The Priestly Blessing
Numbers 6:22-27
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Num.6.22 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- וידבר: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- אל: NEG
- משה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- לאמר: INF,qal,infc
Parallels
- Numbers 6:23 (structural): Immediate continuation: the formula 'And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying' is followed directly by the command ('Speak unto Aaron...')—same speech context and content.
- Exodus 6:2 (verbal): Same verbal formula 'God spoke unto Moses, and said' introducing divine revelation (here the revelation of God's name), showing the common OT formula for God addressing Moses.
- Leviticus 1:1 (structural): Parallel introductory formula ('And the LORD called unto Moses, and spoke unto him out of the tabernacle...') used throughout priestly legislation to introduce divine instructions to Moses.
- Exodus 20:1 (thematic): Divine speech introduction to law: 'And God spake all these words, saying' functions similarly as a header announcing authoritative commandments given through Moses (here the Decalogue).
Alternative generated candidates
- And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
- And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
Num.6.23 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- דבר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אל: NEG
- אהרן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ואל: CONJ+PREP
- בניו: NOUN,m,pl,cs
- לאמר: INF,qal,infc
- כה: ADV
- תברכו: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,pl
- את: PRT,acc
- בני: NOUN,m,pl,construct
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אמור: VERB,qal,imp,2,m,sg
- להם: PREP+PRON,3,m,pl
Parallels
- Numbers 6:24-26 (structural): Immediate continuation — the text that Aaron and his sons are to speak (the full Priestly Blessing) introduced by 6:23.
- Leviticus 9:22 (thematic): Narrative example of Aaron blessing the people after his inauguration as priest: 'Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people, and blessed them.'
- Exodus 28:41 (structural): Instruction for consecrating Aaron and his sons as priests, providing the priestly identity and role that underlies the command in Num 6:23.
- Psalm 67:1-2 (verbal): Opens with words that echo the Priestly Blessing ('May God be gracious to us and bless us; make his face shine upon us'), reflecting the same blessing formula.
- Psalm 115:15 (allusion): Uses similar blessing language ('May you be blessed by the LORD, who made heaven and earth'), echoing the theme of divine blessing pronounced for Israel.
Alternative generated candidates
- Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying: Thus you shall bless the people of Israel; you shall say to them:
- Speak to Aaron and to his sons and say to them: Thus you shall bless the people of Israel; say to them:
Num.6.24 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- יברכך: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg,obj:2,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- וישמרך: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
Parallels
- Psalm 67:1-2 (verbal): Psalm 67 opens with language that closely echoes the Aaronic blessing—'May God be gracious to us and bless us; may his face shine on us'—a direct verbal/thematic echo of 'The LORD bless you and keep you' and the following lines of the priestly benediction.
- Psalm 121:7 (verbal): Uses the same root and idea of divine guarding: 'The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.' It echoes the 'keep you' (שָׁמַר) motif of Num 6:24—divine protection as a personal preservation.
- Psalm 121:8 (thematic): 'The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore' develops the same theme of continual divine guarding found in 'The LORD bless you and keep you,' stressing protection over all activity and time.
- Deuteronomy 28:6 (thematic): 'Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out' parallels the blessing motif of Num 6:24—linking divine blessing to everyday life and movement (coming and going).
- Genesis 28:15 (verbal): God's promise to Jacob—'I am with you and will keep you wherever you go'—echoes the 'keep you' language of the priestly blessing and frames divine keeping as ongoing presence and protection.
Alternative generated candidates
- The LORD bless you and keep you.
- The LORD bless you and keep you.
Num.6.25 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- יאר: VERB,hiphil,impf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- פניו: NOUN,m,pl,cons+3,m,sg
- אליך: PREP+PRON,2,m,sg
- ויחנך: CONJ+VERB,piel,impf,3,m,sg+SUFF,2,m,sg
Parallels
- Numbers 6:24–26 (structural): Part of the Priestly Blessing; 6:25 is the middle line of this triadic benediction asking that the LORD 'make his face shine' and grant grace.
- Psalm 67:1 (quotation): Echoes the priestly formula almost verbatim—asks God to be gracious and to let his face shine on us; the psalm adapts the blessing for communal liturgy.
- Psalm 31:16 (verbal): Uses the same wording 'let your face shine on your servant,' linking the shining face with God’s saving steadfast love.
- Psalm 80:3 (thematic): Prays 'Let your face shine' as a plea for restoration and salvation; shares the motif of divine favor signified by God’s face.
- Exodus 34:29 (allusion): Reports that Moses’ face shone after encountering God (Hebrew: karan panav), connecting the image of a 'shining face' to God’s presence and blessing.
Alternative generated candidates
- The LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.
- The LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you.
Num.6.26 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ישא: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- פניו: NOUN,m,pl,cons+3,m,sg
- אליך: PREP+PRON,2,m,sg
- וישם: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- לך: PRON,2,m,sg
- שלום: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Numbers 6:25 (verbal): The immediately preceding line of the Aaronic blessing: 'May the LORD make his face shine upon you'—shares the same face-imagery and is part of the same triadic blessing.
- Psalm 67:1 (verbal): Echoes the priestly language: 'May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us,' clearly drawing on the wording and theology of the Aaronic blessing.
- Psalm 4:6 (Heb.) (verbal): Uses the same idiom—'Lift up the light of your face'—appealing to God’s favorable presence, linguistically and thematically close to Num 6:26.
- Psalm 80:3 (or 80:19) (thematic): Prayer for restoration using the 'let your face shine' motif—connects the shining/face-imagery with divine favor, salvation and peace.
- Judges 6:23 (thematic): The angel’s greeting 'Peace be to you' (shalom) as divine assurance parallels the closing wish of divine peace in the Aaronic blessing.
Alternative generated candidates
- The LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
- The LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
Num.6.27 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ושמו: CONJ,NOUN,m,sg,abs+3ms
- את: PRT,acc
- שמי: NOUN,m,sg,abs+1cs
- על: PREP
- בני: NOUN,m,pl,construct
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ואני: PRON,1,sg
- אברכם: VERB,qal,impf,1,sg,obj:3,m,pl
Parallels
- Leviticus 9:22-23 (structural): Aaron and Moses bless the people and the glory of the LORD appears—parallels the priestly blessing ritual and God’s answering presence (“and I will bless them”).
- Deuteronomy 28:9-10 (thematic): Speaks of Israel being 'called by the name of the LORD'—similar idea of God's name resting on/being associated with Israel as a mark of relationship and honor.
- Isaiah 43:7 (thematic): Refers to 'everyone who is called by my name'—thematises God’s naming/calling of his people as their identity, echoing 'they shall put my name upon the people of Israel.'
- Ezekiel 36:22-28 (allusion): God promises to act for the sake of his holy name—gathering, cleansing and restoring Israel—linking divine blessing/restoration with God's name being vindicated and present among his people.
- Revelation 22:4 (verbal): Describes God's name being on the believers' foreheads—a direct symbolic parallel to 'they shall put my name upon the people,' emphasizing intimate belonging and blessing.
Alternative generated candidates
- They shall place my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.
- They shall put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying: Thus you shall bless the people of Israel; tell them:
The LORD bless you and keep you.
The LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you.
The LORD lift up his countenance upon you and grant you peace.
They shall place my name on the people of Israel, and I will bless them.