Episode 56: How to become a Nazarite

(Numbers 6-10)

6 ¹ God said to Moses,

² When a man or woman decides to became a Nazarite, they must not drink wine, strong drink, vinegar, or grape juice, nor eat moist or dried grapes, or anything from a grape vine.

^5-6 While they are Nazarites, they must not cut their hair or come close to any dead bodies.

⁹ If someone dies near a Nazarite, the Nazarite has defiled his consecration, and must shave his head seven days after being near the dead body.

^10-11 A priest must then sacrifice two doves or pigeons for him - one for a sin offering and one for a burnt offering.

¹² And a first-year lamb as a trespass offering.

¹⁴ And an unblemished male first-year lamb for a burnt offering, an unblemished female first-year lamb for a sin offering, and an unblemished ram for a peace offering.

¹⁸ The Nazarite will then shave his head and burn his hair as a peace offering.

¹⁹The priest will take the sodden shoulder of the ram, along with an unleavened cake and wafer, and put them in the hands of the Nazarite, after he has shaven.

²⁰ Then the priest will wave them for a wave offering in front of me, with the wave breast and heave shoulder.

After that the Nazarite may drink wine.

²¹ This is the law of the Nazarite.

The priestly blessing

²² God said to Moses,

²³ Bless the people this way:

²⁴ May the Lord bless you and keep you.

²⁵ May he make his face shine on you, and be gracious to you,

²⁶ and give you peace.

Animal sacrifices when dedicating the altar

7 ¹ On the day Moses set up the tabernacle, the princes of Israel brought their offerings to God, which included six covered wagons and twelve oxen.

⁸⁴ The total weight of the silver and gold offerings was 2400 and 120 shekels, respectively.

⁸⁸ The total number of peace offerings was 24 bullocks, 60 rams, 60 male goats, and 60 first-year lambs.

8 ^1-4 How to light the lamps

God replaces firstborn Israelites with Levites

God said to Moses

¹⁴ Separate the Levites from the rest of the Israelites.

¹⁶ I have taken them instead of the firstborn of all the Israelites.

¹⁷ They became mine the day that I killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt.

¹⁸ I have replaced the firstborn Israelites with the Levites.

Early (and forced) retirement for Levites

^24-25 All the Levites that are twenty five years old and older will serve in the tabernacle, until they are fifty when they will serve no more.

9 ^1-5 More about the Passover

^6-14 Unclean Passover

(What to do if you are traveling or have touched an unclean body on the day of Passover)

^15-23 A cloud by day, a fire at night

(A cloud covered the tabernacle during the day and a fire hovered over it at night. When the cloud moved, the Israelites moved. When it stayed, they stayed.)

Two silver trumpets

10 ¹ God said to Moses

² Make two silver trumpets for calling the assembly.

⁸ Only priests can blow the trumpets. This is an ordinance forever.

⁹ If you go to war, blow an alarm with the trumpets. I will hear and save you from your enemies.

¹⁰ Blow the trumpets when your glad, on your solemn days, and at the beginning of every month. I am God.

10:11-36 The cloud of the Lord - and a meeting with Hobab (Or Jethro, or Ruel).

(Moses asked Hobab to go with them. But he refused.)