the LORD in accordance with their dedication, in addition to whatever else they can afford, Numbers 6:21. Notice they must fulfil the vows they have made, according to the law of the Nazirite, Numbers 6:21.
Moses, Aaron, and their spiritual descendants were commanded to bless the people, Numbers 6:22-27. By raising up the character of God before the people, the people were in turn encouraged to live holy lives before God, who is holy, Isaiah 6:3.
The blessing reassured the people, Numbers 6:24 / Psalm 91 / John 17:9-15 / 1 Thessalonians 5:23, and reminded them that God’s favour was to them, Numbers 6:25 / Psalm 21:6 / Psalm 34:15.
It gave them assurance of God’s peace, Numbers 6:26 / John 14:26-27, and gave them confidence in that God had claimed His people by putting His name on them, Numbers 6:27 / John 14:26-27.
This blessing is incredible and very personal. Notice the word ‘you’ is said six times; in other words, there’s no mistaking the point of this blessing, God really wants to bless them.
Henry, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The name Jehovah is three times repeated. The Jews think there is some mystery, and we know what it is, the New Testament having explained it. There we are directed to expect the blessing from the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of the Father, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, 2 Corinthians 13:14, each of which Persons is Jehovah, and yet they are not three Lords, but one Lord.’