Torah Studies · Study 34
Belong to God and Walk in His Peace
Connecting the Torah and Jesus
Numbers · Lesson 6 · Chapter 6
Learning to Walk with Our Father. Explore the Nazirite vow, the priestly blessing, and a life offered to God in response to His mercy.
In this study
Let’s begin together
Father, help us understand what it means to belong to You. Teach us to keep our word, offer You our everyday lives, and receive the peace of Jesus. In His name, amen.
Numbers 6 has two main parts. First, it explains a special promise called a Nazirite vow. Then it gives Aaron and his sons words of blessing to speak over Israel. The chapter brings together a person’s dedication and God’s gracious care for His people.
A caring father teaches a child that promises matter. He also teaches that love is not something a child buys by making bigger promises. As we read, we will learn about dedication in ancient Israel and then hear how Jesus and Paul guide our lives today.
Main truth: We offer our lives to God because of His mercy, and we learn to walk in the peace Jesus gives.
1. A promise of special dedication
Numbers 6:1-4 King James Version
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the LORD:
3 He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried.
4 All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk.
A vow is a serious promise made to God. In this chapter, a man or a woman could choose a Nazirite vow, setting themselves apart for a period of special dedication. During that time, they avoided wine, other grape products, and strong drink. This was a particular vow, not a command that every Israelite must become a Nazirite.
Numbers 6:5-8 King James Version
5 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.
6 All the days that he separateth himself unto the LORD he shall come at no dead body.
7 He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God is upon his head.
8 All the days of his separation he is holy unto the LORD.
The person also let their hair grow and avoided contact with the dead, even when a close relative died. These were signs and boundaries of that particular dedication. The hair was not a magical source of holiness. The person was keeping the commitment described in the vow.
We should not turn these rules into a test of which Christian loves God most. Their first setting is Israel’s life under the Sinai covenant. A useful question for us is whether our daily choices honestly match the commitments we make.
2. The vow could be interrupted
Numbers 6:9-12 King James Version
9 And if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of his consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it.
10 And on the eighth day he shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons, to the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:
11 And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make an atonement for him, for that he sinned by the dead, and shall hallow his head that same day.
12 And he shall consecrate unto the LORD the days of his separation, and shall bring a lamb of the first year for a trespass offering: but the days that were before shall be lost, because his separation was defiled.
The passage describes someone dying suddenly near the person under the vow. That contact interrupted the period of dedication. The law provided cleansing, offerings, and a new beginning for the counted days. The interruption could happen suddenly; the text does not say the Nazirite caused the death.
These details concern ritual purity, so we should not label every interruption as deliberate rebellion. We can learn to respond honestly when a commitment has been interrupted: understand what happened, receive guidance, and take the next faithful step.
3. Finish with faithfulness
Numbers 6:13-17 King James Version
13 And this is the law of the Nazarite, when the days of his separation are fulfilled: he shall be brought unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:
14 And he shall offer his offering unto the LORD, one he lamb of the first year without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish for a sin offering, and one ram without blemish for peace offerings,
15 And a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oil, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings.
16 And the priest shall bring them before the LORD, and shall offer his sin offering, and his burnt offering:
17 And he shall offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD, with the basket of unleavened bread: the priest shall offer also his meat offering, and his drink offering.
When the period ended, the person came to the tabernacle with the required offerings. The vow had an appointed way to finish. Beginning something with excitement is easier than staying faithful through the ordinary days. A promise deserves care from start to finish.
Numbers 6:18-21 King James Version
18 And the Nazarite shall shave the head of his separation at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it in the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace offerings.
19 And the priest shall take the sodden shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them upon the hands of the Nazarite, after the hair of his separation is shaven:
20 And the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the LORD: this is holy for the priest, with the wave breast and heave shoulder: and after that the Nazarite may drink wine.
21 This is the law of the Nazarite who hath vowed, and of his offering unto the LORD for his separation, beside that that his hand shall get: according to the vow which he vowed, so he must do after the law of his separation.
The person shaved the dedicated hair, and the priest completed the offerings. Afterward, the person could drink wine again. This detail shows that the special restrictions belonged to the vow’s period. The chapter also says to fulfill what was promised.
For a family, an ordinary example is a promise to help with a task. Do not promise simply to make someone happy in the moment. Think about what you can do, speak honestly, and follow through. If you cannot fulfill a commitment, tell the truth and ask how to address it.
4. Receive the Lord’s blessing
Numbers 6:22-27 King James Version
22 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
23 Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them,
24 The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
25 The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
27 And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.
God gives Aaron and his sons words to speak over Israel: blessing, keeping, grace, and peace. A shining face is a picture of favorable attention and care. “Countenance” means face. The blessing asks for God’s presence and kindness toward His people.
Notice who provides the blessing. Verse 27 says, “I will bless them.” The priests speak, but God is the source. The words are not a magic formula or a promise that faithful people will never suffer. They direct the people’s trust toward the Lord who places His name upon them.
These words were first given to Israel’s priests. A Christian family can use them as a prayer for God’s care, while placing its trust in Jesus. A parent can bless a child by praying for God’s grace and peace and by showing that care in daily life.
5. A life offered through Christ
Matthew 5:33-37 King James Version
33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:
34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:
35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.
36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.
Jesus teaches His disciples to speak so truthfully that their yes means yes and their no means no. We should not use impressive oaths to cover unreliable words. Reading Numbers 6 through Jesus’ teaching leads us toward honest speech and faithful action.
Romans 12:1-2 King James Version
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Paul asks believers to offer their whole lives to God because of His mercies. A “living sacrifice” means a life devoted to Him, including our bodies, thoughts, choices, and actions. It does not mean harming ourselves. God’s mercy comes first; our dedication is a grateful response.
The Nazirite vow and Paul’s instruction are not the same arrangement. Paul is calling believers to offer their everyday lives to God. We can do that while studying, working, resting, helping at home, and choosing words that show love.
John 14:27 King James Version
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Jesus gives His disciples His peace as He prepares them for His departure. His peace is a gift we receive by trusting Him, even when life is difficult. The Father’s care does not depend on our ability to control every circumstance. We can bring our fears to Him and take the next step with Jesus.
Talk it over together
1. Who could choose the Nazirite vow, and what did it involve?
2. Why should we distinguish the Nazirite vow from a command for all Christians?
3. Who is the source of the blessing in Numbers 6:27?
4. How do Jesus’ teaching about honest words and Paul’s teaching about mercy guide your choices?
Practice it this week
Choose one ordinary way to offer your day to God: keep a promise, help someone, or set aside time to listen to His Word. Do it with gratitude, without making a dramatic vow. Read Numbers 6:24-26 together as a prayer, then name one practical way to show care to someone in your family.
Words to carry with you
Numbers 6:24-26 King James Version
24 The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
25 The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
Receive these words as a prayer for God’s care, and remember the peace Jesus gives.
Let’s pray together
Father, thank You for Your mercy. Help us offer You our lives with honest words and faithful actions. Bless our families with Your care, grace, and peace. When we are afraid, remind us to trust Jesus. Teach us to receive Your love and pass that care to others. In Jesus’ name, amen.
I love you, my friends.
Scripture and sources
Scripture text was checked against the King James Version published by eBible.org. Complete verses retain the historical wording; editorial footnotes are omitted. Scripture references link to the source chapter.