Numbers 6:8 — Word Study
WLCכֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֣י נִזְר֑וֹ קָדֹ֥שׁ ה֖וּא לַֽיהוָֽה׃
BSAThroughout the timekôl [all the days of, during the entire period of] of his separationnezer [consecration, a Nazirite vow] hehûwʼ is holyqâdôwsh [set apart as, declared, sacred, devoted to God's service] to the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, the covenant God]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| כֹּ֖ל | all | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| יְמֵ֣י | [the] days of | Noun common, masculine plural construct |
| נִזְר֑וֹ | Nazirite vow his | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| קָדֹ֥שׁ | [is] holy | Adj |
| ה֖וּא | he | Pronoun |
| לַֽיהוָֽה׃ | to Yahweh | Preposition, noun proper |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Throughout the time of his separation, he is holy to the LORD. |
| KJV | All the days of his separation he is holy unto the LORD. |
| ASV | All the days of his separation he is holy unto Jehovah. |
| YLT | all days of his separation he [is] holy to Jehovah. |
| WEB | All the days of his separation he is holy to Yahweh. |
| BBE | All the time he is separate he is holy to the Lord. |
All translations agree on the essential meaning of the verse.
The structure of the verse centers around the main clause, emphasizing the subject's state of holiness.



4 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Whedon & more — read them ›
clause
subjectהוּא
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Numbers 6:8
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Laws of the Nazirite Vowgenerated
Numbers 6:8 describes the status of a Nazirite during the time of their vow, emphasizing their separation and holiness to the LORD. The surrounding verses outline the specific behaviors and restrictions that a Nazirite must observe, highlighting the seriousness of this commitment. This vow is a way for individuals to dedicate themselves to God, reflecting a deep spiritual devotion and a desire to live in accordance with divine principles.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 Corinthians 6:17–18 | “Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — נִזְר֑וֹ, niz.Rogenerated
The term נִזְר֑וֹ (nizro) refers to the state of being consecrated or dedicated, particularly in the context of the Nazirite vow. This vow involves a commitment to abstain from certain activities and to live a life set apart for God. The parsing indicates that it is a noun in the masculine singular, suggesting a specific individual who has taken this vow.
This word is closely associated with the idea of separation for holiness, as seen in the broader context of Numbers 6, where the Nazirite's dedication is marked by specific signs such as uncut hair. The lexicons emphasize its meaning related to dedication and the implications of living a life consecrated to God.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse contains a main clause with a subject and a predicate: ה֖וּא (he) and קָדֹ֥שׁ (is holy). This structure emphasizes the state of the Nazirite as set apart for God.
The order of the Hebrew words places focus on the subject ה֖וּא, indicating that the Nazirite's holiness is a defining characteristic during his period of separation.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates קָדֹ֥שׁ as ἅγιος (holy), which carries a similar connotation of being set apart for sacred purposes. This choice aligns with the understanding of the Nazirite's vow as a commitment to holiness.
The Greek term used in the Septuagint reflects the same idea of being dedicated to God's service, reinforcing the significance of the Nazirite's separation.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Numbers 6:8 explains that during the entire time of a Nazirite's vow, he is to be considered holy to the LORD. This reflects a commitment to live a life dedicated to God, following specific rules and restrictions outlined in the surrounding verses.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
A Nazirite vow is a commitment made by an individual to dedicate themselves to God, often involving specific restrictions such as abstaining from wine and cutting hair.
The Nazirite is considered holy because they are set apart for God's service during the time of their vow, reflecting a deep spiritual commitment.
Being holy to the LORD means living in a way that honors God, following His commandments and dedicating oneself to spiritual practices.
The duration of the Nazirite vow can vary, but it is typically for a specified period, during which the individual must adhere to the requirements of the vow.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does it mean to be set apart for God in my own life?
- How can I dedicate myself more fully to God's service?
- What are some practical ways to live out holiness in my daily life?
- How does understanding the Nazirite vow help me appreciate my own commitments to God?
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Numbers 6:8 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAll the days of his separation he [is] holy unto the Lord. Set apart for his service, separate from all others, especially the dead, and under obligation to abstain from the above things; from
Read John Gill on Numbers 6 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAll the days of his separation he is holy unto the LORD. If any man die very suddenly by him.
