New International Version
Numbers 6:9
9“ ‘If someone dies suddenly in the Nazirite’s presence, thus defiling the hair that symbolizes their dedication, they must shave their head on the seventh day—the day of their cleansing.
Numbers 6:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of his consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"And if any man dies very suddenly beside him and he defiles his consecrated head, then he shall shave his head on the day of his cleansing; on the seventh day he shall shave it.
- New King James Version (NKJV)‘And if anyone dies very suddenly beside him, and he defiles his consecrated head, then he shall shave his head on the day of his cleansing; on the seventh day he shall shave it.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“If someone falls dead beside them, the hair they have dedicated will be defiled. They must wait for seven days and then shave their heads. Then they will be cleansed from their defilement.
Context of Numbers 6:9
7Even if their own father or mother or brother or sister dies, they must not make themselves ceremonially unclean on account of them, because the symbol of their dedication to God is on their head. 8Throughout the period of their dedication, they are consecrated to the Lord. “ ‘If someone dies suddenly in the Nazirite’s presence, thus defiling the hair that symbolizes their dedication, they must shave their head on the seventh day—the day of their cleansing. 10Then on the eighth day they must bring two doves or two young pigeons to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 11The priest is to offer one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to make atonement for the Nazirite because they sinned by being in the presence of the dead body. That same day they are to consecrate their head again.
Read all of Numbers 6Numbers 6:9 word by word
וְכִֽי־יָמ֨וּת מֵ֤ת עָלָיו֙ בְּפֶ֣תַע פִּתְאֹ֔ם וְטִמֵּ֖א רֹ֣אשׁ נִזְר֑וֹ וְגִלַּ֤ח רֹאשׁוֹ֙ בְּי֣וֹם טָהֳרָת֔וֹ בַּיּ֥וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֖י יְגַלְּחֶֽנּוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And if any manמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- veryפֶּתַעpetha‛ · suddennessH6621
- suddenlyפִּתְאֹםpith'ôm pith'ôm · suddenlyH6597
- by him, and he hath defiledטָמֵאţâmê' · to defileH2930
- the headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
- of his consecrationנֵ֫זֶרnezer nêzer · consecration: Nazirite vowH5145
- then he shall shaveגָּלַחgâlach · to shaveH1548
- in the dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- of his cleansingטׇהֳרָהţohŏrâh · purifyingH2893
- on the seventhשְׁבִיעִיshebîy‛îy shebi‛îy · seventhH7637
Cross-references for Numbers 6:9
- Numbers 19:14“This is the law that applies when a person dies in a tent: Anyone who enters the tent and anyone who is in it will be unclean for seven days,
- Numbers 6:18“ ‘Then at the entrance to the tent of meeting, the Nazirite must shave off the hair that symbolizes their dedication. They are to take the hair and put it in the fire that is under the sacrifice of the fellowship offering.
- Acts 18:18Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae because of a vow he had taken.
- Acts 21:23so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow.
- Philippians 3:8What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ
Commentaries on Numbers 6:9
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-21Verses 1-21 The law of the Nazarite is appropriately added to other enactments which concern the sanctity of the holy nation. That sanctity found its highest expression in the Nazarite vow, which was the voluntary adoption for a time of obligations to high and strict modes of self-dedication resembling, and indeed in some particulars exceeding, those under which the priests were placed. The present enactments do not institute a new kind of observance, but…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9-21The law gave instructions for restoring purity after unavoidable contact with a dead body. Contact with a dead body made a person ceremonially unclean (not fit for worship for a period of time). The person had to follow certain steps in order to be restored. Special procedures and offerings also marked the end of a Nazirite vow. A Nazirite vow was a special promise to set oneself apart for God for a period of time. When the time ended, the person brought…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 9-129-12. If any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of his consecration--Cases of sudden death might occur to make him contract pollution; and in such circumstances he was required, after shaving his head, to make the prescribed offerings necessary for the removal of ceremonial defilement (Le 15:13; Nu 19:11). But by the terms of this law an accidental defilement vitiated the whole of his previous observances, and he was required to…Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 6:9
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Numbers 6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New International Version — © NIV® 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica
Commentaries