Numbers 6:20

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Numbers 6:20 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “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.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

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.
Numbers 6:20 — American Standard Version

Context — Numbers 6

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
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.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And the priest shall wave them [for] a wave offering before the Lord, etc.] Putting his hands under the Nazarite’s, as in other cases where this ceremony was used; and so moving them to and fro, backwards and forwards, upwards and downwards, testifying hereby the goodness of God unto him, his sovereign dominion over him, that all he had depended on him, and was received from him; and that all he did, particularly in keeping his vow of Nazariteship, was through his assistance, and for which he made this grateful acknowledgment by delivering the above, together with what follows, to his priest: this [is] holy for the priest, with the wave breast and heave shoulder; besides these which were…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“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 only regulate one already familiar to the Israelites Numbers 6:2. Numbers 6:2 A Nazarite - Strictly, Nazirite. This term signifies “separated” i. e., as the words following show, “unto God.” It became a technical term at an early date; compare Judges…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“May drink wine - And return to his former manner of living. Numbers 6:21”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“the priest shall: Num 5:25; Exo 29:27, Exo 29:28; Lev 9:21, Lev 10:15, Lev 23:11 with the wave: Num 18:18; Lev 7:31, Lev 7:34 and after: Psa 16:10, Psa 16:11; Ecc 9:7; Isa 25:6, Isa 35:10, Isa 53:10-12; Zac 9:15, Zac 9:17, Zac 10:7; Mat 26:29; Mar 14:25; Joh 17:4, Joh 17:5, Joh 19:30; Ti2 4:7, Ti2 4:8 Numbers 6:21”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification