Numbers 6:13-20 meaning

When the time of the vow had been fulfilled, a ceremony must take place involving numerous sacrifices and offerings. Once these were completed, the person was no longer under obligation to the vow's regulations.

This section concerns the law of the Nazirite when the days of his separation are fulfilled (v. 13). The person was required to bring the offering to the doorway of the tent of meeting. This was done so the person could present his offering to the Lord (v. 14).

The "offering" consisted of:

• One male lamb a year old without defect for a burnt offering. The "burnt offering" was a free will offering, and is a translation of the Hebrew word "olah" which means "ascent." This possibly signifies that the aroma ascended to God and was pleasing to Him (Leviticus 1:13).
• One ewe-lamb a year old without defect for a sin offering. The "sin offering" was a required offering. It was given in order to atone for any sins (intentional or unintentional) committed during the time of the vow (Leviticus 5:1 - 6).
• One ram without defect for a peace offering. The "peace offering" (or "fellowship offering") symbolized the close fellowship the Nazirite had with the LORD (Leviticus 3:6 - 11).
• A basket of unleavened cakes of fine flour mixed with oil and unleavened wafers spread with oil (v. 15). The combination of ingredients seen here is specified in Leviticus 2:4f. The Feast of Unleavened Bread was closely tied to the Passover Feast. In fact, it began the day after the Passover (Leviticus 23:5 - 5). This offering was a demonstration of the LORD's deliverance and provision for His covenant people.
• Their grain offering. This offering symbolized the reliance of the person on the LORD.
• Their drink offering. The "drink offering" came with the grain offering and thus was another symbol of the person's total dependence on the LORD.

After these offerings were brought to the tabernacle, then the priest shall present them before the Lord and shall offer his sin offering and his burnt offering (v. 16). After that, the priest would then offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings to the Lord, together with the basket of unleavened cakes (v. 17). Lastly, the priest would offer its grain offering and its drink offering.

As can be seen, this was a complex, elaborate, and probably costly ceremony to end someone's time under the Nazirite vow. However, it illustrated the precious nature of someone's vow to commit his or her dedication to the service of the LORD. As in the case of Hannah, the mother of Samuel, it could be that this time of specially dedicated service was intended to serve as a special form of petitioning God. Hannah vowed to God that if He would give her a son, she would devote her son to His service all his days (1 Samuel 1:11).