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The NET Bible®

Numbers 6:7

He must not defile himself even for his father or his mother or his brother or his sister if they die, because the separation for his God is on his head.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Fraternity;   Nazarite;   Scofield Reference Index - Separation;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Dead, the;   Nazarites;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Mourning;   Nazarite;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Nazirite;   Priest;   Samson;   Vow;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Abstain, Abstinence;   Priest, Priesthood;   Easton Bible Dictionary - John the Baptist;   Nazarite;   Purification;   Samson;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - John the Baptist;   Mourning;   Pentateuch;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Birds of Abomination;   Consecration;   Hair;   Nazirite;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Clean and Unclean;   Nazirite;   Numbers, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Following;   Nazirite;   Vote;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Nazarite ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Nazarene;   Nazarites;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Naz'arite,;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Samuel the Prophet;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Body;   Consecrate;   Corpse;   Hair;   Nazirite;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Blessing, Priestly;   Commandments, the 613;   Gems;   Mishnah;   Nazarite;   Nazir;   Priestly Code;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die; because his separation to God is on his head.
King James Version
He 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.
Lexham English Bible
for even his father, mother, brother, or sister he will not make himself unclean by their death, because the separation to his God is on his head.
New Century Version
Even if their own father, mother, brother, or sister dies, they must not touch them, or they will become unclean. They must still keep their promise to belong to God in a special way.
Amplified Bible
'He shall not make himself [ceremonially] unclean for his father, mother, brother, or sister, when they die, because [the responsibility for] his separation to God is on his head.
New American Standard Bible
'He shall not make himself unclean for his father or for his mother, for his brother or for his sister, when they die, because his consecration to God is on his head.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Hee shall not make himselfe vncleane at the death of his father, or mother, brother, or sister: for the consecration of his God is vpon his head.
Legacy Standard Bible
He shall not defile himself for his father or for his mother, for his brother or for his sister, when they die, because the Nazirite vow to his God is on his head.
Contemporary English Version
not even that of your father, mother, brother, or sister. That would make you unclean. Your hair is the sign that you are dedicated to me, so remain holy.
Complete Jewish Bible
He is not to make himself unclean for his father, mother, brother or sister when they die, since his consecration to God is on his head.
Darby Translation
He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister when they die; for the consecration of his God is upon his head.
Easy-to-Read Version
so you must not let yourself become unclean like this—even for your own father or mother, brother or sister when they die. This is because you have the hair that you dedicated to God on your head!
English Standard Version
Not even for his father or for his mother, for brother or sister, if they die, shall he make himself unclean, because his separation to God is on his head.
George Lamsa Translation
He shall not defile himself for his father or for his mother, for his brother or for his sister when they die; because the crown of consecration of his God is upon his head.
Christian Standard Bible®
He is not to defile himself for his father or mother, or his brother or sister, when they die, while the mark of consecration to his God is on his head.
Literal Translation
He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, or for his brother, or for his sister, at their death; because his separation to his God is on his head.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Nether shal he defyle him self at ye death of his father, of his mother, of his brother, or of his sister. For the abstinence of his God is vpon his heade,
American Standard Version
He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die; because his separation unto God is upon his head.
Bible in Basic English
He may not make himself unclean for his father or his mother, his sister or his brother, if death comes to them; because he is under an oath to keep himself separate for God.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
He shall not make hym selfe vncleane at the death of his father, mother, brother, or sister: because that the consecration of his God is vpon his head,
JPS Old Testament (1917)
He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die; because his consecration unto God is upon his head.
King James Version (1611)
Hee shall not make himselfe vncleane for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God is vpon his head.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
to his father or his mother, or to his brother or his sister; he shall not defile himself for them, when they have died, because the vow of God is upon him on his head.
English Revised Version
He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because his separation unto God is upon his head.
Berean Standard Bible
Even if his father or mother or brother or sister should die, he is not to defile himself, because the crown of consecration to his God is upon his head.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and sotheli he schal not be defoulid on the deed bodi of fadir and of moder, of brothir and of sistir, for the halewyng of his God is on his heed;
Young's Literal Translation
for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister -- he is not unclean for them at their death, for the separation of his God [is] on his head;
Update Bible Version
He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die; because his separation to God is on his head.
Webster's Bible Translation
He 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.
World English Bible
He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die; because his separation to God is on his head.
New King James Version
He shall not make himself unclean even for his father or his mother, for his brother or his sister, when they die, because his separation to God is on his head.
New Living Translation
Even if the dead person is their own father, mother, brother, or sister, they must not defile themselves, for the hair on their head is the symbol of their separation to God.
New Life Bible
He must not allow himself to be made unclean when his father, mother, brother or sister die. For he has made a promise to be set apart to God.
New Revised Standard
Even if their father or mother, brother or sister, should die, they may not defile themselves; because their consecration to God is upon the head.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Neither for his father nor for his mother nor for his brother nor for his sister, shall he make himself unclean-not even for them, should they die, - because, his separation unto God, is upon his head,
Douay-Rheims Bible
Neither shall he make himself unclean, even for his father, or for his mother, or for his brother, or for his sister, when they die, because the consecration of his God is upon his head.
Revised Standard Version
Neither for his father nor for his mother, nor for brother or sister, if they die, shall he make himself unclean; because his separation to God is upon his head.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
'He shall not make himself unclean for his father or for his mother, for his brother or for his sister, when they die, because his separation to God is on his head.

