Numbers
Chapter 6
1 God spoke to Moses, saying,
2 Tell the people of Israel, if a man or woman chooses to make a special promise to become a Nazarite, dedicated to God.
3 He must stay away from wine and strong drinks, not drink any kind of vinegar made from wine or strong drinks, and not drink grape juice or eat fresh or dried grapes.
4 During the time of his commitment, he must not eat anything that comes from the grapevine, not even the seeds or skins.
5 Throughout the time of his promise to stay apart, he must not cut his hair. Until the time is complete for which he sets himself apart for God, he must be holy and allow his hair to grow long.
6 Every day he sets apart for God, he must not be near any dead body.
7 He must not make himself unclean for his father, mother, brother, or sister when they die, because he is dedicated to God.
8 Throughout his time of commitment, he is sacred to God.
9 If someone dies suddenly near a man, making his dedicated hair unclean, he must shave his head on the day he becomes clean, which is the seventh day.
10 On the eighth day, he must take two doves or two young pigeons to the priest at the entrance of the meeting tent.
11 The priest will sacrifice one animal for a sin offering and another for a burnt offering to forgive him for touching a dead body, and he will consecrate his head that day.
12 He must dedicate the days of his separation to God and bring a one-year-old lamb for a guilt offering. But the previous days don’t count because his separation became unclean.
13 This is the rule for a Nazarite when his time of separation ends: he must go to the entrance of the meeting tent.
14 He must present his offering to God: a one-year-old male lamb without any defects for a burnt offering, a one-year-old female lamb without defects for a sin offering, and a ram without defects for peace offerings.
15 A basket of bread without yeast, cakes made with fine flour and oil, and thin bread without yeast covered with oil, along with their grain offering and their drink offerings.
16 The priest will present them to God and offer the sin sacrifice and the burnt offering.
17 He will offer the ram as a peace sacrifice to God, along with the basket of bread without yeast. The priest will also present his grain offering and his drink offering.
18 The Nazarite must cut the hair dedicated to God at the entrance of the meeting tent and put that hair in the fire where the peace offerings are burned.
19 The priest will take the cooked shoulder of the ram, one bread without yeast from the basket, and one flat, yeast-free bread, and place them on the hands of the Nazarite after his special hair has been cut off.
20 The priest will move them back and forth as a special offering before God. This part is sacred for the priest, including the chest and shoulder parts. After this, the person dedicated to God can drink wine.
21 This is the rule for the Nazarite who has made a promise, and for his gift to God because of his special commitment. It is in addition to what he can afford. He must follow what he promised to do according to the rules of his commitment.
22 God spoke to Moses, saying,
23 Talk to Aaron and his sons and tell them, “This is how you should bless the people of Israel. Say to them,
24 God bless you and protect you.
25 May God make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.
26 May God look kindly on you and bring you peace.
27 They will give my name to the Israelites, and I will bless them.