During the whole time he was to be incessantly employed in religious acts.
Verse 7
The consecration of his God is upon his head - Literally, The separation of his God is upon his head; meaning his hair, which was the proof and emblem of his separation. Now as the hair of the Nazarite was a token of his subjection to God through all the peculiarities of his nazarate, a woman, who is married, is considered as a Nazarite for life, i. e., separated from all others, and joined to one husband who is her lord; hence St. Paul, probably alluding to this circumstance, says, [1Cor 11:10] : The woman ought to have power upon her head, i.e., wear her hair and veil; for this hair is a proof of her nazarate, and of her being in subjection to her husband, as the Nazarite was under subjection to the Lord by the rule of his order.
Verse 10
Two turtles, or two young pigeons - The same kind of offering made by him who had an issue, [Lev 15:14], etc.
Verse 18
Shall take the hair - and put it in the fire - The hair was permitted to grow for this purpose; and as the Nazarite was a kind of sacrifice, offered to God through the whole term of his nazarate or separation, and no human flesh or blood could be offered on the altar of the Lord, he offered his hair at the conclusion of his separation, as a sacrifice - that hair which was the token of his complete subjection to the Lord, and which was now considered as the Lord's property. The Hindoos, after a vow, do not cut their hair during the term of their vow; but at the expiration of it they shave it off at the place where the vow was made.
That the hair of the head was superstitiously used among different nations, we have already had occasion to remark; (See the notes on [Lev 19:27]); and that the Gentiles might have learned this from the Jews is possible, though some learned men think that this consecration of the hair to a deity was in use among the heathens before the time of Moses, and in nations who had no intercourse or connection with the Jews.
Verse 21
This is the law of the Nazarite - We learn from Maimonides, in his Treatise of the Nazarite, that a man might become a Nazarite in behalf of another; that is, might assist him in bearing the expenses of the sacrifices, etc. "A son may fulfill the vow his deceased father hath made, but did not live to accomplish: - He that saith, upon me be the shaving of a Nazarite, he is bound to bring the offerings of shaving for cleanness, and may offer them by the hand of what Nazarite he will. If he say, Upon me be half the oblations of a Nazarite, then he bringeth half the offerings by what Nazarite he will, and that Nazarite payeth his offerings out of that which is his." "By this," says Mr. Ainsworth, "we may see the reason of that which James said to Paul, though he had no Nazarite's vow upon him: 'We have four men who have a vow on them; them take and sanctify thyself with them, and Be At Charges With Them, that they may shave their heads, etc. Then Paul took the men, and the next day, sanctifying himself with them, entered into the temple to signify the accomplishment of the days of sanctification, (or Nazariteship), until that an offering should be offered for every one of them;' see [Act 21:23-26]. For though Paul had not vowed or fulfilled a Nazariteship himself, yet might he contribute with them, and partake of their charges about the sacrifices."
Verse 23
On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel - The prayer which God makes for his followers, and puts into their mouth, we are sure must be right; and to it, when sincerely, faithfully, and fervently offered, we may confidently expect an answer. If he condescended to give us a form of blessings or a form of prayer, we may rest assured that he will accept what he himself has made. This consideration may produce great confidence in them who come with either prayer or praise to the throne of grace, both of which should be, as far as circumstances will admit, in the very words of Scripture; for we can readily attach a consequence to the words of God, which we shall find difficult to attach to the best ordered words of men. Take with you words, and turn unto the Lord. What words? Why those which God immediately puts into their mouths. Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously; so will we render the calves of our lips; we shall then give the sacrifices of which our lips have spoken, when we made our vows unto thee. See [Hos 14:2].
Verse 24
The Lord bless thee - There are three forms of blessing here, any or all of which the priests might use on any occasion. The following is a verbal translation: -
1. May Jehovah bless thee and preserve thee!
2. May Jehovah cause his faces to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee!
3. May Jehovah lift up his faces upon thee, and may be put prosperity unto thee!
This is a very comprehensive and excellent prayer, and may be paraphrased thus: -
1. May God speak good unto thee, by giving thee his excellent promises! (See the note on [Gen 2:3]). May he preserve thee in the possession of all the good thou hast, and from all the evil with which thou art threatened!
2. May the Holy Trinity illuminate thy heart, giving thee the true knowledge of thyself and of thy Maker; and may he show thee his graciousness in pardoning thy sins, and supporting thy soul!
3. May God give thee communion with the Father, Son, and Spirit, with a constant sense of his approbation; and grant thee prosperity in thy soul, and in all thy secular affairs!
This I suppose to be the spirit and design of this form of benediction. Others will doubtless interpret it after their manner. Several wise and learned men believe that the mystery of the Holy Trinity is not obscurely hinted at in it. God the Father blesses and keeps his followers. God the Son is gracious unto sinners in remitting their offenses, which he died to blot out. God the Holy Spirit takes of the things which are Christ's, and shows them unto genuine Christians, and diffuses the peace of God in their hearts. In a word, Christ, the gift of the Father by the energy of the Holy Spirit, came to bless every one of us by turning us away from our iniquities.
