Neville Goddard on Numbers 6:2-8 - Mystical Bible Interpretation

Read Numbers 6 in context

Scripture Focus

2Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the LORD:

3He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried.

4All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk.

5All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.

6All the days that he separateth himself unto the LORD he shall come at no dead body.

7He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God is upon his head.

8All the days of his separation he is holy unto the LORD.

Numbers 6:2-8

Biblical Context

God tells Israel to become Nazarites, separating themselves for a period to be holy unto the Lord. They must abstain from wine and vine products, grow their hair, and avoid contact with death while keeping themselves dedicated.

Neville's Inner Vision

To Neville's ear, the Nazarite vow is not external ritual but a state of consciousness you enter by imagination. The abstentions guard the inner life: wine and vinegar symbolize surrender to appetite; avoiding grape products mirrors guarding thought-forms from intoxication; no razor on the head marks the growth of a steadfast inner identity in the I AM; letting the hair grow becomes a sign of the divine presence maturing within; avoiding contact with dead bodies points to ceasing contact with inner mortal fears and the sense of separation from God; the consecration on the head declares that God (I AM) is the center of your awareness. When you assume this vow inwardly, the world conforms to your state: your decisions, feelings, and perceptions align with holiness, purity, and loyalty. The outer rules are symbolic prompts, inviting you to discipline attention, guard speech, and keep your mind focused on a single purpose. The vow thus becomes a practical method for transforming consciousness until you live from the truth: you are holy unto the Lord.

Practice This Now

Sit quietly and say, 'I AM separated unto the LORD,' then feel your inner life growing in holiness as if the vow were already fulfilled; when temptation arises, revise it by stating, 'I am dominated by I AM, not by appetite.'