Randy Felton
Potter’s Clay Ministries, Inc.
417 NW 42nd St.
Oklahoma City, OK 73118
Shalom2@cox.net
www.haydid.org/potter.htm

The Nazarite Vow

Numbers Chapter 6 gives us the requirements or directives for taking a Nazarite vow. I am going to list the different aspects of this vow and see if I can gain some understanding of the vow and how it impacts the scripture in later passages.

  1. It is for men and women who want to separate themselves to the Lord. Verse 2
  2. He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink… he shall not drink vinegar of wine, vinegar of strong drink, liquor of grapes or eat moist grapes or dried grapes all the days of the vow. Verse 3
  3. He shall eat nothing made from the vine tree, the kernels or the husk. Verse 4
  4. No razor shall come upon his head all the days of the vow.
  5. He shall come to no dead body all the days of his vow. He shall not make himself unclean for father, mother, brother or sister when they die. Verses 6 & 7
  6. If someone should die suddenly by his side, he shall be defiled and go through a cleansing process and offer sacrifices and then the vow shall begin from the beginning. The days served shall not count toward the fulfillment of the vow. Verses 9 – 13
  7. When the days of the vow were fulfilled the man is to shave his head at the tabernacle and offer sacrifices. Verses 13 – 21

Now I want to look at Judges chapter 13, this is the beginning of the story of Samson. There is an angel of the Lord who appears to the wife of Manoah (she is not named) , who was barren, and tells her that she will bear a son. She was instructed to not drink wine or strong drink or eat any unclean thing. Verses 2-4. The son shall have no razor come on his head, he is to be a Nazarite unto God from the womb. He shall begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines. Verse 5. He was to be a Nazarite from the womb to the day of his death. Verse 7

In chapter 7 we see Samson seeking a wife of the Philistines and verse 4 tells us it was the Lord who moved on Samson to do this. On the way he kills a lion , verse 5&6 and in verse 7&8 he takes honey from the carcass and eats it. This seems to break one of the commandments concerning the Nazarite vow. Then in verse 19 he slew 30 men. Samson also killed many among the Philistines, chapter 15, verses 7&8. Samson then goes from Dan to Judah and dwells at Etam, just south of Bethelem. 3000 men of Judah bind Samson and deliver him to the Philistines at Lehi. Samson then takes a new or fresh jawbone of an ass and kills 1000 men.

There is no mention that Samson ever broke the vow not to drink wine or strong drink. He did kill and come into contact with the dead without any mention of the required shaving of the head and renewal of the vow. However, when his head was shaved, the vow was broken and we see in Judges16:22-31 that when his hair grew back, he regained his strength and God honored his prayer.

This shows me repentance, which was acceptable to God. Samson offered no sacrifices for breaking his vow, only prayer and God answered. Even under the Old Covenant I see the whole concept is a matter of the heart. Just as today, sacrifice without faith and a humble spirit is of no value. We have to offer what we have in faith. With all the weakness of our flesh, we still have reconciliation through repentance.


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