LireRATURE.—Tobler, ‘ Nazareth,’ in Palestina, 1868 ; Guérin, Galilée, 1880; Robinson, BRP iii. 183 ff., 1841; G. A. Smith, HGHL 432ff., 1894; Buhl, GAP 216f.,1896 ; Socin in Baedeker's ke and Syria, where a full account of the modern town
be found. G. W. THATCHER.
NAZIRITE (1; LXX in Nu 6%” εὐξάμενος ; in vy.18- 1920 ηὐγμένος ; in Jg 13° B vatelp, A ἡγιασ- μένος ναζιραῖος ; in 137 167 Β ἅγιος, A ναζειραῖος ; in Am 2” ἡγιασμένοΞ).---- θ᾽ term πᾶξζιγ is derived from ndzar,* ‘to consecrate,’ and denotes ‘the consecrated one,’ the one separated from among the rest of the people. It is used of two classes : Nazirites for life, and Nazirites for a limited period. The law in Nu 6', which is of late origin and is the only part of the law taking notice of Nazirites, refers only to the latter class.
According to this law, the Nazirite is one who consecrates himself (or herself, v.2) to the Lord, and is bound by his vow of consecration (a) to abstain all the days of his Naziriteship from the use of wine and all other intoxicating drink, from vinegar formed from wine or strong drink, from any liquor of grapes, from grapes dried or fresh, and indeed from the use of anything produced from the vine (v.**); (Ὁ) not to suffer a razor to come upon his head, but to let the locks of the hair of his head grow long (v.°); and (c) to avoid all ceremonial defilement from contact with any dead body, even that of his nearest relatives (v.°°, where, however, wife and child are not mentioned). If through the sudden death of any one beside him he becomes defiled, he must observe the usual rites of purification (Nu 19""-); on the seventh day he must shave his head, his hair being cut off, because defilement was specially likely to cling to it, and also perhaps because it was the visible sign of his consecration, which had been rendered invalid; on the eighth day he must offer through the priest, at the door of the sanctuary, two turtle doves or two young pigeons—one for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt-offering (Lv 57 12° 14% 15't- 2.) ; his sin in even unwittingly violating his vow (Ly 4%, Nu 15*-) being thus atoned for, he must reconsecrate himself to the Lord, and, having offered a he-lamb of the first year for a guilt- offering (Lv 14-24), he must hold himself conse- crated for the whole period involved in his original vow (v.2"), On the ὈΣΡΊΣΥ of that period, the law regulated, with eq minuteness, the way in which he was to return to the sphere of ordinary life. He was brought to the door of the sanc- tuary, where, through the priest, he offered his oblation to the Lord (vv."-"): first (ν.}5), a ewe- lamb of the first year without blemish as a sin- otters for sins committed unwittingly during the days of his separation; then a Kelana of the first year without blemish as a burnt-offering, along with the customary meal- and drink-offerings (Nu 15°"); and, last of all, a ram without blemish, along with a basket of unleavened bread (Ly 7"; ef. also Ex 29%, Ly 2* 83) in addition to the usual meal- and drink-offerings, as a peace-oflering or thanksgiving for having been enabled to complete his period of consecration. He then shaved his h at the door of the sanctuary, and put his
* Not used in Qal; in Niphal, Lv 222, Ezk 145-7, Zec 7% ‘to separate oneself from,’ ‘to abstain from’; Hos 910 ‘to conse- crate oneself’; in Hiphil, Ly 16%) ‘to separate,’ Nu 62 3.5619 ‘ to separate or consecrate.’
NAZIRITE
hair on the fire under the thank-offerings, as a precaution against its profanation, and as a sign that it was surrendered to the Lord (v."%). The priest then took the sodden shoulder of the ram along with an unleavened cake and an unleavened wafer out of the basket, put them on the hands of the Nazirite (cf. Lv 8”), and waved them as a wave-offering before the Lord. These parts of the sacrifice, in addition to the customary wave-breast and heave-thigh (Lv 7*%), were assigned to the priest (v.'%); this increase of what was given to the Lord (in the person of the priest) was probably meant to represent that His participation was
eater than usual in the sacrificial meal of the
azirite, whom He thereby specially acknowledged as Hisown. Having thus performed his vow, the Nazirite was allowed to drink wine (v.™), very likely at this sacrificial meal; and he thereby emerged from the state of consecration into or- dinary life. If when he took the vow of a Nazirite he took in addition a vow special to himself, he had also at the same time to perform this latter vow.
The Nazirites expressly mentioned in the OT (Samson, Samuel,* the half-Israelitish Rechabites, and probably also those referred to in Am 2+) belong to the class of Nazirites for life. What is said of them does not exactly correspond with the law in Nu6. Apart from the fact that Samson and Samuel were dedicated to the Lord by their parents before their birth, the restrictions laid upon them were not identical with those specified in that law. Of Samson it is merely said that ‘no razor shall come upon his head’ (Jg 13°); no mention is made of abstinence from wine, though his mother is forbidden, during her pregnancy, to drink wine or strong drink or to eat any un- clean thing (vv.‘ and 7), or anything that cometh of the vine (v.44). Samson came frequently into contact with the dead (Jg 14% 15"), without his consecration thereby ceasing; and it is assumed by some that he woule naturally drink wine at the memes feast (14). Of Samuel also it is merely said that ‘no razor shall come upon his head’ (1S 1). The Rechabites (2 K 10%, Jer 35) not only abstained from wine, but from everything that was characteristic of a settled life; while Amos (213) makes mention only of abstinence from wine. The Nazirate was evidently of a much more manifold character, and played a greater part in the religious life of Israel than the law in Nu suggests. That law is simply an attempt, at a late stage of Israel’s history, to regulate an institution that had grown up independently of it. Other abstinences than those specified in it were doubtless occasionally practised; but these three had gradually come to regarded as what was essential.