Numbers 6:3

“he shall separate himself from wine and intoxicating drink; he shall not drink vinegar of wine or vinegar of intoxicating drink, and he shall not drink any juice of grapes, nor eat grapes, fresh or dried.”
Numbers 6:3 · direct translation from the Hebrew

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With the Hebrew beneath

he shall separate himselfיַזִּירfrom wineמִיַּיִןand intoxicating drink;וְשֵׁכָרhe shall notלֹאdrinkיִשְׁתֶּהvinegarחֹמֶץof wineיַיִןor vinegarוְחֹמֶץof intoxicating drink,שֵׁכָרand he shall notלֹאdrinkיִשְׁתֶּהanyוְכָלjuiceמִשְׁרַתof grapes,עֲנָבִיםnorוַ לֹאeatיֹאכֵלgrapes,עֲנָבִיםfreshלַחִיםor dried.וִיבֵשִׁים

Theme · Luke 1:15

Go to Luke 1:15

Luke 1:15 says that John will not drink wine or intoxicating drink; Numbers 6:3 commands this of the one who makes a Nazirite vow.

The same term appears in both passages.

שֵׁכָרshejarH7941σίκεραsikeraG4608“intoxicating drink”

Naziriteנָזִירnazir

One who made a vow to consecrate himself to YHWH for a time: he did not drink wine or intoxicating drink, did not cut his hair and did not touch the dead; at the end he shaved his head and presented offerings (Numbers 6:1-21). Samson was one from his mother’s womb (Judges 13:5). It has no relation to “Nazarene.”

See it in the glossary

Numbers 6:3, word by word

he shall separate himselfיַזִּירyazir

live as Nazirite

To live as a Nazirite.

Where else “yazir” appears

from wineיַּיִןyayin

wine

Wine; also drunkenness.

Where else “yayin” appears

and intoxicating drinkשֵׁכָרshechar

intoxicating drink

Intoxicating drink made from fermented grain or fruit; distinct from grape wine.

Where else “shechar” appears

drinkיִשְׁתֶּהyishte

drink

Drink.

Where else “yishte” appears

vinegarחֹמֶץchomets

vinegar

Vinegar.

Where else “chomets” appears

juiceמִשְׁרַתmishrat

juice

Juice drawn from soaked or pressed grapes. It is found only in Numbers 6:3.

Where else “mishrat” appears

of grapesעֲנָבִיםanavim

grape

Grape.

Where else “anavim” appears

eatיֹאכֵלyochel

eat

To bring food to the mouth and swallow it, above all at a shared table.

Where else “yochel” appears

freshלַחִיםlachim

fresh, green

Fresh, green, freshly cut; moist.

Where else “lachim” appears

or driedיבֵשִׁיםyveshim

dry

Dry.

Where else “yveshim” appears

The context

2“Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them: When a man or a woman makes a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself to YHWH,

3 · This verse (above)

4All the days of his consecration he shall not eat anything that is made from the vine of wine, from seeds to skin.

Read all of Numbers 6

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