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נָזִיר

𐤍𐤆𐤉𐤓

nâzîyr

H5139 noun

SILEX Entry

Root נזר to dedicate, to consecrate, to separate

Definition

One who is set apart by a specific vow of separation, usually as a religious dedication, most notably referring to an Israelite under the Nazirite vow (נדר נזיר), abstaining from certain products and practices as prescribed in Torah; by extension, something or one consecrated, separated, or classified as holy or distinct for a period. In agricultural usage, refers to unpruned or untended vine branches, drawing on the metaphorical association of being 'left alone' or unshorn, as with the Nazirite's hair.

Semantic Range

consecrated person, one making a Nazirite vow, one separated or set apart by vow, uncut/unshorn (especially hair), unpruned vine or undressed vine, something left untouched for sacred reasons, figuratively distinct or devoted

Root / Etymology

From the root נזר (n-z-r), which means 'to dedicate, consecrate, separate.' The noun נָזִיר (nazir) is formed to denote 'one set apart' or 'one consecrated.' The association with 'unpruned vine' arises by extension from the concept of separation (the vine left uncut resembles the unshorn hair of the Nazirite), not from a different etymological root.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Torah (notably Numbers 6), a נָזִיר (Nazirite) is an Israelite who voluntarily undertakes special restrictions, including abstention from wine and grape products, avoiding contact with corpses, and not cutting one’s hair, for a period as an act of consecration. The vow of the Nazirite is a distinctive practice attested in the pre-monarchic and monarchic periods and referenced by prophets (e.g., Amos 2:11-12, Judges 13 regarding Samson). The agricultural usage (Leviticus 25:5, 25:11) applies נָזִיר metaphorically to vine branches left unpruned during the sabbatical year, highlighting the notion of leaving something consecrated to God. Although English translations sometimes use the term 'Nazarite,' this can be confused with the later and unrelated 'Nazarene' (person from Nazareth); this is not supported by etymology. The term always conveys a sense of divinely-oriented separation, not simply generic isolation. Later, during the Second Temple period and beyond, the Nazirite institution continued and the term expanded its resonance, but its strict technical meaning derives from the Torah. The use of נָזִיר in poetry and prophecy often highlights the visual or symbolic distinctiveness of the Nazirite (e.g., his uncut hair as a sign of dedication). Contrast with קָדוֹשׁ (qadosh, 'holy') or מֻקְדָּשׁ (mukdash, 'sanctified'), where the emphasis lies more on ritual/ontological holiness than the specific separated status entailed by a vow or physical distinction. In summary, נָזִיר carried strong ritual and symbolic connotation of separation for a sacred human or agricultural purpose, and English translations such as 'Nazarite' or 'consecrated one' may not encompass the full complexity of Israelite practice and law.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or נָזִר; from נָזַר; separate, i.e. consecrated (as prince, a Nazirite); hence (figuratively from the latter) an unpruned vine (like an unshorn Nazirite); Nazarite (by a false alliteration with Nazareth), separate(-d), vine undressed.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

נזר (n-z-r) — to dedicate, to consecrate, to separate

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4216 מַזָּרָה distinguished constellations
H4502 מִנְּזָר your consecration-diadems
H5144 נָזַר his setting-apart
H5145 נֶזֶר the consecrated diadem

Word Forms

7 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H5139-01 הַ/נָּזִ֑יר hanazir HTd/Ncmsa the Nazirite the consecrated one 5
H5139-05 נְזִ֥יר nezir HNcmsc Nazirite consecrated one of 5
H5139-07 נְזִרֶֽי/הָ nezireyha HNcmpc/Sp3fs her Nazirites her consecrated-ones 2
H5139-03 לִ/נְזִרִ֑ים linezirim HR/Ncmpa for-Nazirites to consecrated ones 1
H5139-02 הַ/נְּזִרִ֖ים hanezirim HTd/Ncmpa the-Nazirites the consecrated ones 1
H5139-04 נָזִ֔יר nazir HNcmsa a Nazirite consecrated one 1
H5139-06 נְזִירֶ֖/ךָ nezirekha HNcmpc/Sp2ms of your untrimmed vines your consecrated ones 1

Occurrences in Scripture

16 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H5139-05 Genesis 49:26 נְזִ֥יר nezir HNcmsc of the prince consecrated one of
H5139-06 Leviticus 25:5 נְזִירֶ֖/ךָ nezirekha HNcmpc/Sp2ms of your untrimmed vines your consecrated ones
H5139-07 Leviticus 25:11 נְזִרֶֽי/הָ nezireyha HNcmpc/Sp3fs nazir-its her consecrated-ones
H5139-04 Numbers 6:2 נָזִ֔יר nazir HNcmsa a Nazirite consecrated one
H5139-01 Numbers 6:13 הַ/נָּזִ֑יר hanazir HTd/Ncmsa of the Nazirite the consecrated one
H5139-01 Numbers 6:18 הַ/נָּזִ֗יר hanazir HTd/Ncmsa the Nazirite the consecrated one
H5139-01 Numbers 6:19 הַ/נָּזִ֔יר hanazir HTd/Ncmsa of the Nazirite the consecrated one
H5139-01 Numbers 6:20 הַ/נָּזִ֖יר hanazir HTd/Ncmsa the-Nazirite the consecrated one
H5139-01 Numbers 6:21 הַ/נָּזִיר֮ hanazir HTd/Ncmsa the Nazirite the consecrated one
H5139-05 Deuteronomy 33:16 נְזִ֥יר nezir HNcmsc of the Nazirite consecrated one of
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