1 Thessalonians 5:23(v24)May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our…
Psalms 121:4-7(v24)Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. Yahweh is your keeper. Yahweh is your shade on your right hand. The sun will…
Philippians 4:7(vv24, 26)And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.
Jude 1:24(v24)Now to him who is able to keep them from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory in great joy,
Isaiah 42:6(v24)“I, Yahweh, have called you in righteousness. I will hold your hand. I will keep you, and make you a covenant for the people, as a light…
Show all 97 cross-references
Psalms 80:19(v25)Turn us again, Yahweh God of Armies. Cause your face to shine, and we will be saved.
Psalms 91:11(v24)For he will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways.
Deuteronomy 28:3-6(v24)You shall be blessed in the city, and you shall be blessed in the field. You shall be blessed in the fruit of your body, the fruit of your…
Psalms 4:6(v26)Many say, “Who will show us any good?” Yahweh, let the light of your face shine on us.
John 17:11(v24)I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them through your name which you have…
Psalms 29:11(v26)Yahweh will give strength to his people. Yahweh will bless his people with peace.
2 Thessalonians 3:16(v26)Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with you all.
Psalms 119:135(v25)Make your face shine on your servant. Teach me your statutes.
Psalms 31:16(v25)Make your face to shine on your servant. Save me in your loving kindness.
Psalms 134:3(v24)May Yahweh bless you from Zion, even he who made heaven and earth.
1 Samuel 2:9(v24)He will keep the feet of his holy ones, but the wicked will be put to silence in darkness; for no man will prevail by strength.
Psalms 67:1(v25)May God be merciful to us, bless us, and cause his face to shine on us.
Ruth 2:4(v24)Behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, “May Yahweh be with you.” They answered him, “May Yahweh bless you.”
Romans 15:13(v26)Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
John 16:33(v26)I have told you these things, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have trouble; but cheer up! I have overcome the world.”
Philippians 4:23(v24)The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Psalms 17:8(v24)Keep me as the apple of your eye. Hide me under the shadow of your wings,
Daniel 9:17(v25)“Now therefore, our God, listen to the prayer of your servant, and to his petitions, and cause your face to shine on your sanctuary that is…
Isaiah 26:3(v26)You will keep whoever’s mind is steadfast in perfect peace, because he trusts in you.
Ephesians 6:24(v24)Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love. Amen.
1 Peter 1:5(v24)who by the power of God are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Exodus 33:19(v25)He said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim Yahweh’s name before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be…
Psalms 80:7(v25)Turn us again, God of Armies. Cause your face to shine, and we will be saved.
Acts 2:28(v26)You made known to me the ways of life. You will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
2 Chronicles 7:14(v27)if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from…
Psalms 28:9(v24)Save your people, and bless your inheritance. Be their shepherd also, and bear them up forever.
Isaiah 27:3(v24)I, Yahweh, am its keeper. I will water it every moment. Lest anyone damage it, I will keep it night and day.
Romans 15:33(v26)Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
1 Corinthians 14:16(v24)Otherwise if you bless with the spirit, how will he who fills the place of the unlearned say the “Amen” at your giving of thanks, seeing he…
Malachi 1:9(v25)“Now, please entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With this, will he accept any of you?” says Yahweh of Armies.
Revelation 1:4-5(v24)John, to the seven assemblies that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from God, who is and who was and who is to come; and from the seven…
Genesis 43:29(v25)He lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin, his brother, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?”…
Psalms 42:5(v26)Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him for the saving help of his…
Daniel 9:18-19(v27)My God, turn your ear, and hear. Open your eyes, and see our desolations, and the city which is called by your name; for we do not present…
John 1:17(v25)For the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.
John 20:21(v26)Jesus therefore said to them again, “Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.”
Deuteronomy 28:10(v27)All the peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by Yahweh’s name, and they will be afraid of you.
Jeremiah 14:9(v27)Why should you be like a scared man, as a mighty man who can’t save? Yet you, Yahweh, are in the middle of us, and we are called by your…
Ephesians 1:3(v27)Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
Psalms 21:6(v25)For you make him most blessed forever. You make him glad with joy in your presence.
Psalms 37:37(v26)Mark the perfect man, and see the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace.
