A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Numbers · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
Verſ. 2. WHen either man or woman ſhall ſeparate themſelves, &c.]
Having ordered thoſe things that concerned his people in generall the Lord now takes order for thoſe who deſired to be more nearly and cloſely bound to God by a ſpeciall vow, to wit, what they ſhould do who deſired by vow to ſeparate themſelves from the ordinary courſe of men, that they might the more freely and wholly dedicate themſelves to God, that is, to a more ſtrict and pure courſe of ſerving of God then other men uſed, and were therefore called Nazarites, that js, men or women ſeparate from others and bound to a peculiar profeſſion or courſe of life. Theſe God here allows, firſt, that their example might allure others to ſtrict holineſſe, theſe being the miroirs of their times, and admired amongſt the people, Lam. 4. 7. Her Nazarites were purer then ſnow, they were whiter then milk; and ſecondly, that they might be types and ſhadows of Chriſt, who was indeed the true Nazarite, even holy, harmleſſe, undefiled and ſeparate from ſinners, Heb. 7. 26. and was therefore by the providence of God (though upon another ground, namely his dwelling in Nazareth) called a Nazaren or a Nazarite, Matth. 2. 23. But withall God preſcribes laws to theſe men and women to prevent the exceſſe of ſuperſtition.
Verſ. 3. He ſhall ſeparate himſelf from wine and ſtrong drink, &c.]
Becauſe the Nazarites were to give themſelves wholly to the ſervice of God during the time of their ſeparation, therefore as the prieſts were forbidden the drinking of wine or ſtrong drink when they were to go into the tabernacle of the congregation, Levit. 10. 9, ſo were the Nazarites alſo; yea the drinking or eating of any thing that came of the vine, vineger, or raiſons, &c. thereby alſo to ſignifie their full and pe…fect renouncing of all worldly pleaſures, or any thing tending thereto, and how exactly carefull we ought to be not onelyonly to avoid all evil, but alſo to abſtain from all appearance of evil, 1. Theſſ. 5. 22. But yet ſtill we muſt note that both this and the other laws following theſe Nazarites were bound to obſerve onelyonly during the dayes of their ſeparation, as is expreſſed verſ. 4. 5, 6. There were indeed ſome Nazarites perpetuall during their whole life, ſuch as were Samuel, 1. Sam. 1. 28. and Samſon, Judg. 13. 7. and theſe were Nazarites by commandment, not vow. But theſe Nazarites, concerning whom theſe laws are given, were ſuch as did of their own accord take upon them the vow of a Nazarite for ſome certain dayes, ſome for a longer time, ſome for a ſhorter, as they pleaſed themſelves.
Verſ. 5. All the dayes of the vow of his ſeparation there ſhall no raſour come upon his head, &c.]
To wit, that his hair being kept thus uncut might be a memoriall to him of his ſeparation and conſecration unto the Lord, and therefore in the next words it follows, Untill the dayes be fulfilled in the which he ſeparateth himſelf unto the Lord, he ſhall be holy: for indeed the chief thing that God required of theſe Nazarites was inward and ſpirituall holineſſe, theſe outward ceremonies being but onelyonly ſignes and remembrances of that, and without that nothing but mere vanity. That this law is to be underſtood onelyonly of men, and not of women Nazarites (of whom mention was alſo made in the beginning of the chapter) we may eaſily conceive, becauſe their hair was alwayes kept uncut, and ſo could not be to them a memoriall of their conſecration. But for men Nazarites this was enjoyned as a memoriall of their conſecration, and that for theſe reaſons, as may be probably conceived: Firſt, that it might be a ſigne of their cleanneſſe from pollutions: for when the Nazarites caſually defiled, verſ. 9. or the Leper, Levit. 14. 8. 9. were cleanſed from theirimpurity, their hair was ſhaven off; and therefore the Nazarites keeping his hair from ſhaving was a ſigne that he had kept himſelf from being defiled: Secondly, that it might be a ſigne of their ſpeciall ſubjection to God, as the womans long hair is a ſigne of her ſubjection to her husband, 1. Cor. 11. 5, 10. Thirdly, that the neglect of trimming their hair might be a ſigne of the neglect of the outward adorning of the…r bodies, and how wholly they were intent upon the ſervice of God and the adorning of their ſouls, that they were mortified to all worldly delights, and onelyonly taken up with ſpirituall and heavenly things.
Verſ. 7. He ſhall not make himſelf unclean for his father, &c.]
