Nazarite
A Nazarite was an Israelite man or woman set apart to God by a special vow for a period of time, or in some cases for life. The vow included abstaining from products of the vine, avoiding contact with dead bodies, and not cutting the hair.
At a Glance
A Nazarite was an Israelite man or woman set apart to God by a special vow for a period of time, or in some cases for life. The vow included abstaining from products of the vine, avoiding contact with dead bodies, and not cutting the hair.
Description
A Nazarite was an Israelite specially devoted to the Lord under a vow of separation, with the main biblical instructions given in Numbers 6:1-21. This consecration could be undertaken by either a man or a woman and normally involved three visible obligations: abstaining from wine and anything produced from the vine, avoiding ceremonial defilement through contact with a dead body, and not cutting the hair for the duration of the vow. At the completion of a temporary vow, offerings were presented and the hair was cut in connection with the closing rites. Scripture also presents unusual cases such as Samson, and possibly Samuel and John the Baptist in a related sense, though interpreters differ on how closely every detail matches the formal Nazarite legislation in Numbers 6. The safest conclusion is that a Nazarite was a person set apart to God under a distinct form of consecration recognized in Israel.