Regardless of gender or societal standing, individuals could dedicate themselves to serve God for a period of time, and such individuals were called Nazarites. The term “Nazarite”, written in Hebrew as (Nazir), means “to be consecrated” or “to be separated”. There were two types of Nazarites: those who made a lifetime vow and those who made a vow for a specified period of time. Lifetime Nazarites were dedicated by their parents from birth, as seen with people like Samson (Judges 13:4-5), Samuel (1 Samuel 1:11), and John the Baptist (Luke 1:15). In contrast, short-term Nazarite vows typically lasted at least 30 days, depending on the individual’s commitment and the nature of their service, as exemplified by the apostle Paul (Acts 18:18).
God commanded Nazarites to follow three main regulations as we see in Numbers 6:3-7:
01 Abstain from wine and strong drink. This included any product derived from grapes.
02 Abstain from cutting their hair. Nazarites were to let their hair grow throughout the period of their vow.
03 Avoid contact with dead bodies, even close family members, to maintain ceremonial purity.
If a Nazarite intentionally or unintentionally violated these regulations, God provided a means of atonement. They had to offer specific sacrifices, and the time they had previously spent as a Nazarite would not be counted due to the transgression (Numbers 6:9-12).
Upon completing their vow, a Nazarite was required to go to the temple and present several offerings: a burnt offering, a sin offering, a peace offering, a grain offering, and a drink offering. They were also required to shave their head, and the hair that had grown during their vow was burned under the peace offering as part of the ritual (Numbers 6:13-20). These acts officially concluded their time as a Nazarite.
Since the time of the New Testament, there are no longer any specific laws regarding Nazarites, but the principles of consecration and separation remain respected and taught. Believers are called to live a life holy and separate unto God, as Paul writes in Romans 12:1-2: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Learn more:
