Numbers 6:22-27 Complete Jewish Bible
22 Adonai said to Moshe, 23 “Speak to Aharon and his sons, and tell them that this is how you are to bless the people of Isra’el: you are to say to them,
24 ‘Y’varekh’kha Adonai v’yishmerekha.
[May Adonai bless you and keep you.]
25 Ya’er Adonai panav eleikha vichunekka.
[May Adonai make his face shine on you and show you his favor.]
26 Yissa Adonai panav eleikha v’yasem l’kha shalom.
[May Adonai lift up his face toward you and give you peace.]’
27 “In this way they are to put my name on the people of Isra’el, so that I will bless them.”
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
“May the Lord bless you and keep you.”
Considered to be one of the most beautiful blessings in the Bible, and perhaps the most widely used benediction in churches, the verse,
“The Lord bless you and keep you,” is found tucked away in a book of the Bible that many believers may not actually be too familiar with or even want to read.
The book of Numbers was written by Moses, and in this book is found the narration of about forty years of Moses’ life. It is titled Numbers because two censuses are included (see Numbers chapters 1 and 26).
Though the censuses taken are unique to this book in the Bible, it also has inspiring, overarching themes beyond just the numbering of the Israelites.
In Numbers, we find the concepts of being in the wilderness, God’s faithfulness, and human disobedience – God’s response to that disobedience, our response to God. It is in the early part of this book we come across the noteworthy blessing.
Numbers 6:22-27 Authorized (King James) Version
22 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 23 Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, 24 The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: 25 the Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: 26 the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. 27 And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.
“The Lord bless you and keep you” is the first line of the larger blessing passage.
This verse is important because it comes directly from the heart of God. God spoke to this directly to Moses, who was then to teach it Aaron, who was Moses’ brother, his sons (the priests), the way they should bless the children of Israel.
This blessing has become known as the High Aaronic Prayer, blessing, because God taught Moses who in obedience to God, taught to Aaron and the priests as the blessing they were to use. 27 And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.
It was a highly significant prayer blessing given from God then, and it is still an imperative blessing today. Today, In obedience to God’s ancient instructions we can continue using this as a prayerful blessing for all God’s beloved followers.
The entire blessing demonstrates the great love that God has for all his children and His express desire for us to have goodness and peace in our hearts and lives.
What Does ‘May the Lord Bless You and Keep You’ Mean?
The Hebrew word in this verse, which is translated in English to “bless,” is bârakh.
https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h1288/nkjv/wlc/0-1/
This word has a deeper meaning in the Hebrew language – a meaning that it alludes to God’s respectful provision. This word imparts to readers that God will provide his children what they need.
The Hebrew word in this verse which is translated in English to “keep” is shamar.
https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h8104/nkjv/wlc/0-1/
Shamar means to guard and protect. This word communicates to us that God will place His personal hedge of protection around his children.
Overall, the first line in this blessing means that when God will “bless and keep you,” He will provide for and protect you.
What an amazing blessing!
When we say this blessing over someone, we know that we are speaking God’s good provision in their life and God’s defense over them. This is an indelibly powerful blessing that calls upon God in His mighty ways to meet our needs.
Beyond the first line of this blessing – the Lord keep you and bless you – which communicates and asks for God to provide for, protect his children, we discover more about who God is.
When God makes his face shine upon someone, it is a receiving of God’s favor.
God wants his children to have his favor in their lives.
Further, this blessing requests and speaks over someone, our prayers, God’s grace, and peace, and that God would 100% remember the one being blessed.
This blessing was spoken by God and shows us exactly what he wants for his children; their prayers for His peace, and grace, and goodness all of their days.
What an amazing God who desires to bestow this great many blessing on his followers.
This blessing is a remarkable indication of how deep God’s love and care for believers goes. (Psalm 23, John 3:16, 15:13-16, Romans 8:31-35, 1 Cor. 13)
What Is the Context of Numbers 6 and May the Lord Bless You and Keep You.”
In the sixth chapter of Numbers, God was speaking to Moses and giving him guidance on what to say to the Israelites. Most of this chapter is spent laying out the laws of those wanting to take the vow of a Nazirite. A Nazirite was an Israelite consecrated to do the work of God. God spoke these Nazirite laws to Moses, and Moses in turn relayed these Nazirite laws to the children of Israel.
