Numbers 6:13-20 · Bible study
Numbers 6:13-20 Commentary: Why a Sin Offering for the Holy Nazirite?
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
The Nazirite's completion ceremony includes a sin offering. Why? Commentators reveal a profound truth about human holiness and grace.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The Nazirite's completion ceremony reveals that even dedicated holiness needs atonement.
- Key words: Nazirite (consecrated one), separation, sin offering, wave offering.
- Main debate: Whether the sin offering addresses unintentional sins during the vow or the inherent imperfection of all human service.
- Theological theme: Grace and imperfection, the best human devotion rests on God's mercy, not merit.
- Best use: Teaching that seasons of discipline end in gratitude and freedom, not self-congratulation.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
13Now this is the law of the Nazirite when his time of separation is complete: He must be brought to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting,
14and he is to present an offering to the LORD of an unblemished year-old male lamb as a burnt offering, an unblemished year-old female lamb as a sin offering, and an unblemished ram as a peace offering—
15together with their grain offerings and drink offerings—and a basket of unleavened cakes made from fine flour mixed with oil and unleavened wafers coated with oil.
16The priest is to present all these before the LORD and make the sin offering and the burnt offering.
17He shall also offer the ram as a peace offering to the LORD, along with the basket of unleavened bread. And the priest is to offer the accompanying grain offering and drink offering.
18Then at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the Nazirite is to shave his consecrated head, take the hair, and put it on the fire under the peace offering.
19And the priest is to take the boiled shoulder from the ram, one unleavened cake from the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and put them into the hands of the Nazirite who has just shaved the hair of his consecration.
20The priest shall then wave them as a wave offering before the LORD. This is a holy portion for the priest, in addition to the breast of the wave offering and the thigh that was presented. After that, the Nazirite may drink wine.
WEB World English Bible 2000
13“‘This is the law of the Nazirite: when the days of his separation are fulfilled, he shall be brought to the door of the Tent of Meeting,
14and he shall offer his offering to Yahweh: one male lamb a year old without defect for a burnt offering, one ewe lamb a year old without defect for a sin offering, one ram without defect for peace offerings,
15a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil with their meal offering and their drink offerings.
16The priest shall present them before Yahweh, and shall offer his sin offering and his burnt offering.
17He shall offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings to Yahweh, with the basket of unleavened bread. The priest shall offer also its meal offering and its drink offering.
18The Nazirite shall shave the head of his separation at the door of the Tent of Meeting, take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it on the fire which is under the sacrifice of peace offerings.
19The priest shall take the boiled shoulder of the ram, one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them on the hands of the Nazirite after he has shaved the head of his separation;
20and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before Yahweh. They are holy for the priest, together with the breast that is waved and the thigh that is offered. After that the Nazirite may drink wine.
KJV King James Version 1769
13And this is the law of the Nazarite, when the days of his separation are fulfilled: he shall be brought unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:
14And he shall offer his offering unto the Lord, one he lamb of the first year without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish for a sin offering, and one ram without blemish for peace offerings,
15And a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oil, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings.
16And the priest shall bring them before the Lord, and shall offer his sin offering, and his burnt offering:
17And he shall offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the Lord, with the basket of unleavened bread: the priest shall offer also his meat offering, and his drink offering.
18And the Nazarite shall shave the head of his separation at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it in the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace offerings.
19And the priest shall take the sodden shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them upon the hands of the Nazarite, after the hair of his separation is shaven:
20And the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the Lord: this is holy for the priest, with the wave breast and heave shoulder: and after that the Nazarite may drink wine.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
13And this is the law of the Nazirite, when the days of his separation are fulfilled: he shall be brought unto the door of the tent of meeting:
14and he shall offer his oblation unto Jehovah, one he-lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt-offering, and one ewe-lamb a year old without blemish for a sin-offering, and one ram without blemish for peace-offerings,
15and a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and their meal-offering, and their drink-offerings.
16And the priest shall present them before Jehovah, and shall offer his sin-offering, and his burnt-offering:
17and he shall offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace-offerings unto Jehovah, with the basket of unleavened bread: the priest shall offer also the meal-offering thereof, and the drink-offering thereof.
18And the Nazirite shall shave the head of his separation at the door of the tent of meeting, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it on the fire which is under the sacrifice of peace-offerings.