Psalms 80:1-3(v25)Hear us, Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock, you who sit above the cherubim, shine out. Before Ephraim and Benjamin and…
Psalms 86:16(v25)Turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give your strength to your servant. Save the son of your servant.
Psalms 89:15(v26)Blessed are the people who learn to acclaim you. They walk in the light of your presence, Yahweh.
Psalms 115:12-13(v27)Yahweh remembers us. He will bless us. He will bless the house of Israel. He will bless the house of Aaron. He will bless those who fear…
Isaiah 26:12(v26)Yahweh, you will ordain peace for us, for you have also done all our work for us.
Isaiah 43:7(v27)everyone who is called by my name, and whom I have created for my glory, whom I have formed, yes, whom I have made.’ ”
Luke 2:14(v26)“Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.”
John 14:27(v26)Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, I give to you. Don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be…
John 20:26(v26)After eight days again his disciples were inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, the doors being locked, and stood in the middle, and…
1 Chronicles 4:10(v27)Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my border! May your hand be with me, and may you…
Psalms 44:3(v26)For they didn’t get the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them; but your right hand, your arm, and the…
Isaiah 57:19(v26)I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace, to him who is far off and to him who is near,” says Yahweh; “and I will heal them.”
Micah 5:5(v26)He will be our peace when Assyria invades our land, and when he marches through our fortresses, then we will raise against him seven…
Acts 10:36(v26)The word which he sent to the children of Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all—
Ephesians 2:14-17(v26)For he is our peace, who made both one, and broke down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in his flesh the hostility, the law…
Genesis 32:26(v27)The man said, “Let me go, for the day breaks.” Jacob said, “I won’t let you go unless you bless me.”
Genesis 32:29(v27)Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” He said, “Why is it that you ask what my name is?” He blessed him there.
Exodus 3:13-15(v27)Moses said to God, “Behold, when I come to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they…
Numbers 23:20(v27)Behold, I have received a command to bless. He has blessed, and I can’t reverse it.
Psalms 5:12(v27)For you will bless the righteous. Yahweh, you will surround him with favor as with a shield.
Matthew 28:19(v27)Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Romans 5:1(v26)Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ;
Ephesians 6:23(v26)Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Genesis 12:2-3(v27)I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great. You will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and…
Genesis 48:20(v23)He blessed them that day, saying, “Israel will bless in you, saying, ‘God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh’ ” He set Ephraim before…
Deuteronomy 21:5(v23)The priests the sons of Levi shall come near, for them Yahweh your God has chosen to minister to him, and to bless in Yahweh’s name; and…
1 Chronicles 23:13(v23)The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses; and Aaron was separated, that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons, forever, to…
Psalms 67:7(v27)God will bless us. All the ends of the earth shall fear him.
Exodus 34:5-7(v27)Yahweh descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed Yahweh’s name. Yahweh passed by before him, and proclaimed,…
2 Samuel 7:23(v27)What one nation in the earth is like your people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem to himself for a people, and to make himself a…
Hebrews 7:1(v23)For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
Genesis 14:19-20(v23)He blessed him, and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth. Blessed be God Most High, who has delivered…
Genesis 27:27-29(v23)He came near, and kissed him. He smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him, and said, “Behold, the smell of my son is as the smell…
Genesis 28:3-4(v23)May God Almighty bless you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, that you may be a company of peoples, and give you the blessing of…
Genesis 47:7(v23)Joseph brought in Jacob, his father, and set him before Pharaoh; and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.
Exodus 6:3(v27)I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty; but by my name Yahweh I was not known to them.
Leviticus 9:22-23(v23)Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people, and blessed them; and he came down from offering the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and…
Luke 24:50-51(v23)He led them out as far as Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. While he blessed them, he withdrew from them, and was…
2 Corinthians 13:14(v23)The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s love, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
Hebrews 11:20-21(v23)By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come. By faith, Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of…
2 John 1:3(v23)Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
Genesis 47:10(v23)Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from the presence of Pharaoh.
Deuteronomy 10:8(v23)At that time Yahweh set apart the tribe of Levi to bear the ark of Yahweh’s covenant, to stand before Yahweh to minister to him, and to…
Joshua 8:33(v23)All Israel, with their elders, officers, and judges, stood on both sides of the ark before the Levitical priests, who carried the ark of…
Romans 1:7(v23)to all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:3(v23)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 7:7(v23)But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater.
