The Meaning of Numbers 6:5 Explained

Numbers 6:5

KJV: All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no rasor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.

YLT: 'All days of the vow of his separation a razor doth not pass over his head; till the fulness of the days which he doth separate to Jehovah he is holy; grown up hath the upper part of the hair of his head.

Darby: All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head; until the days be fulfilled, that he hath consecrated himself to Jehovah, he shall be holy; he shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.

ASV: All the days of his vow of separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in which he separateth himself unto Jehovah, he shall be holy; he shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow long.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

All the days  of the vow  of his separation  there shall no razor  come  upon his head:  until the days  be fulfilled,  in the which he separateth  [himself] unto the LORD,  he shall be holy,  [and] shall let the locks  of the hair  of his head  grow. 

What does Numbers 6:5 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 6:1-12 - The Vow Of Separation
The law of the Nazarite is full of instruction, because he is a type of the child of God who is separated from evil, that he may be wholly surrendered and given over to the divine service. Three rules were enjoined. Not to touch any product of the vine. If we must have exhilaration and stimulus, let us seek it in the Holy Spirit, not in worldly excitement, Ephesians 5:18-19. Not to cut the hair. The unshorn locks signified the dedication of the natural powers to God's service. Let us beware of Delilah. Many are the razors waiting to deprive us of our crown, Judges 16:19. Not to touch the dead, however dear; teaching that the kingdom of God must supersede all earthly ties.
If our separation breaks down, Numbers 6:9-12, we must seek forgiveness and restoration; but the former days will not count. One sin may mar the power of a whole life of saintly testimony. [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 6:5 mean?

All the days of the vow of his separation razor no shall come upon his head Until are fulfilled the days for which he separated himself to Yahweh holy He shall be [Then] he shall let grow the locks of the hair of his head
כָּל־ יְמֵי֙ נֶ֣דֶר נִזְר֔וֹ תַּ֖עַר לֹא־ יַעֲבֹ֣ר עַל־ רֹאשׁ֑וֹ עַד־ מְלֹ֨את הַיָּמִ֜ם אֲשֶׁר־ יַזִּ֤יר לַיהוָה֙ קָדֹ֣שׁ יִהְיֶ֔ה גַּדֵּ֥ל פֶּ֖רַע שְׂעַ֥ר רֹאשֽׁוֹ

יְמֵי֙  the  days 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
נֶ֣דֶר  of  the  vow 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: נֵדֶר  
Sense: vow, votive offering.
נִזְר֔וֹ  of  his  separation 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: נֵזֶר  
Sense: consecration, crown, separation, Nazariteship.
תַּ֖עַר  razor 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: תַּעַר  
Sense: razor, sheath (making naked).
לֹא־  no 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יַעֲבֹ֣ר  shall  come 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
עַל־  upon 
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.
רֹאשׁ֑וֹ  his  head 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
עַד־  Until 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
מְלֹ֨את  are  fulfilled 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: מָלֵא 
Sense: to fill, be full.
הַיָּמִ֜ם  the  days 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
אֲשֶׁר־  for  which 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יַזִּ֤יר  he  separated  himself 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָזַר 
Sense: to dedicate, consecrate, separate.
לַיהוָה֙  to  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
קָדֹ֣שׁ  holy 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: קָדֹושׁ  
Sense: sacred, holy, Holy One, saint, set apart.
יִהְיֶ֔ה  He  shall  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
גַּדֵּ֥ל  [Then]  he  shall  let  grow 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: גָּדַל  
Sense: to grow, become great or important, promote, make powerful, praise, magnify, do great things.
פֶּ֖רַע  the  locks 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פֶּרַע  
Sense: hair, long hair (of head), locks.
שְׂעַ֥ר  of  the  hair 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׂעָר  
Sense: hair.
רֹאשֽׁוֹ  of  his  head 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.