The verse highlights that the "holy portion" set aside for the priest is not just his by right, but is first presented to the Lord as a "wave offering," signifying that God's provision, even for His servants, always begins with Him. It also subtly shows that the Nazirite's restored ability to drink wine is tied to this act of priestly consecration, marking the completion of their sacred time.
and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the LORD. They are a holy portion for the priest, together with the breast that is waved and the thigh that is contributed. And after that the Nazirite may drink wine.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse marks the conclusion of the Nazirite's vow. After fulfilling all the requirements, including specific offerings and symbolic actions performed by the priest, the Nazirite is released from their consecration and can once again enjoy wine. This signifies the completion of their dedication and their return to normal life.
Have you ever wondered about the final steps of a sacred vow? This verse shows a crucial moment involving the priest and specific offerings.
The Nazirite vow was a period of intense dedication to God. At its completion, the Nazirite brought offerings to the sanctuary. Numbers 6:20 highlights the priest's role in presenting these offerings as a 'wave offering' before the Lord. This act wasn't just a formality; it symbolized giving these portions back to God first, acknowledging His sovereignty.
A Holy Portion
The 'wave breast' and 'heave shoulder' were specific parts of the sacrifice designated for the priest. In the Nazirite's case, the boiled shoulder of the ram and a portion of the meal-offering were also part of this sacred transfer. These were not just any portions; they were 'holy,' set apart for the priests who served the Lord. This emphasized the holiness of God's service and the priestly role in mediating between God and His people.
After a period of strict self-denial, what is the first thing you anticipate? This verse points to a significant release from restriction.
The Nazirite vow involved profound self-discipline, including abstaining from wine and its derivatives, not cutting hair, and avoiding contact with the dead. These restrictions were meant to set the Nazirite apart, a visible sign of their consecration to God.
The Release
Numbers 6:20 marks the end of this separation. 'And after that the Nazirite may drink wine.' This simple statement signifies the lifting of a major restriction. The vow is fulfilled, the offerings are made, and the Nazirite can return to a more common way of life. The ability to drink wine again symbolizes the transition from a period of heightened, specialized devotion back into the general community, carrying the blessings and lessons of their consecrated time.
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Understand the original words
tenuphah · Hebrew Noun
A ritual act where the priest moves the offering back and forth before the Lord, symbolically presenting it to God and then receiving it back for service.
qodesh · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
That which is set apart or dedicated exclusively to God; it signifies the status of being pure, untainted, and belonging to the divine sphere.
This passage describes the wave offering ritual with the breast and thigh, which is directly referenced in the verse about the Nazirite's offering.
Ruth 4:14This verse mentions God blessing the women for Naomi's joy, and one of the women explicitly states that the Lord has blessed her, echoing the sense of divine favor present in the Nazirite's completed vow.
1 Samuel 1:11Hannah's vow as a Nazirite for her son Samuel highlights the voluntary and dedicated nature of such a commitment to God.
Jeremiah 35:8-9The Rechabites' strict obedience to their father's command not to drink wine mirrors the Nazirite's abstinence, showing a historical parallel of self-imposed discipline for obedience.
Lamentations 4:7This verse uses the image of Nazirites being 'purer than snow' and 'whiter than milk' to describe their former purity, connecting the Nazirite vow to a state of consecrated holiness.
pulpitNumbers 6:20: "And the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the LORD: this is holy for the priest, with the wave breast and heave shoulder: and after that the Nazarite may drink wine."
Verse 20. - Shall wave them. By putting his hands under the hands of the Nazirite. On the symbolism of this see Leviticus 7. Drink wine. Perhaps at the sacrificial feast.
calvinNumbers 6:1-21: "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"
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.
Omnibus diebus voti separationis suae novacula non transibit super caput ejus, donec impleti fuerint dies quibus separabit se Jehovah, sanctus erit, crescere sinet cresariem capitis sui.
All the day…
The verse highlights that the "holy portion" set aside for the priest is not just his by right, but is first presented to the Lord as a "wave offering," signifying that God's provision, even for His servants, always begins with Him. It also subtly shows that the Nazirite's restored ability to drink wine is tied to this act of priestly consecration, marking the completion of their sacred time.
This verse marks the conclusion of the Nazirite's vow. After fulfilling all the requirements, including specific offerings and symbolic actions performed by the priest, the Nazirite is released from their consecration and can once again enjoy wine. This signifies the completion of their dedication and their return to normal life.
This verse marks the conclusion of the Nazirite's vow. After fulfilling all the requirements, including specific offerings and symbolic actions performed by the priest, the Nazirite is released from their consecration and can once again enjoy wine. This signifies the completion of their dedication and their return to normal life.
"and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the LORD. They are a holy portion for the priest, together with the breast that is waved and the thigh that is contributed. And after that the Nazirite may drink wine." — The verse highlights that the "holy portion" set aside for the priest is not just his by right, but is first presented to the Lord as a "wave offering," signifying that God's provision, even for Hi…
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Last reviewed October 2026
