Num 6:9-12 | NETfull | STEP | “‘If anyone dies very suddenly beside him and he defiles his consecrated head, then he must shave his head on the day of his purification

Numbers 6:9-12

Contingencies for Defilement

9 “‘If anyone dies very suddenly ^{▼▼ The construction uses the imperfect tense followed by the infinitive absolute, יָמוּת מֵת (yamut met). Because the verb is in a conditional clause, the emphasis that is to be given through the infinitive must stress the contingency. The point is “if someone dies – unexpectedly.” The next words underscore the suddenness of this.} beside him and he defiles ^{▼▼ The verb is the Piel perfect with a vav (ו) consecutive; it continues the idea within the conditional clause.} his consecrated head, ^{▼▼ The expression is figurative for the vow that he took; the figure is the metonymy because the reference to the head is a reference to the long hair that symbolizes the oath.} then he must shave his head on the day of his purification – on the seventh day he must shave it. 10 On the eighth day he is to bring ^{▼▼ The imperfect tense in this verse is still instructional rather than a simple future. The translations can vary, but the point that it is directive must be caught.} two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest, to the entrance to the tent of meeting. 11 Then the priest will offer one for a purification offering ^{▼▼ The traditional translation of חַטָּאת (khatta’t) is “sin offering,” but it is more precise to render it “purification offering” (as with the other names of sacrifices) to show the outcome, not the cause of the offering (see Lev 4). Besides, this offering was made for ritual defilements (for which no confession was required) as well as certain sins (for which a confession of sin was required). This offering restored the person to the ritual state of purity by purifying the area into which he would be going.} and the other ^{▼▼ The repetition of “the one…and the one” forms the distributive sense of “the one…and the other.”} as a burnt offering, ^{▼▼ The burnt offering (Lev 1) reflects the essence of atonement: By this sacrifice the worshiper was completely surrendering to God, and God was completely accepting the worshiper.} and make atonement ^{▼▼ The verb וְכִפֶּר (v^ekhipper) is the Piel perfect with vav (ו) consecutive. The meaning of the verb is “to expiate, pacify, atone.” It refers to the complete removal of the barrier of fellowship between the person and God, and the total acceptance of that person into his presence. The idea of “to cover,” often linked to this meaning, is derived from a homonym, and not from this word and its usage.} for him, because of his transgression ^{▼▼ The verb “to sin” has a wide range of meanings, beginning with the idea of “missing the way or the goal.” In view of the nature of this case – the prescribed ritual without confession – the idea is more that he failed to keep the vow’s stipulations in this strange circumstance than that he committed intentional sin.} in regard to the corpse. So he must reconsecrate ^{▼▼ The verb simply means “to consecrate,” but because it refers to a vow that was interrupted, it must here mean to “reconsecrate.”} his head on that day. 12 He must rededicate ^{▼▼ The same idea is to be found now in the use of the word נָזַר (nazar), which refers to a recommitment after the vow was interrupted.} to the Lord the days of his separation and bring a male lamb in its first year as a reparation offering, ^{▼▼ The necessity of bringing the reparation offering was due to the reinstatement into the vow that had been interrupted.} but the former days will not be counted ^{▼▼ Heb “will fall”; KJV “shall be lost”; ASV, NASB, NRSV “shall be void.”} because his separation ^{▼▼ The similar expression in v. 9 includes the word “head” (i.e., “his consecrated head”). The LXX includes this word in v. 12 as well.} was defiled.