Namely by touching, mourning for, or burying them: wherein as much exactneſſe was required of the Nazarite as was required of the high prieſt, Levit. 21. 11. and thus by avoiding theſe legall impurities they were taught what exactneſſe of ſpirit…all purity and holineſſe God required of them: for this refraining from the dead (in whom the image as it were of Gods curſe for ſinne was to be ſeen, for the wages of ſinne is death, Rom. 6. 23.) figured our abſtaining from ſinfull and dead works, that we may keep our ſelves unſpotted of the world, pure and undefiled before God, Jam. 1. 27. Beſides, this taught them to moderate their affections and ſorrow for their earthly friends, that they might be holy to their father in heaven.
Becauſe the conſecration of his God is upon his head.]
That is, becauſe the ſigne of his conſecration is upon his head, to wit, his long hair.
Verſ. 9. Then ſhall he ſhave his head in the day of his cleanſing, on the ſeventh day ſhall he ſhave it.]
The hair of the Nazarites was as it were a holy thing conſecrate to God, as being the ſigne ſanctified or ſet apart to be a memoriall of that ſtrict vow of ſingular holineſſe, whereby he had bound himſelf: this being therefore defiled, it was to be ſhaven off, that new hair might come in the room; whereby was ſignified how ſtrict God is in exacting purity in thoſe that conſecrate themſelves to his ſervice. And this muſt be done on the day of his cleanſing, on the ſeventh day: for this laſt clauſe, on the ſeventh day ſhall he ſhave it, is added by way of explaining the clauſe before, in the day of his cleanſing; for the ſeventh day was the uſuall day of cleanſing for thoſe that were defiled by the dead, as we may ſee, chap. 10. 11, 12.
Verſ. 11. And the priest ſhall offer the one for a ſinne-offering, &c.]
Though it were no fault in the Nazarite that a man ſhould die very ſuddenly by him, yet becauſe it was contrary to the Law that enjoyned the Nazarite not to come nigh any dead body, therefore he was to bring a ſinne-offering for his cleanſing.
Verſ. 12. And he ſhall conſ…crate unto the Lord the dayes of his ſ…paration.]
That is, he ſhall begin anew to conſecrate unto God the very ſame number of dayes which before his defiling he had vowed unto God.
And he ſhall bring a lambe of the firſt year for a treſpaſſe-offering.]
By this treſpaſſe-offering (which alſo figured Chriſt) he was prepared for the obſervations of his renewed vow; becauſe all grace and ability to do good is of God obtained by Chriſt Jeſus our Lord.
Verſ. 13. And this is the Law of the Nazarite.]
That is, this that follows is the Law that muſt be obſerved by the Nazarite, when he hath fulfilled his vow, and is to be diſcharged thereof in an orderly manner. Which Law, it is conceived, the Apoſtle Paul was perſwaded to obſerve, to decline the offence of the Jews, Acts 21. 26.
Verſ. 14. And he ſhall offer his offering unto the Lord, one he-lambe, &c.]
Thoſe offerings the Nazarite was to offer when he had fulfilled the dayes of his ſeparation, and was now to be freed from his vow, 1. by way of thankfulneſſe to God, as acknowledging that it was through his grace that he had been enabled to fulfill his Nazarites vow; and 2. to make atonement thereby for his ſinnes committed under his vow, thereby alſo confeſſing that, notwithſtanding his ſtricteſt endeavours after holineſſe, he had failed many wayes if God in Chriſt ſhould not be mercifull to him.
Verſ. 15. And their meat-offering and their drink-offerings.]
That is, beſide… the cakes and wafers before mentioned, enjoyned as an extraordinary meat-offering, he was alſo to bring the ordinary meat-offerings and drink-offerings appointed for appendances to all ſacrifices, whereof ſee Numb. 28.
Verſ. 18. And the Nazarite ſhall ſhave the head of his ſeparation, &c.]
All the time of his ſeparation he was to keep his hair uncut, but now he was to ſhave his head (called here the head of his ſeparation, becauſe the hair on his head was the ſigne of his ſeparation) and that at the doore of the tabernacle, to ſhew that his vow was now at an end, whereby he had conſecrated himſelf to the Lord; and then afterwards he was to put it in the fire, which is under the ſacrifice of the peace-offerings, that is, not the fire on the altar of burnt-offerings (for there onelyonly the fat of the peace-offerings was burnt) but the fire under the ca…drons or pots wherein the peace-offerings were boyled: and all this was done as by way of thankfulneſſe to God, to ſignifie that he had the perfection of his Nazariteſhip from him.
