Numbers 6:9

If someone suddenly dies in his presence and defiles his consecrated head of hair, he must shave his head on the day of his cleansing—the seventh day.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Moses delivers this instruction to the Israelite community regarding the Nazirite vow. The passage addresses a specific moment when an unanticipated death occurs in the immediate vicinity of the consecrated individual.

The words — The phrase בְּפֶתַח פִּתְאֹם (be./Fe.ta' pit.'Om) literally means "in an instant suddenly," highlighting the abruptness of the defilement. The verb וְטִמֵּא (ve./ti.Me') translates to "and he will make unclean," establishing the immediate ritual status change.

The thread — The seventh-day shaving requirement mirrors the purification rhythm in Leviticus 14:9 and the later Nazirite shaving in Numbers 6:18. Paul's head-shaving in Cenchreaea (Acts 18:18) reflects the cultural practice of fulfilling such vows.

Why it lands — The text mandates immediate ritual correction through shaving on the seventh day after the defilement occurs. It requires the reader to treat ritual holiness as a tangible state that demands concrete, time-bound action when compromised.

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

וְכִֽי־ve./khi-and/ if יָמ֨וּתya.Muthe will die מֵ֤תmeta dead [person]עָלָיו֙'a.La/vwith/ him בְּפֶ֣תַעbe./Fe.ta'in/ an instant פִּתְאֹ֔םpit.'Omsuddenly וְטִמֵּ֖אve./ti.Me'and/ he will make unclean רֹ֣אשׁrosh[the] head of נִזְר֑וֹniz.R/oNazirite vow/ his וְגִלַּ֤חve./gi.Lachand/ he will shave רֹאשׁוֹ֙ro.Sh/ohead/ his בְּי֣וֹםbe./Yomon/ [the] day of טָהֳרָת֔וֹto.ho.ra.T/opurification/ his בַּיּ֥וֹםba/i.Yomon the/ day הַשְּׁבִיעִ֖יha./she.vi.'I<the>/ seventh יְגַלְּחֶֽנּוּ׃ye.gal.le.Che./nuhe will shave/ it

King James Version

And if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of his consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it.

Cross-references

Numbers 6:18 Then at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the Nazirite is to shave his consecrated head, take the hair, and put it on the fire under the peace offering.
Leviticus 14:9 On the seventh day he must shave off all his hair—his head, his beard, his eyebrows, and the rest of his hair. He must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water, and he will be clean.
Acts 18:18 Paul remained in Corinth for quite some time before saying goodbye to the brothers. He had his head shaved in Cenchrea to keep a vow he had made, and then he sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila.
Numbers 19:14 This is the law when a person dies in a tent: Everyone who enters the tent and everyone already in the tent will be unclean for seven days,
Acts 21:23 Therefore do what we advise you. There are four men with us who have taken a vow.
Philippians 3:8 More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