Nazirite

Concept

A Nazirite (Hebrew nazir, meaning "consecrated; set apart") was an Israelite who took a special vow of dedication to God involving three main abstentions: from wine and all grape products, from cutting the hair, and from contact with a dead body (Num. 6:2–8). The vow could be for a set period or, in exceptional cases, for life — Samson (Judg. 13:5), Samuel (1 Sam. 1:11), and John the Baptist (Luke 1:15) being the notable lifelong Nazirites. The Nazirite vow expressed intensified devotion to the LORD, and its regulations appear in Numbers 6 along with the purification and concluding sacrifices at the vow's termination. Paul apparently participated in a Nazirite-related purification vow to demonstrate his respect for Jewish practice (Acts 18:18; 21:23–24).