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New Living Translation

Numbers 6:5

"They must never cut their hair throughout the time of their vow, for they are holy and set apart to the Lord . Until the time of their vow has been fulfilled, they must let their hair grow long.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Fraternity;   Nazarite;   Razor;   Shaving;   Scofield Reference Index - Inspiration;   Separation;   Thompson Chain Reference - Razors;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Hair, the;   Head;   Nazarites;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Hair;   Nazarite;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Nazirite;   Samson;   Vow;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Abstain, Abstinence;   Priest, Priesthood;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Barber;   Hair;   John the Baptist;   Lock;   Nazarite;   Razor;   Samson;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Hair;   John the Baptist;   Pentateuch;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Consecration;   Hair;   Lock;   Nazirite;   Tools;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Clean and Unclean;   Hair;   Nazirite;   Numbers, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Holiness;   Marriage;   Nazirite;   Vote;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Nazarite ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Nazarene;   Nazarites;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Hair;   Handicraft;   Nazarites;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Handicraft;   Knife;   Naz'arite,;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Samuel the Prophet;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Hair;   Holiness;   Locks;   Nazirite;   Razor;   Shaving;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Bareheadedness;   Blessing, Priestly;   Commandments, the 613;   Holiness;   Mishnah;   Nazarite;   Nazir;   Priestly Code;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
"All the days of his vow of separation there shall no razor come on his head, until the days are fulfilled, in which he separates himself to the LORD. He shall be holy. He shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow long.
King James Version
All 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.
Lexham English Bible
"‘All the days of the vow of his separation a razor will not pass over his head. Until fulfilling the days that he separated himself to Yahweh he will be holy and grow long the locks of the hair of his head.
New Century Version
"‘During the time they have promised to belong to the Lord , they must not cut their hair. They must be holy until this special time is over. They must let their hair grow long.
New English Translation
"‘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.
Amplified Bible
'All the time of the vow of his separation no razor shall be used on his head. Until the time of his separation to the LORD is completed, he shall be holy, and shall let the hair of his head grow long.
New American Standard Bible
'All the days of his vow of consecration no razor shall pass over his head. He shall be holy until the days are fulfilled which he lives as a Nazirite for the LORD; he shall let the locks of hair on his head grow long.
Geneva Bible (1587)
While hee is separate by his vowe, the rasor shall not come vpon his head, vntill the dayes be out, in the which he separateth him selfe vnto the Lord, he shalbe holy, and shall let the lockes of the heare of his head growe.
Legacy Standard Bible
‘All the days of his vow as a Nazirite no razor shall pass over his head. He shall be holy until the days are fulfilled for which he dedicated himself as a Nazirite to Yahweh; he shall let the locks of hair on his head grow long.
Contemporary English Version
Even the hair of a Nazirite is sacred to me, and as long as you are a Nazirite, you must never cut your hair.
Complete Jewish Bible
"‘Throughout the period of his vow as a nazir, he is not to shave his head. Until the end of the time for which he has consecrated himself to Adonai he is to be holy: he is to let the hair on his head grow long.
Darby Translation
All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head; until the days be fulfilled, that he hath consecrated himself to Jehovah, he shall be holy; he shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.
Easy-to-Read Version
"The whole time of their Nazirite vow they must not cut their hair. They must be holy until this time of special dedication to the Lord is ended. They must let their hair grow long.
English Standard Version
"All the days of his vow of separation, no razor shall touch his head. Until the time is completed for which he separates himself to the Lord , he shall be holy. He shall let the locks of hair of his head grow long.
George Lamsa Translation
All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head; until the days are fulfilled for which he separated himself to the LORD, he shall be holy and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.
Good News Translation
As long as you are under the nazirite vow, you must not cut your hair or shave. You are bound by the vow for the full time that you are dedicated to the Lord , and you shall let your hair grow.
Christian Standard Bible®
“You must not cut his hair throughout the time of his vow of consecration. He may be holy until the time is completed during which he consecrates himself to the Lord; he is to let the hair of his head grow long.