1 Peter 1:2(v23)according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his…
2 Peter 1:2-3(v23)Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, seeing that his divine power has granted to us all…
Genesis 24:60(v23)They blessed Rebekah, and said to her, “Our sister, may you be the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and let your offspring possess the…
Deuteronomy 33:1(v23)This is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.
97 distinct cross-references across this passage (98 total citations).
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (19 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
Geneva Bible translators1599 · Public DomainOn vv23, 27That is, pray for them.
That is, pray for them.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp1656 · Public DomainOn vv23–24Num 6:23 Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons,…
Num 6:23 Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them,
Ver. 23. Ye shall bless the children of Israel.] Praying for them with hands first stretched out to heaven, {Lev 9:22} and then laid upon the people; so putting the blessing of God upon them. So Christ did upon his apostles, which was his last action upon earth, {Luk 24:50} and so must all pastors do, that would do good on it, - pray down a blessing on their people.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole1685 · Public DomainOn vv23–27On this wise, Heb. Thus, in this manner, or…
On this wise, Heb. Thus, in this manner, or in these words; yet so as that they were not tied to these very words, because after this we have examples of Moses and David and Solomon and others blessing the people in other words.
Ye shall bless the children of Israel, to wit, in the public assembly.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Matthew Henry1710 · Public DomainOn v22Here, I. The priests, among other good offices which…
Here, I. The priests, among other good offices which they were to do, are appointed solemnly to bless the people in the name of the Lord, Num 6:23. It was part of their work, Deu 21:5. Hereby God put an honour upon the priests, for the less is blessed of the better; and hereby he gave great comfort and satisfaction to the people, who looked upon the priest as God's mouth to them. Though the priests of himself could do no more than beg a blessing, yet being an intercessor by office, and doing that in his name who commands the blessing, the prayer carried with it a promise, and he pronounced it as one having authority with his hands lifted up and his face towards the people. Now, 1. This was a type of Christ's errand into the world, which was to bless us (Act 3:26), as the high priest of our profession. The last thing he did on earth was with uplifted hands to bless his disciples, Luk 24:50, Luk 24:51. 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. 2. It was a pattern to gospel ministers, the masters of assemblies, who are in like manner to dismiss their solemn assemblies with a blessing. The same that are God's mouth to his people, to teach and command them, are his mouth likewise to bless them; and those that receive the law shall receive the blessing. The Hebrew doctors warn the people that they say not, "What availeth the blessing of this poor simple priest? "For," say they, "the receiving of the blessing depends, not on the priest, but on the holy blessed God."
II. A form of blessing is here prescribed them. In their other devotions no form was prescribed, but this being God's command concerning benediction, that it might not look like any thing of their own, he puts the very words in their mouths, Num 6:24-26. Here observe, 1. That the blessing is commanded upon each particular person: The Lord bless thee. They must each of them prepare themselves to receive the blessing, and then they should find enough in it to make them every man happy. Blessed shalt thou be, Deu 28:3. If we take the law to ourselves, we may take the blessing to ourselves, as if our names were inserted. 2. That the name Jehovah is three times repeated in it, and (as the critics observe) each with a different accent in the original; the Jews themselves think there is some mystery in this, and we know what it is, the New Testament having explained it, which directs us to expect the blessing from the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of the Father, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, each of which persons is Jehovah, and yet they are "not three Lords, but one Lord," Co2 13:14. 3. That the favour of God is all in all in this blessing, for that is the fountain of all good. (1.) The Lord bless thee! Our blessing God is only our speaking well of him; his blessing us is doing well for us; those whom he blesses are blessed indeed. (2.) The Lord make his face shine upon thee, alluding to the shining of the sun upon the earth, to enlighten and comfort it, and to renew the face of it. "The Lord love thee and cause thee to know that he loves thee." We cannot but be happy if we have God's love; and we cannot but be easy if we know that we have it. (3.) The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee. This is to the same purport with the former, and it seems to allude to the smiles of a father upon his child, or of a man upon his friend whom he takes pleasure in. If God give us the assurances of his special favour and his acceptance of us, this will put gladness into the heart, Psa 4:7, Psa 4:8. 4. That the fruits of this favour conveyed by this blessing are protection, pardon, and peace. (1.) Protection from evil, Num 6:24. The Lord keep thee, for it is he that keeps Israel, and neither slumbers nor sleeps (Psa 121:4), and all believers are kept by the power of God. (2.) Pardon of sin, Num 6:25. The Lord be gracious, or merciful, unto thee. (3.) Peace (Num 6:26), including all that good which goes to make up a complete happiness.