Read Robert Jamieson on Numbers 6 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsNumbers 6:8 All the days of his separation he [is] holy unto the LORD.Ver. 8. He is holy unto the Lord.] With an inward holiness, else all his outward observations were to no purpose.
Read John Trapp on Numbers 6 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the BibleTHE OF DAYS, Numbers 6:1-21.There is in Mosaism nothing relating to the perpetual Nazarite. Only three are mentioned in the Bible — Samson, Samuel, and John the Baptist.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Numbers 6 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Throughout the time of his separation, he is holy to the LORD.
All the days of his separation he is holy to Yahweh.
Throughout the time of his separation, he is holy to the LORD.
All the days of his separation he must be holy to the Lord.
Tyndale line
All the days of his separation he is holy unto the LORD.
All the days of his separation he is holy unto Jehovah.
All the days of his separation he is holy unto the LORD.
All the days of his separation he is holy to the LORD.
All the dayes of his separation he shalbe holy to the Lord.
Strictly literal
All the days of his separation he is holy to Jehovah.
all days of his separation he [is] holy to Jehovah.
all [the] days of his separation he [is] holy to YHWH.
All the days of his abstinence is he holy unto the Lord.
During all the time of his separation he is holy, reserved for Yahweh.
From the Latin
All the days of his separation he shall be holy to the Lord.
Simplified
Through the whole time of their dedication they are to be holy to the Lord.
All the time he is separate he is holy to the Lord.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of the verse, with all six words matched. However, the Samaritan Pentateuch differs slightly, using the term קדוש (holy) instead of קָדֹ֥שׁ, but maintains the overall meaning of the text.
כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֣י נִזְר֑וֹ קָדֹ֥שׁ ה֖וּא לַֽיהוָֽה׃
6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
כל ימי נזרו קדושׁ הוא ליהוה
1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: קדושׁ (holy)
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Numbers 6:8
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.
כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all
with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
Absolutely:
without the art., all things, all
with the art. הַכֹּל
where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
base
H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all
. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
3605 kol kole
or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;
hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a
plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any
(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as
many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,
whoso(-ever).
see HEBREW for 03634
כֹּל (kol) — all.
1) all, the whole
1a) all, the whole of
1b) any, each, every, anything
1c) totality, everything
Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.
(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.
(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).
יוֹם (yowm) means 'day' and refers to a division of time, contrasting with night. It can denote a literal 24-hour period, a general time span, or even a year. The term is used in various contexts, including the 'day of Yahweh,' which signifies a time of divine judgment. It also appears in phrases indicating temporal references like today, yesterday, and tomorrow.
יוֹם 2285 n.m. day
day, opp. night
Day as division of time
יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous
Pl. days of anyone
Days
יוֹם = time
Phrases
base
H3117 יוֹם day . day, opp. night
. Day as division of time
. יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous
. Pl. days of anyone
. Days
. יוֹם = time
. Phrases
3117 yowm yome
from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm
hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one
sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by
an associated term), (often used adverb):--age, + always, +
chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to)
day, (now a, two) days (agone), + elder, X end, + evening, +
(for) ever(-lasting, -more), X full, life, as (so) long as
(... live), (even) now, + old, + outlived, + perpetually,
presently, + remaineth, X required, season, X since, space,
then, (process of) time, + as at other times, + in trouble,
weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), X whole
(+ age), (full) year(-ly), + younger.
יוֹם (yom) — day.
: day/when/time/period
1) day, time, year
1a) day (as opposed to night)
1b) day (24 hour period)
1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1
1b2) as a division of time
1b2a) a working day, a day's journey
1c) days, lifetime (pl.)
1d) time, period (general)
1e) year
1f) temporal references
1f1) today
1f2) yesterday
1f3) tomorrow
יוֹם (yom) — day: old.
: old/(full/many)[days]
1) day, time, year
1a) day (as opposed to night)
1b) day (24 hour period)
1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1
1b2) as a division of time
1b2a) a working day, a day's journey
1c) days, lifetime (pl.)
1d) time, period (general)
1e) year
1f) temporal references
1f1) today
1f2) yesterday
1f3) tomorrow
יוֹם (yom) — day: year.