19And the priest shall take the boiled shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them upon the hands of the Nazirite, after he hath shaven the head of his separation;
20and the priest shall wave them for a wave-offering before Jehovah; this is holy for the priest, together with the wave-breast and heave-thigh: and after that the Nazirite may drink wine.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
13`And this is the law of the Nazarite; in the day of the fulness of the days of his separation doth one bring him in unto the opening of the tent of meeting,
14and he hath brought near his offering to Jehovah, one he-lamb, a son of a year, a perfect one, for a burnt-offering, and one she-lamb, a daughter of a year, a perfect one, for a sin-offering, and one ram, a perfect one, for peace-offerings,
15and a basket of unleavened things of flour, cakes mixed with oil, and thin cakes of unleavened things anointed with oil, and their present, and their libations.
16`And the priest hath brought them near before Jehovah, and hath made his sin-offering and his burnt-offering;
17and the ram he maketh a sacrifice of peace-offerings to Jehovah, besides the basket of unleavened things; and the priest hath made its present and its libation.
18`And the Nazarite hath shaved (at the opening of the tent of meeting) the head of his separation, and hath taken the hair of the head of his separation, and hath put it on the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace-offerings.
19`And the priest hath taken the boiled shoulder from the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one thin unleavened cake, and hath put on the palms of the Nazarite after his shaving his separation;
20and the priest hath waved them, a wave-offering before Jehovah; it is holy to the priest, besides the breast of the wave-offering, and besides the leg of the heave-offering; and afterwards doth the Nazarite drink wine.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
13And this is the law of the Nazarite on the day when the days of his consecration are fulfilled: he shall be brought to the entrance of the tent of meeting.
14And he shall present his offering to Jehovah, one yearling he-lamb without blemish for a burnt-offering, and one yearling ewe-lamb without blemish for a sin-offering, and one ram without blemish for a peace-offering;
15and a basket with unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and their oblation, and their drink-offerings.
16And the priest shall present them before Jehovah, and shall offer his sin-offering and his burnt-offering:
17and he shall offer the ram, a sacrifice of peace-offering to Jehovah, with the basket of unleavened bread; the priest shall offer also his oblation and his drink-offering.
18And the Nazarite shall shave the head of his consecration at the entrance to the tent of meeting, and shall take the hair of the head of his consecration, and put it on the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace-offering.
19And the priest shall take the boiled shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them upon the hands of the Nazarite, after he hath shaven [the hair of] his consecration.
20And the priest shall wave them as wave-offering before Jehovah; it is holy for the priest, with the breast of the wave-offering and with the shoulder of the heave-offering; and afterwards the Nazarite may drink wine.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
13This is the law of consecration. When the days which he had determined by vow shall be expired, he shall bring him to the door of the tabernacle of the covenant,
14And shall offer his oblation to the Lord: one he lamb of a year old without blemish for a holocaust, and one ewe lamb of a year old without blemish for a sin offering, and one ram without blemish for a victim of peace offering,
15A basket also of unleavened bread, tempered with oil, and wafers without leaven anointed with oil, and the libations of each:
16And the priest shall present them before the Lord, and shall offer both the sin offering and the holocaust.
17But the ram he shall immolate for a sacrifice of peace offering to the Lord, offering at the same time the basket of unleavened bread, and the libations that are due by custom.
18Then shall the hair of the consecration of the Nazarite, be shaved off before the door of the tabernacle of the covenant: and he shall take his hair, and lay it upon the fire, which is under the sacrifice of the peace offerings.
19And shall take the boiled shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and he shall deliver them into the hands of the Nazarite, after his head is shaven.
20And receiving them again from him, he shall elevate them in the sight of the Lord: and they being sanctified shall belong to the priest, as the breast, which was commanded to be separated, and the shoulder. After this the Nazarite may drink wine.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Numbers 6:13
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree on the central surprise here: even the most dedicated servant of God cannot complete a vow without a sin offering. Calvin presses this point hard. He writes that however cheerfully someone offers themselves to God, “they never attain the goal of perfection.” The sin offering is not for gross disobedience but for the unavoidable shortfall in the best human efforts. Wesley echoes this: the Nazirite “confessed his miscarriages, notwithstanding the strictness of his vow and all the diligence which he could use.” Clarke adds that the hair, the token of complete subjection, is placed on the fire under the peace offering, making it a kind of personal sacrifice. The Cambridge Bible summarizes the sequence: burnt offering, sin offering, peace offering, then shaving the head, and finally the wave offering. The commentaries share a core insight: the sin offering at the end proves that consecrated life still rests on God’s grace, not on human merit.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Unintentional defilement view: Poole suggests the sin offering covers contamination or negligence during the vow, drawn from the earlier provisions for accidental defilement in vv.9–12.
- Inherent imperfection view: Calvin emphasizes that even the most perfect human service falls short and needs pardon, based on the universal requirement of a sin offering at the completion.