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III. God here promises to ratify and confirm the blessing: They shall put my name upon the children of Israel, Num 6:27. God gives them leave to make use of his name in blessing the people, and to bless them as his people, called by his name. This included all the blessings they could pronounce upon them, to mark them for God's peculiar, the people of his choice and love. God's name upon them was their honour, their comfort, their safety, their plea. We are called by thy name, leave us not. It is added, and I will bless them. Note, A divine blessing goes along with divine institutions, and puts virtue and efficacy into them. What Christ says of the peace is true of the blessing, "Peace to this congregation," if the sons of peace and heirs of blessing be there, the peace, the blessing, shall rest upon them, Luk 10:5, Luk 10:6. For in every place where God records his name he will meet his people and bless them.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill1763 · Public DomainOn vv22–26Speak unto Aaron, and unto his sons,.... Aaron and…
Speak unto Aaron, and unto his sons,.... Aaron and his sons that succeeded him in all after generations, being the persons that were in a public manner to bless the people of Israel, they are particularly addressed, see Deu 10:8,
saying, on this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel; in such manner and with such words as after expressed; standing upon an eminence, lifting up their hands on high, spreading out their fingers, and raising their voices, and pronouncing the blessing in the Hebrew language, in the name of Jehovah, with their face towards the people; all which, according to the Jewish writers (d), were to be strictly observed:
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saying unto them; as follows.
(d) Maimon. Hilchot Neshiut Cappim. c. 14. sect. 11. Gersom in loc.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley1765 · Public DomainOn vv23–27On this wise - Hebrew. Thus, or in these…
On this wise - Hebrew. Thus, or in these words: yet they were not tied to these very words; because after this we have examples of Moses and David and Solomon, blessing the people in other words.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke1810 · Public DomainOn vv23–24Verse 23. On this wise ye shall bless the…
Verse 23. 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. This consideration may produce great confidence in them who come with either prayer or praise to the throne of grace, both of which should be, as far as circumstances will admit, in the very words of Scripture; for we can readily attach a consequence to the words of God, which we shall find difficult to attach to the best ordered words of men. Take with you words, and turn unto the Lord. What words? Why those which God immediately puts into their mouths. Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously; so will we render the calves of our lips; we shall then give the sacrifices of which our lips have spoken, when we made our vows unto thee. See Ho 14:2.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson1811 · Public DomainOn vv23, 24, 27Num 6:23. Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons…
Num 6:23. Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons — Among other good offices which the priests were appointed to perform, one was to bless in the name of the Lord, Deu 21:5. Hereby God put an honour upon them, for the less is blessed of the better, Heb 7:7; and hereby he gave great comfort and satisfaction to the people, who were taught to look on the priest as God’s mouth to them, and as blessing them in his name who commands the blessing out of Zion. And the priest was wont to pronounce it as one having authority, with his hands lifted up, and his face toward the people. Now in this he was a type of Christ, who came into the world to bless us, Act 3:26, as the High-Priest of our profession, and left the earth in the very act of blessing his disciples with uplifted hands, Luk 24:50. Bishop Pearson mentions it as a tradition of the Jews, that the priests blessed the people only at the close of the morning sacrifice, and that they omitted it in the evening, “to show, says he, that in the last days, the days of the Messiah, the benediction of the law should cease, and the blessing of Christ should take place.” On this wise shall ye bless — Thus, or in these words; and yet it is probable they were not confined to these very words. At least we find holy men, as Moses, David, and Solomon, blessing the people in other words. It is remarkable that, in the form here prescribed, the name Jehovah is three times repeated, and each time with a different accent in the original. The Jews themselves think that some mystery is hereby intended; and has not God explained what it is in the New Testament, having directed us to be baptized in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; and to expect the blessing from the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost?
