Num. 6 The law of the Nazarites; from what they should abstain; how, becoming unclean, they were to be purified, Num. 6:1–12. The vow of separation being fulfilled, the ceremonies to be observed, Num. 6:13–21. The form of blessing to be used by the priest in the congregation, Num. 6:22–27.

Either man or woman; for both sexes might make this vow, if they were free and at their own dispose, for otherwise their parents or husbands could disannul the vow, Num. 30:5, and in that case they sinned in taking God’s name in vain, and vowing what they could not perform.

Lest they should either inflame or dispose him to luxury, and consequently to the breaking of his vow; or cloud his reason, and thereby occasion some mistake or miscarriage in the rules to which he had bound himself. Compare Lev. 10:9.

The days were sometimes more, sometimes fewer, as he thought fit to appoint.

No razor, nor scissors, or other instrument to cut off any part of his hair. This was appointed, partly, as a sign of his mortification to worldly delights, and vain affectation of outward beauty, which is promoted by the polling or cutting off the hair; partly, as a testimony of that purity which…

For his father, or for his mother; wherein he was equal to the high priest, Lev. 21:11, being, in some sort, as sacred a person, and as eminent a type of Christ, Heb.

He shall shave his head, because his whole body, and especially his hair, was defiled by such an accident, which he ought to impute either to his own heedlessness, or at least to God’s providence, so ordering the matter possibly for the punishment of his other sins, or for the quickening of him to…

As in the case of him that had a running issue, Lev. 15:14.

Shall offer, Heb. make, which is oft put for sacrificing or offering, as Ex. 29:36, 1 Chron. 21:23, compared with 2 Sam. 24:22. For a sin-offering, because such a pollution was, though not his sin, yet the chastisement of his sin, and had an appearance of sin, to wit, of negligence in not standing…

The days of his separation; as many days as he had before separated or vowed unto God. Lost, i.e. not reckoned or imputed to him. Heb. full, to wit, to the ground, i.e. be void or of none effect.

By the priest’s appointment and direction.

For a sin-offering, whereby he confessed and bewailed his frailties and miscarriages, notwithstanding the strictness of his vow and all the diligence and care which he could use, and consequently acknowledged his need of the grace of God in Christ Jesus the true Nazarite.

Such as did generally accompany the sacrifices; of which see Lev. 2:1, Num. 28:0.

Of his separation; or, of his Nazariteship, i.e. in which the chief of his Nazariteship or separation to God consisted. At the door of the tabernacle; publicly, that it might be known that his vow was ended; and therefore he was at liberty as to those things from which he had restrained himself for…

The sodden shoulder; the left shoulder, as it appears from Num. 6:20, where this is joined with the heave-shoulder, which was the right shoulder, and which was the priest’s due in all sacrifices, Lev. 7:32, and in this also.

And return to his former freedom and manner of living; he is discharged from his vow. Of the wave-offering and heave-offering, see Lev. 7:30, Lev. 7:32.

Besides that that his hand shall get, i.e. besides what he shall voluntarily promise and give according to his ability.

On this wise, Heb. Thus, in this manner, or in these words; yet so as that they were not tied to these very words, because after this we have examples of Moses and David and Solomon and others blessing the people in other words. Ye shall bless the children of Israel, to wit, in the public assembly.

Bless thee, i.e. bestow upon you all manner of blessings, temporal and spiritual. Compare Gen. 12:2. Keep thee, i.e. continue his blessings to thee, and preserve thee in and to the use of them; keep thee from sin and its bitter effects.

upon thee, i.e. Smile upon thee: this is opposed to the hiding of his face, and to the covering himself or his face with a cloud; and it is explained by the following words, be gracious unto thee. Others expound it of illumination or direction, and the revelation of himself and of his will to them.

i.e. Look upon thee with a cheerful and pleasant countenance, as one that is reconciled to thee, and well pleased with thee and thy offerings and services. See of this phrase Ps. 4:6, Prov. 16:15. To this is opposed the falling and the casting down of the countenance, of which see Gen.

i.e. Shall call them by my name, shall recommend them to me as my own people, and bless them and pray unto me for them as such; which is a powerful argument to prevail with God for them, and therefore hath been oft used by the prophets interceding for them, as Jer. 14:9, Dan. 9:18–19, 1 Sam. 12:22.