Numbers 6:12

Verse

He must rededicate his time of separation to the LORD and bring a year-old male lamb as a guilt offering. But the preceding days shall not be counted, because his separation was defiled.

American Standard Version (1901)

And he shall separate unto Jehovah the days of his separation, and shall bring a he-lamb a year old for a trespass-offering; but the former days shall be void, because his separation was defiled.

Bible in Basic English

And he will give to the Lord his days of being separate, offering a he-lamb of the first year as an offering for error: but the earlier days will be a loss, because he became unclean.

Free Bible Version

They must re-dedicate themselves to the Lord for the full time they originally promised and bring a one-year-old male lamb as a guilt offering. The previous days don't count towards the time of dedication because they became unclean.

King James (Authorized) Version

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.

One Unity Resource Bible

He shall separate to Adonai 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.

Translation for Translators

The amount of time that you were set apart for me the previous time does not count, because you had become unacceptable to me by coming close to a corpse during the time that you were a Nazir-man. So you must again make a solemn promise to dedicate yourself to me for the entire amount of time that you indicated the previous time. And you must also sacrifice a one-year-old lamb for not doing what you were required to do.

Unlocked Literal Bible

He must set himself apart to Yahweh for the days of his consecration. He must bring a male lamb one year old as a guilt offering. The days before he defiled himself must not be counted, because his consecration was defiled.

Noah Webster Bible

And he shall consecrate to 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.

World English Bible

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.

Young's Literal Translation

and he hath separated to Jehovah the days of his separation, and he hath brought in a lamb, a son of a year, for a guilt-offering, and the former days are fallen, for his separation hath been defiled.

Context

The Nazirite Vow

¹¹And the priest is to offer one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to make atonement for him, because he has sinned by being in the presence of the dead body. On that day he must consecrate his head again.¹²He must rededicate his time of separation to the LORD and bring a year-old male lamb as a guilt offering. But the preceding days shall not be counted, because his separation was defiled.

Summary

This verse outlines the process for a Nazirite who has become ceremonially unclean to purify themselves. They are to shave off all their hair at the entrance to the Tabernacle, then on the seventh day, they are to bring two doves or two young pigeons to the priest as a sin offering and a burnt offering. This act of purification allowed the Nazirite to once again consecrate themselves to the Lord and resume their vow of separation and dedication.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

And this is the law of the Nazarite,.... This has respect either to what goes before; those are the things he is obliged to that vows the vow of a Nazarite; what he is to abstain from during the time of his vow, and what he is to do in case of any defilement; or to what follows after, what is binding upon him, what offerings he is to bring, and what rites and ceremonies are to be observed by him when he has finished his vow: when the days of his separation, or Nazariteship: are fulfilled; whether more or fewer; when the time is quite up, and he has gone through his vow without any breach of it: he shall be brought unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation; it is not said by whom he should be brought, whether by himself or by the priest; the Targum of Jonathan is,"he shall bring himself;''that is, present himself; and so Jarchi and Aben Ezra; which latter adds, or the priest shall bring him by command, whether he will or not, to offer his offering.