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes1834 · Public DomainOn v22The priestly blessing (compare Ecclus. 36:17) is appointed as…
The priestly blessing (compare Ecclus. 36:17) is appointed as a solemn form to be used by the priests exclusively, and in this function their office as it were culminates (compare Lev 9:22 note). God Himself provides a formula, through which from time to time, as His people by obedience place themselves in true and right relationship to Him, the authorised mediators may pronounce and communicate His special blessing to them. It was a Jewish tradition that this blessing was given at the close of the daily sacrifice.
The structure of the blessing is remarkable. It is rhythmical, consists of three distinct parts, and mounts by gradual stages to that peace which forms the last and most consummate gift which God can give His people.
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From a Christian point of view, and comparing the counterpart benediction of 2Co 13:14, it is impossible not to see shadowed forth the doctrine of the Holy Trinity (compare Isa 6:3; Mat 28:19). And the three several sets of terms correspond fittingly to the office of the Three Persons in Their gracious work for the redemption of man.
Num 6:24
The Lord bless thee, and keep thee - The second clause here, as in the other three verses, defines more closely the general tenor of the preceding one. The singular number, which is observed throughout, indicates that the blessing is conferred on Israel “collectively.”
Num 6:25
Make his face shine - This is an enhancement of the preceding benediction. “The face of God” imports not merely God’s good will in general, but His active and special regard. With the “face” or “eye of the Lord accordingly is connected alike the judicial visitation of the wicked. Psa 34:16, and His mercies to the righteous Psa 4:6.
Num 6:26
Lift up his countenance upon thee - i. e. especially direct His thought and care toward thee: compare 2Ki 9:32, and similar phrases in Gen 43:29; Gen 44:21. Through such loving providence alone could the peace of God in which the blessing closes be given.
Num 6:27
Put my name upon the children of Israel - i. e. pronounce My Sacred Name over them in blessing them. God will give effect to the benediction pronounced by the priests.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary1859 · Public DomainOn vv23, 25, 26, 27Sons. The three forms of benediction for the high…
Sons. The three forms of benediction for the high priests, have all the same meaning, and they might choose which they pleased. Grotius observes, that they pronounced them aloud standing, with their hands lifted up. The books of Moses are the ritual of the priests.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures1864 · Public DomainOn v22The Blessing on God’s Army
SIXTH SECTION
The Blessing on God’s Army
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Num_6:22-27
22And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 23Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, 18saying unto them, 24, 25The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, 26and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. 27And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
1. Now that the army of God is established in every respect, the next thing is to declare its signature and destiny. The name of Jehovah shall be shed over it as the brightness of the sun: on Jehovah’s part this name shall rest on it; on its part it shall bear this name. To bear the name of Jehovah, the revelation of the covenant God in its universal historical significance, and bear it forth into the world, and especially itself to be blessed and become great in this name, as this destination was already intimated in the germ in the name of Shem, such is its great, concentric, exclusive vocation, toward which all its wars and victories should point. See Genesis 12 sqq.; Isaiah 42 sqq. Aaron and his sons were to be continuously the organs of the blessings into which this benediction would develop.
The one benediction subdivides into three chief blessings, and each blessing again into two members. It is a number six, that becomes in the unity of the name Jehovah the number seven.
2. The first blessing forms not only the general foundation of the whole benediction, of the entire salvation of revelation, but is at the same time the first special blessing, Jehovah bless thee, i. e. direct upon thee all prosperity in immeasurable progression; and keep thee, i. e. ward off every curse, all adversity from thee. That is the peace of the gracious providence of God, according to its two aspects, His positive and negative governance.
3. In the second blessing, the light of Jehovah’s countenance rises on Israel. On the meaning of His countenance see the Bible-work on Gen_12:1-20, § 5, and the related passages in Exodus. The effect of the shining of the countenance of God, which Israel was the first to experience, is the experience of His redemption that blots out guilt, His grace.
4. The third blessing might appear to be identical with the second were one to take the נָשָׂא פָּנָיו only in its current sense, and the recurring אֵלֶיךָ just as in the second blessing. But, according to the progress of the thought, the countenance of Jehovah rises up over Israel in kindness, and thence sinks deep down on it; it operates penetratingly as the sun in the zenith. Hence its operation manifests itself as peace, and if one take the שׂוּם in its full significance, then the second clause says: establish peace for thee, peace par excellence.
Thus if the name of God is laid on Israel from above, so, too, Israel is therewith in this name raised high aloft.