Contextual Overview

1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 2 "Speak to the Israelites, and tell them, ‘When either a man or a woman takes a special vow, to take a vow as a Nazirite, to separate himself to the Lord , 3 he must separate himself from wine and strong drink, he must drink neither vinegar made from wine nor vinegar made from strong drink, nor may he drink any juice of grapes, nor eat fresh grapes or raisins. 4 All the days of his separation he must not eat anything that is produced by the grapevine, from seed to skin. 5 "‘All the days of the vow of his separation no razor may be used on his head until the time is fulfilled for which he separated himself to the Lord . He will be holy, and he must let the locks of hair on his head grow long. 6 "‘All the days that he separates himself to the Lord he must not contact a dead body. 7 He must not defile himself even for his father or his mother or his brother or his sister if they die, because the separation for his God is on his head. 8 All the days of his separation he must be holy to the Lord . 9 "‘If anyone dies very suddenly beside him and he defiles his consecrated head, then he must shave his head on the day of his purification—on the seventh day he must shave it. 10 On the eighth day he is to bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest, to the entrance to the tent of meeting.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

unclean: Numbers 9:6, Leviticus 21:1, Leviticus 21:2, Leviticus 21:10-12, Ezekiel 44:25

consecration: Heb. separation, This expression, "the consecration, or separation, of God is on his head," denotes his hair, which was the proof and emblem of his separation, and of his subjection to God through all the peculiarities of his Nazarate. St. Paul probably alludes to this circumstance in 1 Corinthians 11:10, by considering a married woman as a Nazarite for life, i.e., separated from all others, and united to her husband, to whom she is subject.

Reciprocal: Leviticus 10:6 - Uncover Leviticus 21:11 - his father Matthew 8:21 - suffer

Cross-References

Genesis 6:1
When humankind began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them,
Genesis 6:2
the sons of God saw that the daughters of humankind were beautiful. Thus they took wives for themselves from any they chose.
Genesis 6:3
So the Lord said, "My spirit will not remain in humankind indefinitely, since they are mortal. They will remain for 120 more years."
Genesis 6:4
The Nephilim were on the earth in those days (and also after this) when the sons of God were having sexual relations with the daughters of humankind, who gave birth to their children. They were the mighty heroes of old, the famous men.
Genesis 6:20
Of the birds after their kinds, and of the cattle after their kinds, and of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every kind will come to you so you can keep them alive.
Genesis 6:22
And Noah did all that God commanded him—he did indeed.
Psalms 37:20
But evil men will die; the Lord 's enemies will be incinerated— they will go up in smoke.
Proverbs 10:27
Fearing the Lord prolongs life, but the life span of the wicked will be shortened.
Proverbs 16:4
The Lord works everything for its own ends— even the wicked for the day of disaster.
Hosea 4:3
Therefore the land will mourn, and all its inhabitants will perish. The wild animals, the birds of the sky, and even the fish in the sea will perish.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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 level with the high priest, who was forbid the same, which shows how sacred these persons were; see Leviticus 21:1; this may instruct spiritual Nazarites to abstain from the company and conversation of sinners, dead in trespasses and sins, and from all dead works and sinful actions, which, as they are deserving of death, are defiling:

because the consecration of his God [is] upon his head; or that which shows him to be consecrated to God, and separated to his service, is upon his head, namely, his long hair: the Targum of Jonathan renders it, "the crown of his God"; so Aben Ezra observes, that some say that the word "Nazarite" is derived from "Nezer", a crown, in proof of which this passage is produced; and in this respect the Nazarites were not only types of Christ our King and high priest, who is a priest on his throne, and has on his head many crowns, but of the saints who are freed from the power and dominion of sin, and are made kings and priests unto God.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The law of the Nazarite is appropriately added to other enactments which concern the sanctity of the holy nation. That sanctity found its highest expression in the Nazarite vow, which was the voluntary adoption for a time of obligations to high and strict modes of self-dedication resembling, and indeed in some particulars exceeding, those under which the priests were placed. The present enactments do not institute a new kind of observance, but only regulate one already familiar to the Israelites Numbers 6:2.

Numbers 6:2

A Nazarite - Strictly, Nazirite. This term signifies “separated” i. e., as the words following show, “unto God.” It became a technical term at an early date; compare Judges 13:5, Judges 13:7; Judges 16:17.

Numbers 6:3

Liquor of grapes - i. e. a drink made of grape-skins macerated in water.

Numbers 6:4

From the kernels even to the husk - A sour drink was made from the stones of unripe grapes; and cakes were also made of the husks Hosea 3:1. This interdict figures that separation from the general society of men to which the Nazarite for the time was consecrated.

Numbers 6:5

Among the Jews the abundance of the hair was considered to betoken physical strength and perfection (compare 2 Samuel 14:25-26), and baldness was regarded as a grave blemish (compare Leviticus 21:20 note, Leviticus 13:40 ff; 2 Kings 2:23; Isaiah 3:24). Thus, the free growth of the hair on the head of the Nazarite represented the dedication of the man with all his strength and powers to the service of God.

Numbers 6:7

The consecration of his God - i. e. the unshorn locks: compare Leviticus 25:5 note, where the vine, left during the Sabbatical year untouched by the hand of man, either for pruning or for vintage, is called simply a “Nazarite.”

The third rule of the Nazarite interdicted him from contracting any ceremonial defilement even under circumstances which excused such defilement in others: compare Leviticus 21:1-3.

Numbers 6:9-12

Prescriptions to meet the case of a sudden death taking place “by him” (i. e. in his presence). The days of the dedication of the Nazarite had to be recommenced.

Numbers 6:13

When the days of his separation are fulfilled - Perpetual Nazariteship was probably unknown in the days of Moses; but the examples of Samson, Samuel, and John the Baptist, show that it was in later times undertaken for life. Again, Moses does not expressly require that limits should be assigned to the vow; but a rule was afterward imposed that no Nazarite vow should be taken for less than thirty days. To permit the vow to be taken for very short periods would diminish its solemnity and estimation.

Numbers 6:14, Numbers 6:15

The sin-offering (compare the marginal references), though named second, was in practice offered first, being intended to expiate involuntary sins committed during the period of separation. The burnt-offering (Leviticus 1:10 ff) denoted the self-surrender on which alone all acceptableness in the Nazarite before God must rest; the peace-offerings (Leviticus 3:12 ff) expressed thankfulness to God by whose grace the vow had been fulfilled. The offerings, both ordinary and additional, required on the completion of the Nazarite vow involved considerable expense, and it was regarded as a pious work to provide the poor with the means of making them (compare Acts 21:23 ff; Acts 1:0 Macc. 3:49).

Numbers 6:18

Shave the head - As the Nazarite had during his vow worn his hair unshorn in honor of God, so when the time was complete it was natural that the hair, the symbol of his vow, should be cut off, and offered to God at the sanctuary. 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 (compare the marginal reference).

Numbers 6:20

The priest shall wave them - i. e. by placing his hands under those of the Nazarite: compare Leviticus 7:30.

Numbers 6:21

Beside that that his hand shall get - The Nazarite, in addition to the offerings prescribed above, was to present free-will offerings according to his possessions or means.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 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 Corinthians 11:10: The woman ought to have power upon her head, i. e., wear her hair and veil; for this hair is a proof of her nazarate, and of her being in subjection to her husband, as the Nazarite was under subjection to the LORD by the rule of his order.


 
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