Verſ. 19. And the priest ſhall take the ſodden ſhoulder of the ram, &c.]
That is, the left ſhoulder, the right ſhoulder was due unto him raw of all peace-offerings, Levit. 7. 32. And the right ſhoulder ſhall ye give unto the prieſt for an heave-offering of the ſacrifices of your p…ace-offerings; this gift of the ſodden ſhoulder was peculiarly given from the Nazarites ram onelyonly, and taught them that as they had received more ſpeciall grace of God, ſo they ſhould give him more ſpeciall thanks then other men.
Verſ. 21. This is the Law of the Nazarite who hath vowed, and of his offering unto the Lord for his ſeparation, beſides that that his hand ſhall get.]
That is, beſides that which of his own free will he ſhall vow to give according to the eſtate wherewith God hath bleſſed him: That which is formerly preſcribed was neceſſarily to be done both by rich and poore, when they took upon them this vow of Nazariteſhip; if being able they vowed more offerings, they muſt perform their vow, but this before preſcribed muſt by all be brought; the pooreſt are not allowed leſſe.
Verſ. 23. On this wiſe ye ſhall bleſſe the children of Iſrael, &c.]
This bleſſing thus pronounced by the prieſt did include a promiſe of Gods bleſſing them, delivered as it were out of Gods own mouth, and that by and through Chriſt, of whom they were types, Acts 3. 26. Unto you firſt God having raiſed up his ſonne Jeſus, ſent him to bleſſe you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities; and ſo again, Luke 24. 50. And he led them out as farre as Bethany, and he lift up his hands, and bleſſed them. Therefore when Chriſt was to come the prieſt of Aarons ſeed was ſpeechles, Luke 1. 22. to teach them to look for another prieſt in whom all nations were to be bleſſed, Gal. 3. 8.
Verſ. 24. The Lord bleſſe thee and keep thee, &c.]
Some conceive that the repeating of this word the Lord, or Jehovah, three ſeverall times in this bleſſing did imply the myſtery of the Trinity: But whether ſo or no, ſure w… are it was pronounced in the name of God who is one in eſſence, but three in perſons, the Father Sonne and holy Ghoſt; and evangelically we have this very bleſſing explained by the Apoſtle, 2. Cor. 13. 14. The grace of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and the love of God, and the communion of the holy Ghoſt be with you all: Amen.
Verſ. 25. The Lord make his face ſhine upon thee, and be gratious unto thee.]
That is, the Lord be favourable kind and loving to thee, and let him ſo manifeſt his love and grace to thy heart and conſcience, that thou mayeſt plainly perceive it. A chearfull loving countenance we call lightſome, as on the other ſide we call an angry countenance cloudy: In the ſight of the kings countenance is life, ſaith Solomon, Prov. 16. 15. So that by the Lords making his face to ſhine upon his people, nothing elſe is meant but his love, and the manifeſtation of his love and favour to them, according to that, Pſal. 44. 3. They got not the land in poſſeſſion by their own ſword, neither did their own arm ſave them, but thy right hand and thy right arm and the light of thy countenance, becauſe thou hadst a favour unto them.
Verſ. 26. The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace.]
By this clauſe of the Lords lifting up his countenance upon them two things may be implyed: 1. the Lords love and favour, as in the former clauſe: for as the hiding and caſting down and turning away of the face teſtifies the diſpleaſure and wrath of a man (the light of my countenance they cast not down, ſaith Job, chap. 29. 24. that is, they did not anger or grieve me and ſo turn the ſmiles of my countenance into frowns) ſo the lifting up the face readily upon a man is an argument of his good liking and favour towards him: and 2. the Lords provident care over them, to protect and bleſſe them, and ſo is the ſame with that, Pſal. 33. 18. Behold the eye of the Lord is upon th…m that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy.
Verſ. 27. And they ſhall put my name upon the children of Iſrael, and I will bleſſe them.]
That is, they ſhall pronounce them bleſſed in my name and by my favoùr which ſhall be upon them, as if now given by the prieſts: and this it ſeems was ſignified by the lifting up & ſpreading forth their hands towards the people, as Aaron did, Levit 9. 22. and thus the name of the Lord is elſewhere taken, as Prov. 18. 10. The name of the Lord is a ſtrong tower: the righteous runneth into it and is ſafe.