The Nazarite Birth
William Branham claimed to have been born a Nazarite:
- Now, I don't say all ministers have to be that. I was born under Nazarite birth, of course, and so it's just a little different. And so, many things that I do in my life, I wouldn't ask other people to do. I wouldn't say they had to do that to be Christian, because it was a different... altogether.
- And many of you understand that, don't you? See? It's just... That's just for me on-- or me privately, things that I have to do, and things, the way I have to live, and the things that I have to do. It's a Nazarite birth. And so we--we don't... it's not... You can't teach that all people have to be that way. See? But I mean for myself.[1]
- I said, "But, you see, I was born under a Nazarite birth. I wasn't supposed to smoke, chew, or drink anything."[2]
- Samson, another man very perseverant. He was born a Nazarite birth. A Nazarite means "separated to the Word." What a nice thing it would be tonight if all Christians would be Nazarites to the Lord; separated not to creeds, but to the Word. Christ is that Word. Separated to the Word![3]
The Biblical Meaning of "Nazarite"
Nazarite was the name of Israelites that on them the vow prescribed in Numbers 6:2–21. The word denotes generally one who is separated from others and consecrated to God. Although there is no mention of any Nazarite before Samson, yet it is evident that they existed before the time of Moses. The vow of a Nazarite involved these three things:
- (1) abstinence from wine and strong drink,
- (2) refraining from cutting the hair off the head during the whole period of the continuance of the vow, and
- (3) the avoidance of contact with the dead.
For some reason, probably in the midst of his work at Corinth, Paul took on himself the Nazarite vow. This could only be terminated by his going up to Jerusalem to offer up the hair which till then was to be left uncut. (Acts 18:18).
On another occasion (Acts 21:23–26), at the feast of Pentecost, Paul took on himself again the Nazarite vow.
As to the duration of a Nazarite’s vow, every one was left at liberty to fix his own time. There is mention made in Scripture of only three who were Nazarites for life, Samson, Samuel, and John the Baptist (Judg. 13:4, 5; 1 Sam. 1:11; Luke 1:15). In its ordinary form, however, the Nazarite’s vow lasted only thirty, and at most one hundred, days.[4]
References
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