The Meaning of Numbers 6:20 Explained

Numbers 6:20

KJV: And 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.

YLT: and 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: And 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.

ASV: and 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And 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. 

What does Numbers 6:20 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 6:13-27 - The Nazarite Offering The Priestly Blessing
Take heed, O Christian soul, who has dedicated thyself to some lofty purpose, to be warned by the law of the Nazarite! Thy God expects of thee a more careful walk than is required of others. The cups of gaiety of which they drink are not for thee. Shame and contumely may fall to thy lot, from which they escape.
Thou art specially to beware against defiling contact with aught that savors of death-those who are dead in trespasses and sins. Go with them only to save them, but never to participate in their ways.
If the Nazarite vows were vitiated, even by accident, the time that had elapsed was cancelled. Ah, how many of our days we have rendered void! The beautiful benediction with which the chapter closes has its counterpart in 2 Corinthians 13:14. What the human lips spoke on earth, God authenticated from heaven, Numbers 6:27. Be very careful for the honor of the Name! 3 John 1:7. [source]

Chapter Summary: Numbers 6

1  The law of the Nazarite in the days of his separation
13  And after their completion
22  The form of blessing the people

What do the individual words in Numbers 6:20 mean?

And shall wave them the priest as a wave offering before Yahweh Holy [they] are for the priest together with the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the heave offering and after [that] may drink the Nazirite wine
וְהֵנִיף֩ אוֹתָ֨ם הַכֹּהֵ֥ן ׀ תְּנוּפָה֮ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָה֒ קֹ֤דֶשׁ [is]הוּא֙ לַכֹּהֵ֔ן עַ֚ל חֲזֵ֣ה הַתְּנוּפָ֔ה וְעַ֖ל שׁ֣וֹק הַתְּרוּמָ֑ה וְאַחַ֛ר יִשְׁתֶּ֥ה הַנָּזִ֖יר יָֽיִן

וְהֵנִיף֩  And  shall  wave 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הֲנָפָה 
Sense: to move to and fro, wave, besprinkle.
הַכֹּהֵ֥ן ׀  the  priest 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
תְּנוּפָה֮  as  a  wave  offering 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: תְּנוּפָה  
Sense: swinging, waving, wave offering, offering.
לִפְנֵ֣י  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
יְהוָה֒  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
קֹ֤דֶשׁ  Holy 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness.
[is]הוּא֙  [they]  are 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
לַכֹּהֵ֔ן  for  the  priest 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
עַ֚ל  together  with 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
חֲזֵ֣ה  the  breast 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חָזֶה  
Sense: breast (of animals), breast of an animal sacrifice.
הַתְּנוּפָ֔ה  of  the  wave  offering 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: תְּנוּפָה  
Sense: swinging, waving, wave offering, offering.
שׁ֣וֹק  the  thigh 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: שֹׁוק  
Sense: leg, thigh.
הַתְּרוּמָ֑ה  of  the  heave  offering 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: תְּרוּמָה  
Sense: contribution, offering.
וְאַחַ֛ר  and  after  [that] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
יִשְׁתֶּ֥ה  may  drink 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁתָה  
Sense: to drink.
הַנָּזִ֖יר  the  Nazirite 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָזִיר  
Sense: consecrated or devoted one, Nazarite.
יָֽיִן  wine 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַיִן  
Sense: wine.