Numbers 6:23
in Numbers 6“Tell Aaron and his sons: This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel: ye shall say unto them,
KJV
Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them,
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This verse in Numbers 6
Commentary
9 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
Then the LORD said to Moses
on Numbers 6:22-23
Two small silver scrolls found by Gabriel Barkay in 1979 at Ketef Hinnom, near Jerusalem, carry wording close to these lines. Commonly dated to the late seventh century before Christ, they are the oldest known objects bearing words of Scripture.
This site's exposition
This is how you are to bless the Israelites
John Wesley holds that the priests were free to bless in other words too, since Moses, David and Solomon later did. Adam Clarke stresses the form itself, holding that a blessing God composed is sure to be heard. Matthew Henry records a tradition placing it after the morning sacrifice.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Speak unto Aaron, and unto his sons,....
The learned bishop Pearson observes it as a tradition of the Jews that the priests blessed the people only at the close of the morning sacrifice, not of the evening sacrifice, to show (says he) that in the last days, the days of the Messiah, which are (as it were) the evening of the world, the benediction of the law should cease, and the blessing of Christ should take place.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
THE Lord has blessed His people and He would have them know it. He has blessed them with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus—and it is His wish that they should experience the fullness of this blessing. Are any of the Lord's people without a sense of His blessing? It is not the will of God that you should continue in this low condition! If you are cast down, He has said to His Prophets, "Comfort you, comfort you My people. Speak you comfortably to Jerusalem." Have you sinned and wandered into the darkness?
THE Lord has blessed His people and He would have them know it. He has blessed them with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus—and it is His wish that they should experience the fullness of this blessing. Are any of the Lord's people without a sense of His blessing? It is not the will of God that you should continue in this low condition! If you are cast down, He has said to His Prophets, "Comfort you, comfort you My people. Speak you comfortably to Jerusalem." Have you sinned and wandered into the darkness? The Lord bids you return and encourages you to pray, "Turn us again, O God, and cause Your face to shine and we shall be saved." The happy God would have you happy in the enjoyment of His blessing. To bring this blessing constantly to the remembrance of His chosen, the Lord appointed a representative of Himself who should publicly pronounce His blessing upon the people. He chose Aaron and He bade Moses instruct him. Aaron was not only to offer sacrifice and to make intercession, but he was to take a higher stand and bestow blessings, in the name of God, upon the assembled people. Those who are old may fitly pronounce a blessing upon their children, as Jacob did upon his 12 sons. And the minister of Christ may, in God's name, pronounce a benediction upon the people. This was the custom in early times—the congregation was dismissed with the gracious words—"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen." Our God has appointed One above all others to bless His people, even our great High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the antitype of Aaron and his sons and in the exercise of His high office continually blesses His people.
A commentator
Charles Spurgeon1834–1892
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 3371: “Two Choice Benedictions” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) · Written before 1892.
proposed
IT seemed to me that as this was the last of the Thursday evenings of the dying year and I should no more meet some of you who only come here on Thursday evenings during this year, it would be well for us to close the year as our Master closed His life on earth, with a benediction—and, oh, it will be a rich enjoyment in the year to come if, by God's Grace, we shall be able to grasp and make our very own the precious things which are here presented to the whole redeemed family…
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Charles Spurgeon1834–1892
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 3371: “Two Choice Benedictions” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) · Written before 1892.
proposed
IT seemed to me that as this was the last of the Thursday evenings of the dying year and I should no more meet some of you who only come here on Thursday evenings during this year, it would be well for us to close the year as our Master closed His life on earth, with a benediction—and, oh, it will be a rich enjoyment in the year to come if, by God's Grace, we shall be able to grasp and make our very own the precious things which are here presented to the whole redeemed family of the living God! I shall begin, therefore, first of all with— I. THE AARONIC BLESSING. This was pronounced at the close of the public tabernacle service when the people were about to separate, the one from the others. It is said by the Rabbis to have been only spoken at the morning sacrifice, but not in the evening because, say some, the old faith of the few gave them the early blessing. But it remained for Christ to come in the eventide of the world, at the end of time, to give us the evening blessing, the blessing of the great, eternal, evening Sacrifice. It is worthy of notice that the word, Jehovah, which is put in capital letters in our English version, occurs three times—three blessings—and each time the word has a different accent in the original Hebrew. And the Rabbis, although they did not know the meaning of it, or pretended not to know, yet all agree that there is some significant mystery therein. The word would not be accented thus differently unless there were some different shade of meaning intended. I believe we have here the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. "The Lord bless you and keep you." Is that the blessing of the Father? "The Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you." Is that the blessing of the Son? "The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace." Is that the blessing of the great forgiving Holy Spirit? I think it is very likely.
On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel - The prayer which God makes for his followers, and puts into their mouth, we are sure must be right; and to it, when sincerely, faithfully, and fervently offered, we may confidently expect an answer. If he condescended to give us a form of blessings or a form of prayer, we may rest assured that he will accept what he himself has made.
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| דַּבֵּ֤ר | daber | speak | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| אֶֽל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אַהֲרֹן֙ | ʾaharon | Aaron | H175 → | 347 times |
| וְאֶל־ | veel- | and to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| בָּנָ֣יו | banav | sons his | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| לֵאמֹ֔ר | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| כֹּ֥ה | koh | thus | H3541 → | 577 times |
| תְבָרֲכ֖וּ | tevarakhu | you will bless | H1288 → | 330 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בְּנֵ֣י | benei | [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| אָמ֖וֹר | ʾamor | say | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לָהֶֽם׃ ס | lahem | to <the> them |
דַּבֵּ֤רspeak
daberH1696 →1141 times
אֶֽל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
אַהֲרֹן֙Aaron
ʾaharonH175 →347 times
וְאֶל־and to
veel-H413 →5510 times
בָּנָ֣יוsons his
banavH1121 →4930 times
לֵאמֹ֔ר<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
כֹּ֥הthus
kohH3541 →577 times
תְבָרֲכ֖וּyou will bless
tevarakhuH1288 →330 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
בְּנֵ֣י[the] people of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
אָמ֖וֹרsay
ʾamorH559 →5305 times
לָהֶֽם׃ סto <the> them
lahem
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hebrews 7:1This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
it leads to
- Genesis 14:18–20
Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine—since he was priest of God Most High—
- Micah 6:6
With what shall I come before the LORD when I bow before the God on high? Should I come to Him with burnt offerings, with year-old calves?
- Hebrews 6:20
where Jesus our forerunner has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.
- Psalms 57:2
I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills His purpose for me.
- Genesis 14:18–20
Through
Deuteronomy 21:5And the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come forward, for the LORD your God has chosen them to serve Him and pronounce blessings in His name and to give a ruling in every…
it leads to
- 1 Chronicles 23:13
The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron and his descendants were set apart forever to consecrate the most holy things, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister before Him, and to pronounce…
- Deuteronomy 10:8
At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to serve Him, and to pronounce blessings in…
- Malachi 2:7
For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the LORD of Hosts.
- 1 Chronicles 23:13
Through
1 Chronicles 23:13The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron and his descendants were set apart forever to consecrate the most holy things, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister before Him, and to pronounce…
it leads to
- Exodus 6:20
And Amram married his father’s sister Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses. Amram lived 137 years.
- Exodus 6:20
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Numbers
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 2170: “The Blessing of the High Priest” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 3371: “Two Choice Benedictions” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.