Numbers 6:3

he is to abstain from wine and strong drink. He must not drink vinegar made from wine or strong drink, and he must not drink any grape juice or eat fresh grapes or raisins.

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — The Lord instructs Moses to tell the Israelites that a man or woman making a Nazirite vow must observe specific dietary restrictions.

The words — יַזִּ֔יר (ya.Zir) means “he will keep separate,” and מִ/יַּ֤יִן (mi./Ya.yin) means “from wine,” defining the physical boundary of the vow.

The thread — The prohibition against wine and strong drink appears in Leviticus 10:9 for priests, Luke 1:15 for John the Baptist, and 1 Timothy 5:23 as a medicinal allowance.

Why it lands — It requires complete abstinence from all grape-derived substances and fermented drinks for the vow’s duration, demanding observable daily obedience.

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.

The Hebrew words

מִיַּ֤יִןmi./Ya.yinfrom/ wine וְשֵׁכָר֙ve./she.Kharand/ strong drink יַזִּ֔ירya.Zirhe will keep separate חֹ֥מֶץCho.metzvinegar of יַ֛יִןYa.yinwine וְחֹ֥מֶץve./Cho.metzand/ vinegar of שֵׁכָ֖רshe.Kharstrong drink לֹ֣אlo'not יִשְׁתֶּ֑הyish.Tehhe will drink וְכָל־ve./kholand/ any מִשְׁרַ֤תmish.Ratjuice of עֲנָבִים֙'a.na.Vimgrapes לֹ֣אlo'not יִשְׁתֶּ֔הyish.Tehhe will drink וַעֲנָבִ֛יםva./'a.na.Vimand/ grapes לַחִ֥יםla.Chimfresh וִיבֵשִׁ֖יםvi./ve.Shimand/ dried לֹ֥אlo'not יֹאכֵֽל׃yo.Khelhe will eat

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Luke 1:15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He shall never take wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb.
1 Timothy 5:23 Stop drinking only water and use a little wine instead, because of your stomach and your frequent ailments.
Leviticus 10:9 “You and your sons are not to drink wine or strong drink when you enter the Tent of Meeting, or else you will die; this is a permanent statute for the generations to come.
Judges 13:14 She must not eat anything that comes from the vine, nor drink any wine or strong drink, nor eat anything unclean. She must do everything I have commanded her.”
Amos 2:12 “But you made the Nazirites drink wine and commanded the prophets not to prophesy.
Ephesians 5:18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to reckless indiscretion. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
Proverbs 31:4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to crave strong drink,
Jeremiah 35:6 “We do not drink wine,” they replied, “for our forefather Jonadab son of Rechab commanded us, ‘Neither you nor your descendants are ever to drink wine.
Luke 7:33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’
Luke 21:34 But watch yourselves, or your hearts will be weighed down by dissipation, drunkenness, and the worries of life—and that day will spring upon you suddenly like a snare.