Commentari biblici

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

And the Lord spake. — Est Venus in vinis: therefore after the law for the privy harlot, here is a law given for abstinence from wine and strong drink, which some have called lac veneris. The whore cometh forth with a cup, Revelation 17:4 as with a fit instrument.

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Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate [themselves] to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate [themselves] unto the LORD:

To vow a vow. — A voluntary vow, a religious promise made in prayer; hence ευχη , a vow, προσευχη , a prayer.

To separate themselves unto the Lord. — As mirrors of singular sobriety and sanctimony, Lamentations 4:7 especially required in such as are "separated unto the gospel of God," Romans 1:1 and as types of Christ, that great votary, true Nazarite, holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners, Hebrews 7:26 that holy thing, Matthew 1:20 that holy of holies, or most holy. Daniel 9:24

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He shall separate [himself] from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried.

He shall separate himself from wine. — Lest he should drink and forget the law, Proverbs 31:5 which he was to study diligently: but loaden bellies make leaden wits: intemperance takes away the heart, Hosea 4:11 overchargeth it. Luke 21:34

Moist grapes or dried. — Dried as raisins, currants, or grapes of Corinth, whence they come, and are called.

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All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk.

From the kernels even to the tusk. — Nothing that might occasion, or tempt him to break his vow. All shadows and shows of evil must be shunned: Quicquid fuerit male coloratum, as Bernard hath it; whatsoever looks but ill-favoured. 1 Thessalonians 5:22 Judges 1:23 He that would not eat the meat, must not meddle with the broth. He that would not toll the bell, must not tuggle with the rope. He that would shun the blow, must keep aloof from the train.

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All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth [himself] unto the LORD, he shall be holy, [and] shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.

There shall no razor. — In opposition to heathens, votaries who nourished their hair to offer to their gods. The popish priests also cut and shave their hair, that they may still look neat and effeminate; which God allowed not in his Nazarites. Amos 2:11

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

At no dead body. — Christ was never defiled by any person dead in sin, nor by any dead work; no more must we.

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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.

He shall not make himself uncIean. — In all changes he must be unchangeable; so was Christ, so must we.

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

He is holy unto the Lord. — With an inward holiness, else all his outward observations were to no purpose.

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