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Numbers 6:6-12

“ ‘All the days that he separates himself to Yahweh he shall not go near a dead body. He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die, because his separation to God is on his head. All the days of his separation he is holy to Yahweh.

“ ‘If any man dies very suddenly beside him, and he defiles the head of his separation, then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing. On the seventh day he shall shave it. On the eighth day he shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest, to the door of the Tent of Meeting. The priest shall offer one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make atonement for him, because he sinned by reason of the dead, and shall make his head holy that same day. He shall separate to Yahweh the days of his separation, and shall bring a male lamb a year old for a trespass offering; but the former days shall be void, because his separation was defiled.

World English Bible · Public Domain

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Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    “ ‘All the days that he separates himself to Yahweh he shall not go near a dead body.

    He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die, because his separation to God is on his head.

    All the days of his separation he is holy to Yahweh.

    “ ‘If any man dies very suddenly beside him, and he defiles the head of his separation, then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing. On the seventh day he shall shave it.

    On the eighth day he shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest, to the door of the Tent of Meeting.

    The priest shall offer one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make atonement for him, because he sinned by reason of the dead, and shall make his head holy that same day.

    He shall separate to Yahweh the days of his separation, and shall bring a male lamb a year old for a trespass offering; but the former days shall be void, because his separation was defiled.

  • KJV King James Version

    All the days that he separateth himself unto the LORD he shall come at no dead body.

    He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God is upon his head.

    All the days of his separation he is holy unto the LORD.

    And if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of his consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it.

    And on the eighth day he shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons, to the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:

    And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make an atonement for him, for that he sinned by the dead, and shall hallow his head that same day.

    And he shall consecrate unto the LORD the days of his separation, and shall bring a lamb of the first year for a trespass offering: but the days that were before shall be lost, because his separation was defiled.

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  • JPS JPS Tanakh (1917)

    All the days that he consecrateth himself unto the LORD he shall not come near to a dead body.

    He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die; because his consecration unto God is upon his head.

    All the days of his Naziriteship he is holy unto the LORD.

    And if any man die very suddenly beside him, and he defile his consecrated head, then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it.

    And on the eighth day he shall bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, to the priest, to the door of the tent of meeting.

    And the priest shall prepare one for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt-offering, and make atonement for him, for that he sinned by reason of the dead; and he shall hallow his head that same day.

    And he shall consecrate unto the LORD the days of his Naziriteship, and shall bring a he-lamb of the first year for a guilt-offering; but the former days shall be void, because his consecration was defiled.

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Examined in Scripture Analysis

Commandments (2)

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Cross-references (40)

