We are in chapter thirty-nine of Exodus with our word for today. נֵ֫זֶר consecration, dedication, crown, diadem, head-band, ordination. It is used 25 times in the Old Testament. Our word is used in the sense of separation whether formally through an act of consecration or as a result of some other informal means. We find our word used the most of any chapter in the Bible in Numbers chapter six. It is used 13 times to describe the Nazarite vow. Numbers 6:13, 18-19, 21 And this is the law for הַנָּזִ֑יר [this is not our word but very similar root idea. It means one consecrated] the Nazirite, when the time of נִזְר֔וֹ his separation has been completed: he shall be brought to the entrance of the tent of meeting … And the Nazirite shall shave his consecrated head at the entrance of the tent of meeting and shall take the hair from נִזְר֑וֹ his consecrated head and put it on the fire that is under the sacrifice of the peace offering. And the priest shall take the shoulder of the ram, when it is boiled, and one unleavened loaf out of the basket and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them on the hands of the Nazirite, after he has shaved the hair of נִזְרֽוֹ his consecration … This is the law of the Nazirite. But if he vows an offering to the Lord above his Nazirite vow, as he can afford, in exact accordance with the vow that he takes, then he shall do in addition to the law of the נִזְרֽוֹ Nazirite. Our word is also used in the sense of a small type of crown or diadem. We see this in reference to kings. 2 Chronicles 23:11 Then they brought out the king's son and put הַנֵּ֙זֶר֙ the crown on him and gave him the testimony. And they proclaimed him king, and Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and they said, “Long live the king.” Not only do we see Kings with crowns but also the priest as God set up the garments as part of the tabernacle worship. Exodus 29:6 And you shall set the turban on his head and put the holy נֵ֥זֶר crown on the turban. This is how our word is used in our chapter today. Exodus 39:30 They made the plate of the holy נֵֽזֶר crown of pure gold, and wrote on it an inscription, like the engraving of a signet, “Holy to the Lord.” The significance of the priest wearing a crown is yet another example of this whole idea of connecting people to God in worship as being very important and special. The crown for the priest was called a crown of holiness and even had the words holy to the Lord engraved on it. God is pointing to how valuable having people connect to him is. I’ll close with this great example of how valuable a crown is and how valuable God thinks we are. Zechariah 9:15-16 The Lord of hosts will protect them … On that day the Lord their God will save them, as the flock of his people; for like the jewels of a נֵ֔זֶר crown they shall shine on his land.