Literal Translation
All the days of the vow of his separation, a razor shall not pass over his head; he shall be holy until all the days are fulfilled which he has separated to Jehovah. He shall allow the locks of the hair of his head to grow long.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
As longe as the vowe of his abstynence endureth, there shall no rasoure come vpon his heade, tyll the tyme be out which he absteyneth vnto the LORDE, for he is holy. And he shall let the heer of his heade growe, and stonde bare openly.
American Standard Version
All the days of his vow of separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in which he separateth himself unto Jehovah, he shall be holy; he shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow long.
Bible in Basic English
All the time he is under his oath let no blade come near his head; till the days while he is separate are ended he is holy and his hair may not be cut.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And as long as he voweth and is seperated, there shall not rasure come vpon his head, vntyll his dayes be out in the which he seperateth hym selfe vnto the Lorde, he shalbe holy, and shall let the lockes of his heere growe.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
All the days of his vow of Naziriteship there shall no razor come upon his head; until the days be fulfilled, in which he consecrateth himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, he shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow long.
King James Version (1611)
All the dayes of the vow of his separation, there shall no rasour come vpon his head: vntill the dayes bee fulfilled in the which hee separateth himselfe vnto the Lord, he shall be holy, and shall let the lockes of the haire of his head grow.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
all the days of his separation:—a razor shall not come upon his head, until the days be fulfilled which he vowed to the Lord: he shall be holy, cherishing the long hair of the head,
English Revised Version
All the days of his vow of 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, he shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow long.
Berean Standard Bible
For the entire period of his vow of separation, no razor shall pass over his head. He must be holy until the time of his separation to the LORD is complete; he must let the hair of his head grow long.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
In al tyme of his departyng a rasour schal not passe on his heed, `til to the day fillid in which he is halewid to the Lord; he schal be hooli while the heer of his heed `schal wexe.
Young's Literal Translation
`All days of the vow of his separation a razor doth not pass over his head; till the fulness of the days which he doth separate to Jehovah he is holy; grown up hath the upper part of the hair of his head.
Update Bible Version
All the days of his vow of separation no razor shall come on his head: until the days be fulfilled, in which he separates himself to Yahweh, he shall be holy; he shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow long.
Webster's Bible Translation
All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days shall be fulfilled, in which he separateth [himself] to the LORD, he shall be holy, [and] shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.
World English Bible
"All the days of his vow of separation there shall no razor come on his head, until the days are fulfilled, in which he separates himself to Yahweh. He shall be holy. He shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow long.
New King James Version
"All the days of the vow of his separation no razor shall come upon his head; until the days are fulfilled for which he separated himself to the LORD, he shall be holy. Then he shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.
New Life Bible
‘No hair of his head will be cut, all the days of his promise to be set apart. He must be holy until the time is finished for which he set himself apart to the Lord. He will let the hair on his head grow long.
New Revised Standard
All the days of their nazirite vow no razor shall come upon the head; until the time is completed for which they separate themselves to the Lord , they shall be holy; they shall let the locks of the head grow long.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
All the days of his vow of separation, no razor, shall pass over his head, - until the days are fulfilled for which he shall separate himself to Yahweh hallowed, shall he be, letting the locks of the hair of his head grow long.
Douay-Rheims Bible
All the time of his separation no razor shall pass over his head, until the day be fulfilled of his consecration to the Lord. He shall be holy, and shall let the hair of his head grow.
Revised Standard Version
"All the days of his vow of separation no razor shall come upon his head; until the time is completed for which he separates himself to the LORD, he shall be holy; he shall let the locks of hair of his head grow long.
THE MESSAGE
"Also, for the duration of the consecration you must not have your hair cut. Your long hair will be a continuing sign of holy separation to God .
New American Standard Bible (1995)
'All the days of his vow of separation no razor shall pass over his head. He shall be holy until the days are fulfilled for which he separated himself to the LORD; he shall let the locks of hair on his head grow long.