What is clear: The Nazirite, though consecrated and carefully observant, still brings a sin offering when the vow ends — the passage unquestionably teaches that human holiness, at its best, depends on atonement.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose of the sin offering at completion | The sin offering shows the Nazirite's service is not perfect and needs atonement. | Some (like Poole) see it as covering unintentional defilement during the vow; others (like Calvin) see it as acknowledging the inherent sinfulness of even the best human efforts. |
| Meaning of the burned hair | The hair, a symbol of the vow, is offered to God by burning. | Clarke views it as a sacrifice substituting for human flesh; others focus on it as the sign of subjection being returned to God. |
| The wave offering's significance | The priest places portions on the Nazirite's hands and waves them, indicating dedication to God. | Whether the wave offering primarily symbolizes thanksgiving (the peace offering context) or the transfer of ownership to God and priest is differently emphasized. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The Nazirite vow (Numbers 6) was a voluntary act of special devotion to God. A man or woman could take it for a fixed period or for life. During the vow they abstained from wine and any grape product, let their hair grow, and avoided contact with the dead. The ceremony described in verses 13, 20 marks the end of that period. The Nazirite is brought to the door of the Tent of Meeting, the same place where sacrifices were normally offered. This public location (Wesley notes “that it might be known that his vow was ended”) showed the whole community that the vow was complete.
The offerings are the first major step. A male lamb for a burnt offering, a female lamb for a sin offering, and a ram for a peace offering, plus grain and drink offerings and a basket of unleavened cakes. The sin offering stands out. Burnt offerings and peace offerings were common at festivals or thanksgiving, but the sin offering here signals something more: a need for atonement at the moment of completion.
Verses 18, 20 then describe the ritual of the hair. The Nazirite shaves his head at the entrance and throws the hair onto the fire under the peace offering. Clarke notes that the hair was “the token of his complete subjection to the Lord” and was now the Lord’s property. The priest then takes the boiled shoulder of the ram, a cake, and a wafer, places them on the Nazirite’s hands, and waves them as a wave offering. These become holy portions for the priest. Finally the Nazirite may drink wine, returning fully to ordinary life. The whole sequence moves from offering, through a gesture of total surrender (the hair burned), to a meal shared with God and priest, and finally to release.
Textual Notes
None of the supplied sources note any significant textual variants for Numbers 6:13, 20. The verse numbering and phrasing are consistent across the major manuscript traditions. The largest difference among the supplied translations is in specifying which shoulder (left or right) is given to the priest, but this stems from interpretation of the original instruction, not from a textual variant.
Reception History
This passage has shaped Christian thinking about devotion and grace across the centuries. Calvin used it to argue against the Catholic doctrine of works of supererogation, insisting that even the Nazirite's vow ends with a sin offering. Wesley took the same point to teach that the best human efforts need Christ's grace. Clarke compared the hair offering to similar practices among other cultures, suggesting the ritual tapped into a universal human impulse. In homiletic tradition, Scott (quoted by Lange) applies the passage to the Christian finishing his course, acknowledging that the best life “needs forgiveness” and departs in “peaceful expectations.” The passage also stands behind Paul’s own Nazirite-like action in Acts 21, showing that the vow continued into the New Testament period, though with new meaning tied to the gospel.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Consecration leads to confession. The Nazirite, who has been set apart and disciplined, still brings a sin offering. The best human dedication is not enough; we all need forgiveness.
- Total surrender is part of completion. The hair, grown during the vow, is burned under the peace offering. The very sign of devotion is offered back to God, showing that our service is his property, not our achievement.
- Grace frees us to return to ordinary life. After the offerings and the shaving, the Nazirite may drink wine. The vow ends not in exhaustion but in release and thanksgiving. God’s grace enables us to live freely when seasons of special devotion are over.
Five-point outline
- The setting: The Tent of Meeting, the place where God dwells with his people. The Nazirite comes into God’s presence to finish his vow.
- The sin offering problem: Why a sin offering if the Nazirite has been holy? Because holiness in this life is always partial. Even the most sincere obedience falls short.
- The peace offering pattern: The ram, with unleavened bread and the wave offering, creates a shared meal. It points to fellowship and thanksgiving, not just duty.
- The hair sacrifice: A personal symbol of the vow is put into the fire. This is not waste; it is worship. Something that mattered to the Nazirite becomes fuel for God’s altar.
- The release: “After that the Nazirite may drink wine.” The restriction is lifted. The discipline had a purpose, and now grace gives permission to enjoy what was set aside.
Illustration hooks
- A runner finishing a marathon who stops at the finish line and thanks the medical team, even a great race needs recovery. The sin offering is like that acknowledgment of strain and need.
