Meaning
A person separated by a vow to the LORD, according to the regulations given for a Nazarite.
Biblical Usage
The Nazarite vow is described in Numbers 6. A man or woman could separate themselves by a special vow to the LORD. During the period of the vow, the Nazarite was to abstain from wine and strong drink, avoid products of the vine, allow the hair to grow, and avoid contact with a dead body.
Samson was a Nazarite from the womb according to the angel’s announcement to his mother. Samuel is connected with Hannah’s vow that no razor would come upon his head, but Scripture does not explicitly use the word Nazarite for Samuel. Amos later refers to Nazarites among those whom God raised up in Israel.
Key References
- Numbers 6:1-21
- Judges 13:3-7
- Judges 16:17-19
- 1 Samuel 1:11
- Amos 2:11-12
- Lamentations 4:7
Related Terms
- Vow
- Separation
- Samson
- Samuel