: year[of_days]
1) day, time, year
1a) day (as opposed to night)
1b) day (24 hour period)
1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1
1b2) as a division of time
HNcmpc — Noun common · masculine plural constructHNcmpc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
The Hebrew word נֵ֫זֶר (*nezer*) is derived from a root meaning 'to separate' and encompasses concepts of dedication, particularly in the context of the Nazirite vow. It refers to items associated with consecration, such as a crown or unshorn hair, and can denote the status of a high priest or a Nazirite. The entries consistently highlight its meanings related to separation and dedication.
נֵ֫זֶר n.m. ψ 132:18 consecration, crown, Naziriteship
crown (sign of consecration)
woman’s hair (orig. prob. of long hair as sign of consecration, as in Nazirite vow)
consecration
base
H5145 נֵ֫זֶר, נֶזֶר
5145 nezer neh'-zer
or nezer {nay'-zer}; from 5144; properly, something set
apart, i.e. (abstractly) dedication (of a priet or Nazirite);
hence (concretely) unshorn locks; also (by implication) a
chaplet (especially of royalty):--consecration, crown, hair,
separation.
see HEBREW for 05144
נֵ֫זֶר (ne.zer) — consecration: Nazirite vow.
1) consecration, crown, separation, Nazariteship
1a) crown (as sign of consecration), earring
1a1) stones of a crown, diadem, stones of charming
1b) woman's hair
1c) consecration
1c1) of high priest
1c2) of Nazarite
נֵ֫זֶר (ne.zer) — consecration: crown.
1) consecration, crown, separation, Nazariteship
1a) crown (as sign of consecration), earring
1a1) stones of a crown, diadem, stones of charming
1b) woman's hair
1c) consecration
1c1) of high priest
1c2) of Nazarite
נֵ֫זֶר (ne.zer) — consecration: hair.
1) consecration, crown, separation, Nazariteship
1a) crown (as sign of consecration), earring
1a1) stones of a crown, diadem, stones of charming
1b) woman's hair
1c) consecration
1c1) of high priest
1c2) of Nazarite
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp3ms
The Hebrew word קָדוֹשׁ (*qadosh*) means sacred or holy. It can refer to God, angels, saints, or sanctuaries, indicating a state of being set apart. The entries consistently emphasize its moral and ceremonial significance, with no notable disagreements among the lexicons.
קָדוֹשׁ adj. sacred, holy
base
H6918 קָדוֹשׁ sacred, holy
6918 qadowsh kaw-doshe'
or qadosh {kaw-doshe'}; from 6942; sacred (ceremonially or
morally); (as noun) God (by eminence), an angel, a saint, a
sanctuary:--holy (One), saint.
see HEBREW for 06942
קָדוֹשׁ (qa.dosh) — holy.
: holy
sacred, holy, Holy One, saint, set apart
קָדוֹשׁ (qa.dosh) — holy: saint.
: saint/priest
sacred, holy, Holy One, saint, set apart
A sub-meaning of qa.dosh (קָדוֹשׁ ": holy" H6918)
Adj — AdjHAamsa
הוּא (hu) is a third-person singular pronoun meaning he, she, or it, used for emphasis or when no verb is present. It can also refer to oneself or serve as a demonstrative pronoun. The word has various nuances, including resuming the subject with emphasis or expressing it unobtrusively. It can indicate 'that' or 'those' when used with the definite article.
הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it
an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)
It resumes the subj. with emph.
Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible
It anticipates (as it seems) the subject
As an emph. predicate, of God
In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)
With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.
base
H1931 הוּא, הִיא he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it . an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)
. It resumes the subj. with emph.
. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible
. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject
. As an emph. predicate, of God
. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)
. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.
1931 huw' hoo
of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is hiyw {he}; a
primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or
it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also
(intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same;
sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally
(instead of copula) as or are:--he, as for her, him(-self),
it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they,
this, those, which (is), who.
הוּא (hu) — he/she/it.
pron 3p s
1) he, she, it
1a) himself (with emphasis)
1b) resuming subj with emphasis
1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate)
1d) (anticipating subj)
1e) (emphasising predicate)
1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron
2) that (with article)
Pron — PronounHPp3ms
ha: The fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet; transliterated in this Encyclopedia as "h." It came also to be used for the number 5. For name, etc., see ALPHABET.
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun properHR/Npt