It is at the end of the sixth chapter, following the laws of the Nazirites, that this blessing is found, “The Lord bless you and keep you.”
At this point in the chapter, it is once again the Lord who was speaking to Moses with the instructions that Moses would tell Aaron and his sons (or priests) that this was the way they were to bless the children of Israel (see Numbers 6:23).
The exquisiteness of this blessing is it came directly from God as a way to bless His treasured followers.
Specifically, this was a way to invite God’s blessing on them.
Why Were the Israelites Blessed?
This blessing was given by God so that Aaron and his priests would “put God’s name on the children of Israel and bless them” (see Numbers 6:27).
The Israelites were blessed so they would be marked as God’s children and that they alone would receive his goodness in their lives.
The rest of this blessing calls for God’s grace, peace, and countenance. The Israelites were blessed because they were God’s chosen people.
This blessing is still used in Judaism today.
Jewish people use this blessing in a variety of ways. It is recited at Shabbat, which is the weekly Sabbath, and other holidays, as well as important events and milestones in the life of a Jewish person. This blessing remains close to the heart of Jewish people and a central part of their spiritual lives and traditions.
This blessing is also widely used in Christianity.
It is found in liturgies, worship songs, devotionals, and is used as a benediction in many services and ceremonies. It is a God centered, God focused prominent blessing that continues to minister to, impact the lives of believers yet today.
What Is a Benediction?
This verse is commonly used to conclude a service as a benediction.
A benediction is a blessing used at the end of a ceremony. This one particular blessing, found in Numbers 6:24-26, is a significant blessing we still use today.
Many pastors or deacons or laity will use this blessing at the close of a Sunday service, or at the end of a wedding ceremony, or to complete a baptism.
It is an appropriate blessing to use as we declare and pray for God’s blessing, provision, and protection over believers. This high Aaronic blessing used as a benediction is a reminder of God’s never ending 100% faithfulness and how he lovingly takes care of those who follow him. (Psalm 8, 23, 40. Psalm 104, 107.)
“The Lord bless you and keep you” is a striking blessing that has been used by Jewish people and Christians throughout history.
It is a way to invoke and call upon God’s blessing of provision and guarding of those who believe in him and follow him.
This blessing – that comes directly from God – reminds us of his love, his care, and his desire for goodness in the lives of his beloved children.
This blessing is not for everyone, it was given by God to Moses and Aaron specifically for God’s children, and it is a blessing that was meant to be used moving forward.
It shows us God’s desire to bless, protect, provide for, and grant peace and favor to those who follow him.
It’s a blessing that helps all of us experience, understand, the vast love of God.
Christians and Jews all over the world will still gather to worship God. Many will receive a closing blessing in worship through the words that Aaron and his sons spoke over Israel: “The Lord bless you and keep you. . . .” “make His face shine”
What is this blessing that God puts on us?
First, we receive the blessing of God’s protection and keeping.
This is something we all absolutely need in the shadowy wilderness of our life.
Life is full of trials, heat, hunger, and valley’s abysses, shadows of death.
How good it is to hear God say that he will keep us!
Second, we receive the blessing of God’s pardon. Another way of saying that God’s face shines on us is to say that his face lights up with delight.
This is true because of Jesus.
His face shines on us in grace.
Third, we receive the blessing of God’s peace.
When our face is turned away from someone else, it is often a sign of tension.
But when our face is turned toward another, it is a sign of peace.
God’s blessing on us is that his face will be turned in our direction so that we will know peace with him. (Psalm 16, 23, 23, 27, 67:1-2, 80, 104, 105, 119:135)
We must remember that these are not wishes but blessings.
In other words, they are true for us because of Christ.
In Jesus Christ, we are kept, forgiven, and restored to peace with God.
Receive and believe and share His blessings today!
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 27 Authorized (King James) Version
Psalm 27
A Psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh,
they stumbled and fell.
3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear:
though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
4 One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after;
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.
5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion:
in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me;
he shall set me up upon a rock.
6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me:
therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy;
I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.
7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice:
have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face;
my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.
9 Hide not thy face far from me;
put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help;
leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
10 When my father and my mother forsake me,
then the Lord will take me up.
11 Teach me thy way, O Lord,
and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.
12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies:
for false witnesses are risen up against me,
and such as breathe out cruelty.
13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
14 Wait on the Lord:
be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart:
wait, I say, on the Lord.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 