🔢WEB · Numbers 6:23
What does Numbers 6:23 mean?
"“Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘This is how you shall bless the children of Israel.’ You shall tell them,"
— Numbers 6:23 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before Yahweh. This is holy for the priest, together with the breast that is waved and the thigh that is offered. After that the Nazirite may drink wine.
“‘This is the law of the Nazirite who vows, and of his offering to Yahweh for his separation, besides that which he is able to get. According to his vow which he vows, so he must do after the law of his separation.’”
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
“Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘This is how you shall bless the children of Israel.’ You shall tell them,
‘Yahweh bless you, and keep you.
Yahweh make his face to shine on you, and be gracious to you.
Yahweh lift up his face toward you, and give you peace.’
Explanation
Numbers 6:23 is a brief but important introductory verse. In plain language, it records God instructing Moses to relay a message to Aaron and his sons—the priests of Israel—telling them the specific words they are to use when blessing the people. The verse itself is not the blessing but the divine setup for it; the actual words of blessing follow immediately in verses 24-26, the well-known benediction: "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace."
The context is essential to understanding this verse. Numbers is the fourth book of the Torah, traditionally attributed to Moses, written during Israel's wilderness wanderings after the exodus from Egypt. The book organizes the nation for its journey to the Promised Land, covering census-taking, tribal arrangements, laws, and the establishment of proper worship. Chapter 6 deals with the Nazirite vow and then transitions to this priestly blessing. Aaron, Moses' brother, had been consecrated as high priest (Exodus 28-29), and his sons served alongside him in priestly duties. God here gives them a specific, formal blessing to pronounce over
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