- A person who has kept a strict diet for a health goal, then celebrates with a meal that still includes a moment of gratitude for the body’s limits. Completion comes with humility.
- A student finishing a thesis who has to defend it, the work is done, but the best work still faces scrutiny. The sin offering is the moment of honest review.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If I try hard to follow God, why do I still feel like I need forgiveness for the things I do right? This passage helps answer that.
- How do I know when a season of discipline is over and it’s okay to return to normal life? The Nazirite’s release shows that God builds in an end.
- Does my devotion to God mean I can never enjoy ordinary things? The final permission to drink wine says no: grace restores freedom.
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows us that even the most committed act of devotion ends in a need for atonement. As you read through verses 13, 20, notice the sequence: offerings, shaving, meal, release. Let the surprise of the sin offering shape your conversation.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What offerings does the Nazirite bring? List them and their purposes based on the text.
- Observation: Where does the ceremony take place? Why does the location matter for understanding the vow?
- Interpretation: Why do you think the sin offering comes at the end, not at the beginning, of the Nazirite’s vow?
- Interpretation: The Nazirite’s hair is burned under the peace offering. What does that action communicate about the relationship between the person and God?
- Interpretation: Calvin says the sin offering shows that “however cheerfully and earnestly men endeavor to offer themselves altogether to God, yet they never attain to the goal of perfection.” Do you agree? Why or why not?
- Application: When have you completed a long commitment (a project, a season of service, a personal goal) and found yourself unexpectedly aware of your shortcomings? How does this passage speak to that experience?
- Application: After the ceremony, the Nazirite is free to drink wine again. What does that freedom teach us about how God views the normal, everyday parts of life after a season of discipline?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Acts 21:26 | Then Paul took the men, and the next day purified himself and went with them into the temple, declaring the fulfillment of the days of purification, until the offering was offered for every one of them. |
| Leviticus 1:10 | “‘If his offering is from the flock, from the sheep or from the goats, for a burnt offering, he shall offer a male without defect. |
| Leviticus 1:13 | but the innards and the legs he shall wash with water. The priest shall offer the whole, and burn it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh. |
| Leviticus 3:6 | “‘If his offering for a sacrifice of peace offerings to Yahweh is from the flock, either male or female, he shall offer it without defect. |
| Leviticus 4:2 | “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘If anyone sins unintentionally, in any of the things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done, and does any one of them, |
| Leviticus 4:3 | if the anointed priest sins so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer for his sin which he has sinned a young bull without defect to Yahweh for a sin offering. |
| Leviticus 4:27 | “‘If anyone of the common people sins unwittingly, in doing any of the things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done, and is guilty, |
| Leviticus 4:32 | “‘If he brings a lamb as his offering for a sin offering, he shall bring a female without defect. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights that the Nazarite's hair, grown during the vow, was offered as a sacrifice at its conclusion because it symbolized complete subjection to God and was considered the Lord's property. He notes similar practices among Hindus and other nations, though whether these groups learned from the Jews or vice versa remains uncertain.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin sees the sin-offering at the end of the Nazirite vow as proof that even the most devoted human service never reaches perfection. No work, however holy, can stand before God without needing pardon. This, he argues, refutes the idea that human effort can earn merit.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva notes detail the precise ritual that closes a Nazarite's vow. They emphasize that the consecrated hair, the visible mark of separation, is cut and burned on the fire of the peace offering. Only after this offering and the priest's wave offering may the Nazarite resume normal life, including drinking wine.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that the Nazarite's sin offering was required not for any known failure but to cover unknown, secret sins committed during the vow. This shows that even the most devoted believers have hidden faults and need Christ's atoning sacrifice, not their own works, for justification.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights the careful ritual required when a Nazarite completes the vow: the hair is kept and brought to the sanctuary, then placed under the peace offerings being boiled. The priest then takes boiled shoulder, cake, and wafer, placing them on the Nazarite's hands to wave before the Lord as thanksgiving. This ceremony formally releases the Nazarite from the vow.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange presents the Nazirite not as a contemplative ascetic but as a heroic soldier in God’s army, consecrated to a practical, risky mission. The vow is a theocratic arrangement that sanctifies a natural disposition toward heroic self-sacrifice, like that of ancient warriors. It is not a withdrawal from the world but a special dedication for kingdom purposes.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley highlights that the Nazarite brought a sin-offering to confess his inability to keep the vow perfectly despite his diligence, and peace-offerings to thank God for enabling its observance. The public ceremony at the tabernacle door marked the vow's end, preventing scandal when he resumed normal life.