Numbers 6:1

Study note

Setting — The LORD addresses Moses at the opening of the Nazirite regulations. This moment precedes the direct command to the Israelites in the following verse.

The words — The verb וַיְדַבֵּר (wa.yda.ber) literally means "and he spoke." The phrase לֵ/אֹמַר (le./mor) translates as "to saying," marking the immediate transition to spoken instruction.

The thread — The text places this divine address to Moses at the start of statutory sections throughout the Torah, as seen in Exodus 6:2 and Leviticus 1:1. This structural pattern signals that narrative has concluded and formal command is beginning.

Why it lands — The verse requires the reader to recognize that the subsequent Nazirite rules carry divine authority rather than cultural origin. It demands immediate attention to the specific obligations that will be detailed next.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.