  • Numbers 6:18 (v9) The 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…
  • Numbers 9:6 (v7) There were certain men, who were unclean because of the dead body of a man, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day, and they…
  • Leviticus 1:14 (v10) “ ‘If his offering to Yahweh is a burnt offering of birds, then he shall offer his offering from turtledoves or of young pigeons.
  • Leviticus 5:6 (v12) and he shall bring his trespass offering to Yahweh for his sin which he has sinned: a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat, for a sin…
  • Leviticus 14:9 (v9) It shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair he shall…
Show all 40 cross-references
  • Leviticus 15:14 (v10) “ ‘On the eighth day he shall take two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, and come before Yahweh to the door of the Tent of Meeting, and…
  • Leviticus 15:29 (v10) On the eighth day she shall take two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, and bring them to the priest, to the door of the Tent of Meeting.
  • Leviticus 19:28 (v6) “ ‘You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you. I am Yahweh.
  • Leviticus 21:1-2 (v7) Yahweh said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them, ‘A priest shall not defile himself for the dead among his…
  • Leviticus 21:11 (v6) He must not go in to any dead body, or defile himself for his father or for his mother.
  • Acts 18:18 (v9) Paul, having stayed after this many more days, took his leave of the brothers, and sailed from there for Syria, together with Priscilla and…
  • Leviticus 5:7-10 (v10) “ ‘If he can’t afford a lamb, then he shall bring his trespass offering for that in which he has sinned, two turtledoves, or two young…
  • Leviticus 5:8-10 (v11) He shall bring them to the priest, who shall first offer the one which is for the sin offering. He shall wring off its head from its neck,…
  • Leviticus 9:1-21 (v10) On the eighth day, Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel; and he said to Aaron, “Take a calf from the herd for a sin…
  • Leviticus 12:6 (v10) “ ‘When the days of her purification are completed for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the door of the Tent of…
  • Leviticus 14:22-23 (v10) and two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, such as he is able to afford; and the one shall be a sin offering, and the other a burnt…
  • Leviticus 14:24 (v12) The priest shall take the lamb of the trespass offering, and the log of oil, and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before…
  • Leviticus 14:30-31 (v11) He shall offer one of the turtledoves, or of the young pigeons, which ever he is able to afford, of the kind he is able to afford, the one…
  • Leviticus 14:31 (v10) of the kind he is able to afford, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, with the meal offering. The priest shall…
  • Leviticus 21:1-3 (v6) Yahweh said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them, ‘A priest shall not defile himself for the dead among his…
  • Leviticus 21:10-12 (v7) “ ‘He who is the high priest among his brothers, upon whose head the anointing oil is poured, and who is consecrated to put on the…
  • Numbers 19:11-22 (v6) “He who touches the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days. He shall purify himself with water on the third day, and on the…
  • Numbers 19:14-19 (v9) “This is the law when a man dies in a tent: everyone who comes into the tent, and everyone who is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days.…
  • Jeremiah 16:5-6 (v6) For Yahweh says, “Don’t enter into the house of mourning. Don’t go to lament. Don’t bemoan them, for I have taken away my peace from this…
  • Ezekiel 18:24 (v12) “But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked…
  • Ezekiel 24:16-18 (v6) “Son of man, behold, I will take away from you the desire of your eyes with a stroke: yet you shall neither mourn nor weep, neither shall…
  • Ezekiel 44:25 (v7) “ ‘ “They shall go in to no dead person to defile themselves; but for father, or for mother, or for son, or for daughter, for brother, or…
  • Matthew 3:15 (v12) But Jesus, answering, said to him, “Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him.
  • Matthew 8:21-22 (v6) Another of his disciples said to him, “Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the…
  • Matthew 24:13 (v12) But he who endures to the end will be saved.
  • Luke 9:59-60 (v6) He said to another, “Follow me!” But he said, “Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to…
  • John 2:1-2 (v10) The third day, there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there. Jesus also was invited, with his disciples, to the wedding.
  • John 8:29-31 (v12) He who sent me is with me. The Father hasn’t left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” As he spoke these things,…
  • Acts 21:23-24 (v9) Therefore do what we tell you. We have four men who have taken a vow. Take them and purify yourself with them, and pay their expenses for…
  • Romans 4:25 (v10) who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification.
  • 2 Corinthians 5:16 (v6) Therefore we know no one after the flesh from now on. Even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more.
  • 2 Corinthians 6:17-18 (v8) Therefore “ ‘Come out from among them, and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘Touch no unclean thing. I will receive you. I will be to you a…
  • Philippians 3:8-9 (v9) Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be a loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered…
  • James 2:10 (v12) For whoever keeps the whole law, and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.
  • 2 John 1:8 (v12) Watch yourselves, that we don’t lose the things which we have accomplished, but that we receive a full reward.

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

Explain this passage (16 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv6, 7, 9, 11, 12 As at burials, or mournings.

As at burials, or mournings.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.

John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv6–12 Num 6:6 All the days that he separateth [himself]…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv7, 9, 10, 11, 12 For his father, or for his mother; wherein he…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv6–12 All the days that he separateth himself unto the…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv7, 9, 11, 12 His father - Wherein he was equal to the…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv7, 10 Verse 7. The consecration of his God is upon…
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv6, 9, 11 Num 6:6-7. He shall come at no dead body…
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv6, 9, 11 Dead. To teach us that those who are consecrated…
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On v9 If any man die very suddenly by him, and…
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 6. Dead body — See Num_5:2, note.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 6, 7. Third regulation. Avoidance of pollution from contact…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv7, 11 (7) He shall not make himself unclean . .…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv7, 9, 10, 11, 12 He shall not make himself unclean for his father,…
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On v11 (See Scofield "Exo 29:33").
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv6, 9, 10, 12 separates ... separated ... separation
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv6, 9 6:6-8 Dead bodies defiled whoever touched them (9:6-10). Priests…
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