Contextual Overview

1 Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 "Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. "If any of the people, either men or women, take the special vow of a Nazirite, setting themselves apart to the Lord in a special way, 3 they must give up wine and other alcoholic drinks. They must not use vinegar made from wine or from other alcoholic drinks, they must not drink fresh grape juice, and they must not eat grapes or raisins. 4 As long as they are bound by their Nazirite vow, they are not allowed to eat or drink anything that comes from a grapevine—not even the grape seeds or skins. 5 "They must never cut their hair throughout the time of their vow, for they are holy and set apart to the Lord . Until the time of their vow has been fulfilled, they must let their hair grow long. 6 And they must not go near a dead body during the entire period of their vow to the Lord . 7 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. 8 This requirement applies as long as they are set apart to the Lord . 9 "If someone falls dead beside them, the hair they have dedicated will be defiled. They must wait for seven days and then shave their heads. Then they will be cleansed from their defilement. 10 On the eighth day they must bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest at the entrance of the Tabernacle.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

razor: Judges 13:5, Judges 16:17, Judges 16:19, 1 Samuel 1:11, Lamentations 4:7, Lamentations 4:8, 1 Corinthians 11:10-15

Reciprocal: Numbers 6:2 - When Numbers 6:4 - separation Numbers 6:11 - and shall Numbers 6:18 - shave the head Ezekiel 44:20 - nor suffer Acts 18:18 - having Acts 21:24 - that they

Cross-References

Genesis 6:1
Then the people began to multiply on the earth, and daughters were born to them.
Genesis 6:3
Then the Lord said, "My Spirit will not put up with humans for such a long time, for they are only mortal flesh. In the future, their normal lifespan will be no more than 120 years."
Genesis 6:4
In those days, and for some time after, giant Nephilites lived on the earth, for whenever the sons of God had intercourse with women, they gave birth to children who became the heroes and famous warriors of ancient times.
Genesis 6:9
This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God.
Genesis 6:19
Bring a pair of every kind of animal—a male and a female—into the boat with you to keep them alive during the flood.
Genesis 6:20
Pairs of every kind of bird, and every kind of animal, and every kind of small animal that scurries along the ground, will come to you to be kept alive.
Genesis 6:21
And be sure to take on board enough food for your family and for all the animals."
Genesis 8:21
And the Lord was pleased with the aroma of the sacrifice and said to himself, "I will never again curse the ground because of the human race, even though everything they think or imagine is bent toward evil from childhood. I will never again destroy all living things.
Genesis 13:13
But the people of this area were extremely wicked and constantly sinned against the Lord .
Deuteronomy 29:19
"Those who hear the warnings of this curse should not congratulate themselves, thinking, ‘I am safe, even though I am following the desires of my own stubborn heart.' This would lead to utter ruin!

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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 x; but let it grow as long as it would during the time of his separation, which is expressed in the latter part of the verse:

until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth [himself] unto the Lord; to his service, to which he wholly addicted himself as long as his vow continued:

he shall be holy; separate from other men, and their practices and customs, and spend his time in holy exercises, in a religious way, and abstain from what might be a temptation to sin, or in the least hinder him in his acts of devotion:

[and] shall let the locks of his hair grow; two reasons Fagius gives of this part of the law, the one is, because of the mystery of it; letting the hair grow signified an increase of virtue or grace, as Samson's strength was increased and became very great while his hair was not cut; and so spiritual Nazarites, while they are in the way of their duty, grow in grace, and in knowledge of God and Christ, and all divine things, and grow stronger and stronger in the Lord, and in the power of his might; and Ainsworth hints at the same thing, and also supposes it might be an emblem of the subjection of the saints to Christ, as the letting the hair grow was a sign of the woman's subjection to man: the other is, that it was appointed to take the Israelites off of the errors and superstitious they had imbibed in Egypt, by ordering them to perform those rites and ceremonies to the honour of the true God, which they had used in the service of demons; and for this he cites a passage out of Cyrill; but it does not appear, by any good authority, that such a custom obtained among the Egyptians, or any other Gentiles so early; and what were used among them in later times took their rise from hence, and were imitations of this law; though there seems to be no great likeness between this law of Nazariteship and the customs of the Heathens, who used to consecrate their hair to their deities, Apollo, Hercules, Bacchus, Minerva, and Diana: what seems best to agree is what Lucian says y, who observes, that young men consecrate their beards, and let their hair grow, consecrated from their birth, which they afterwards cut and lay up in vessels in the temple, some of gold, others of silver.

x Hilchot Nezirut, c. 5. sect. 11. y De Dea Syria.

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 6:5. There shall no razor come upon his head — The vow of the Nazarite consisted in the following particulars: -

1. He consecrated himself in a very especial and extraordinary manner to God.

2. 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.

3. During the time of his separation, or nazarate, he drank no wine nor strong drink; nor used any vinegar formed from any inebriating liquor, nor ate the flesh or dried grapes, nor tasted even the kernels or husks of any thing that had grown upon the vine.

4. He never shaved his head, but let his hair grow, as the proof of his being in this separated state, and under vows of peculiar austerity.

5. He never touched any dead body, nor did any of the last offices, even to his nearest kin; but was considered as the priests, who were wholly taken up with the service of God, and regarded nothing else.

6. All the days of his separation he was holy, Numbers 6:8.

During the whole time he was to be incessantly employed in religious acts.


 
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