1. Every genuine Christian is a true Nazarite. He is separated from the world, and dedicated solely to the service of God.
2. His life is a life of self-denial; he mortifies and keeps the flesh in obedience to the Spirit.
3. All this enters into the spirit of his baptismal vow; for in that he promises to renounce the devil and all his works, the pomps and vanities of this wicked world, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh - to keep God's holy word and commandments, and to walk in the same all the days of his life.
4. The person who is faithful has the blessing of God entailed upon him. Thus shall ye bless the children of Israel, etc., etc. See the notes on [Num 6:5-7] (note).
Introduction
When the tabernacle was fully set up, it appeared that the princes of the twelve tribes had prepared six covered wagons, drawn by two oxen each, one wagon for two tribes, for the service of the tabernacle, [Num 7:1-3]. Moses is commanded to receive this offering, and distribute the whole to the Levites according to their service, [Num 7:4], [Num 7:5]. Moses does so, and gives two wagons and four oxen to the sons of Gershon, [Num 7:6], [Num 7:7]; and four wagons and eight oxen to the sons of Merari, [Num 7:8]. The sons of Kohath have none, because they were to bear the ark, etc., on their shoulders, [Num 7:9]. Each prince is to take a day for presenting his offerings, [Num 7:10], [Num 7:11]. On the first day Nahshon, of the tribe of Judah, offers a silver charger, a silver bowl, a golden spoon, a young bullock, a ram, a lamb, and a kid, for a Sin-Offering; two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five lambs, for a Peace-Offering, [Num 7:12-17]. On the second day Nethaneel, of the tribe of Issachar, offers the like, [Num 7:18-23]. On the third day Eliab, of the tribe of Zebulun, offers the like, [Num 7:24-29]. On the fourth day Elizur, of the tribe of Reuben, offers the like, [Num 7:30-35]. On the fifth day Shelumiel, of the tribe of Simeon, made a similar offering, [Num 7:36-41]. On the sixth day Eliasaph, of the tribe of Gad, made his offering, [Num 7:42-47]. On the seventh day Elishama, of the tribe of Ephraim, made his offering, [Num 7:48-53]. On the eighth day Gamaliel, of the tribe of Manasseh, made his offering, [Num 7:54-59]. On the ninth day Abidan, of the tribe of Benjamin, made his offering, [Num 7:60-65]. On the tenth day Ahiezer, of the tribe of Dan, made his offering, [Num 7:66-71]. On the eleventh day Pagiel, of the tribe of Asher, made his offering, [Num 7:72-77]. On the twelfth day Ahira, of the tribe of Naphtali, made the same kind of offering, [Num 7:78-83]. The sum total of all vessels and cattle which were offered was twelve silver chargers, and twelve silver bowls; twelve golden spoons; twelve bullocks, twelve rams, and twelve kids; twenty-four bullocks, sixty rams, sixty he-goats, and sixty lambs, [Num 7:84-88]. The offerings being ended, Moses goes into the tabernacle, and hears the voice of the Lord from the mercy-seat, [Num 7:89].
Verse 1
On the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle - The transactions mentioned in this chapter took place on the second day of the second month of the second year after their departure from Egypt; and the proper place of this account is immediately after the tenth chapter of Leviticus.
Verse 3
Six covered wagons - שש עגלת צב shesh egloth tsab, six tilted wagons, the Septuagint translate ἑξ ἁμαξας λαμπηνικας, with which the Coptic agrees; but what lampenic chariots were, no person pretends to know. Covered or tilted is probably the meaning of the original. The wagons were given for the more convenient exporting of the heavier parts of the tabernacle, which could not be conveniently carried on men's shoulders.
Verse 5
According to his service - That is, distribute them among the Levites as they may need them, giving most to those who have the heaviest burdens to bear.
Verse 7
Two wagons - unto the sons of Gershon - The Gershonites carried only the curtains, coverings, and hangings, [Num 4:25]. And although this was a cumbersome carriage, and they needed the wagons, yet it was not a heavy one.
Verse 8
Four wagons - unto the sons of Merari - Because they had the boards, bars, pillars, and sockets of the tabernacle to carry, [Num 4:31], [Num 4:32], therefore they had as many more wagons as the Gershonites.
Verse 9
Unto the sons of Kohath he gave none - Because they had the charge of the ark, table, candlestick, altars, etc., [Num 4:5-15], which were to be carried upon their shoulders; for those sacred things must not be drawn by beasts.
Verse 10
And the princes offered - Every prince or chief offered in the behalf, and doubtless at the expense, of his whole tribe.
Verse 13
One silver charger - קערת kaarath, a dish, or deep bowl, in which they kneaded the paste. See [Exo 25:29]. One silver bowl - מזרק mizrak, a bason, to receive the blood of the sacrifice in. See on [Exo 27:3] (note).