Numbers 6

1 The Lord told Moses,

Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,

2 “Tell the Israelites: If a man or a woman makes a special promise to become a Nazirite, to dedicate themselves to the Lord,

“Speak to the people of Israel. Say to them, 'When a man or a woman separates himself to Yahweh with a special vow of a Nazirite,

3 they must not drink any wine or other alcoholic drink. They must not even drink vinegar made from wine or other alcoholic drink, or any grape juice or eat grapes or raisins.

he must keep himself from wine and strong drink. He must not drink vinegar made from wine or from strong drink. He must not drink any grape juice or eat fresh grapes or raisins.

4 The whole time they are dedicated to the Lord they must not eat anything from a grapevine, not even grape seeds or skins.

In all the days that he is separate to me, he must eat nothing that is made from grapes, including everything made from the seeds to their skins.

5 They must not use a razor on their heads during the whole time of this promise of dedication. They must remain holy until their time of dedication to the Lord is finished. They must let their hair grow long.

During all the time of his vow of separation, no razor is to be used on his head until the days of his separation to Yahweh are fulfilled. He must be set apart to Yahweh. He must let the hair grow long on his head.

6 During this time of dedication to the Lord they must not go near a dead body.

During all the time that he separates himself to Yahweh, he must not come near a dead body.

7 Even if it's their father, mother, brother or sister who has died, they are not to make themselves unclean, because their uncut hair announces their dedication to God.

He must not make himself unclean even for his father, mother, brother, or sister, if they die. This is because he is separated to God, as everyone can see by his long hair.

8 Through the whole time of their dedication they are to be holy to the Lord.

During all the time of his separation he is holy, reserved for Yahweh.

9 However, if someone dies suddenly close to them, making them unclean, they must wait seven days, and on the seventh day when they are made clean again they are to shave their heads.

If someone very suddenly dies beside him and 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 they shall take two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

On the eighth day he must bring two doves or two young pigeons to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

11 The priest will offer one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to make them right, because they became guilty by being near the dead body. On that day they must re-dedicate themselves and let their hair grow again.

The priest must offer one bird as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. These will atone for him because he sinned by being near the dead body. He must consecrate his head again on that day.

12 They must re-dedicate themselves to the Lord for the full time they originally promised and bring a one-year-old male lamb as a guilt offering. The previous days don't count towards the time of dedication because they became unclean.

He must set himself apart to Yahweh for the days of his consecration. He must bring a male lamb one year old as a guilt offering. The days before he defiled himself must not be counted, because his consecration was defiled.

13 These are the rules to be observed when the Nazirite's time of dedication is finished. They are to be taken to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

This is the law about the Nazirite for when the time of his separation is complete. He must be brought to the entrance of the tent of meeting.

14 There they are to present an offering to the Lord of a one-year-old male lamb without defects as a burnt offering, a one-year-old female lamb without defects as a sin offering, and ram without defects as a peace offering.

He must present his offering to Yahweh. He must offer as a burnt offering a male lamb one year old and without blemish. He must bring as a sin offering a female lamb one year old and without blemish. He must bring a ram as a fellowship offering that is without blemish.

15 In addition they are to bring a basket of bread without yeast made from the best flour mixed with olive oil and wafers without yeast coated with olive oil as well as their grain offerings and drink offerings.

He must also bring a basket of bread made without yeast, loaves of fine flour mixed with oil, wafers without yeast rubbed with oil, together with their grain offering and drink offerings.

16 The priest will present all these before the Lord as well as sacrificing the sin offering and the burnt offering.

The priest must present them before Yahweh. He must offer his sin offering and burnt offering.

17 He will also sacrifice a ram as a peace offering to the Lord, together with the basket of bread made without yeast. In addition the priest will present the grain offering and drink offering.

With the basket of unleavened bread, he must present the ram as a sacrifice, the fellowship offering to Yahweh. The priest must present also the grain offering and the drink offering.

18 Then the Nazirites are to shave their heads at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. They shall take the hair from their heads that were dedicated, and place it on the fire under the peace offering.

The Nazirite must shave his head indicating his separation to God at the entrance to the tent of meeting. He must take the hair from his head and put it on the fire that is under the sacrifice of fellowship offerings.

19 Once the Nazirites have shaved, the priest will take the boiled shoulder from the ram, one bread without yeast from the basket, and one wafer without yeast, and place them in their hands.

The priest must take the boiled shoulder of the ram, one loaf of bread without yeast out of the basket, and one wafer without yeast. He must place them into the hands of the Nazirite after he has shaved his head indicating separation.

20 The priest will wave them as a wave offering before the Lord. These items are holy and belong to the priest, as well as the breast of the wave offering and the thigh that was offered. Once this is finished, Nazirites may drink wine.

The priest must wave them as an offering before Yahweh, a holy portion for the priest, together with the breast that was waved and the thigh that was presented for the priest. After that, the Nazirite may drink wine.

21 These are the rules to be observed when a Nazirite promises to give offerings to the Lord regarding their dedication. They can also bring additional offerings if they can afford it. Every Nazirite must fulfill whatever promises they have made when they dedicated themselves.”

This is the law for the Nazirite who vows his offering to Yahweh for his separation. Whatever else he may give, he must keep the obligations of the vow he has taken, to keep the promise indicated by the law for the Nazirite.'”

22 The Lord told Moses,

Again Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,

23 “Tell Aaron and his sons: This is how you are to bless the Israelites. This is what they are to say:

“Speak to Aaron and to his sons. Say, 'You must bless the people of Israel in this way. You must say to them,

24 ‘May the Lord bless you and take care of you.

“May Yahweh bless you and keep you.

25 May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you.

May Yahweh make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.

26 May the Lord watch over you and give you peace.’

May Yahweh look on you with favor and give you peace.”'

27 Whenever the priests bless the Israelites in my name, I will bless them.”

It is in this way that they must give my name to the people of Israel. Then I will bless them.”