On the reference of this wonderful benediction to the mystery of the Trinity, see Keil. It is not to be ignored, that the number three may be regarded as an Old Testament form of emphasis, and the six members as a three-fold parallelism of members. But just as little should one ignore that the three economies of divine revelation are very plainly reflected in this benediction. And thus it forms one of the most glorious of the typical germs of New Testament revelation in the Old Testament.
Knobel is of the opinion that the Elohist cited the Aaronic blessing already in Lev_9:22. But he overlooks the distinction between blessing in general and this blessing.
[And they shall put my name, etc. Num_6:27. “Hence we gather that whatsoever the ministers of the Church do by God’s command is ratified by Him with a real and solid result; since He declares nothing by His ministers which He will not Himself fulfil and perform by the efficacy of His Spirit. But we must observe that He does not so transfer the office of blessing to His priests as to resign His rights to them; for after having entrusted this ministry to them, He claims the accomplishment of the thing for Himself alone.” Calvin.—Tr.]
HOMILETICAL HINTS
Num_6:22-27. The Aaronic Blessing. A blessing of unity (einheitlicher Segen) for the people of God in their unity. For its departure into the world. The three-foldness of the Aaronic blessing no system, but a germ of the doctrine of the Trinity. The three blessings singly. Their gradation. The Aaronic blessing in the light of the New Testament. The six parts of the three parts of the blessing (bless, keep—making the face shine, be gracious—letting down the countenance on thee [by the Spirit] and the peace). Thus Jehovah blesses His own Himself by His servants. All blessing of God is included in His name, in His revelation of salvation. The name of God is to be distinguished from His being, but is the impress of His being in religious contemplation. The priest is to bless; the congregation pronounces the curse.
Footnotes:
[18]say.
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown1871 · Public DomainOn v23THE FORM OF BLESSING THE PEOPLE. (Num 6:23-27)
THE FORM OF BLESSING THE PEOPLE. (Num 6:23-27)
Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the congregation of Israel, &c.--This passage records the solemn benediction which God appointed for dismissing the people at the close of the daily service. The repetition of the name "Lord" or "Jehovah" three times, expresses the great mystery of the Godhead--three persons, and yet one God. The expressions in the separate clauses correspond to the respective offices of the Father, to "bless and keep us"; of the Son, to be "gracious to us"; and of the Holy Ghost, to "give us peace." And because the benediction, though pronounced by the lips of a fellow man, derived its virtue, not from the priest but from God, the encouraging assurance was added, "I the Lord will bless them."
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon1874 · Public DomainOn vv22–27THE FORM OF THE PRIESTLY BLESSING, Num_6:22-27.
THE FORM OF THE PRIESTLY BLESSING, Num_6:22-27.
The Book of Numbers is rich in fragments of ancient poetry, some of them of great beauty, and all elucidating the character of the times in which they were composed. Such is the poetical benediction of the high priest. From this mustard seed arose the overshadowing system of Hebrew and Christian liturgies, which Milton aptly styles “the manuals and handmaids of devotion, the lip-work of every prelatical liturgist, clapped together and quilted out of Scripture phrase.” While the vast majority of Hebraists are unable to detect any rhythm of measures in Hebrew poetry, they find what has been called a rhythm of sentiment. Thus in this priestly blessing each period is divided into two members which balance each other by thought corresponding to thought in repetition and amplification. This parallelism is the distinctive feature of Hebrew poetry. Thus, in this benediction, are three sets of parallels, each containing two verbs.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers1878 · Public DomainOn v23(23) On this wise ye shall bless the children…
(23) On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel.—The occasions on which this blessing was used are not recorded. The blessing itself, which marks in a special manner the spiritual character of the chosen people, consists of three double clauses. In each of these three clauses the sacred name Jehovah is repeated, and there is a rising gradation in the blessing invoked, until it culminates in that peace which is the highest of those gifts that God can bestow and that man can possess. There has been commonly recognised in this blessing an allusion to the doctrine of the Trinity. Mention is made in Lev_9:22 of a blessing pronounced by Aaron upon the people, but no form of words is found there.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary1880 · Public DomainOn vv22–27THE PRIESTLY BENEDICTION (verses Gal_3:19) Our Lord is both…
THE PRIESTLY BENEDICTION (verses Gal_3:19) Our Lord is both the Moses (Act_3:22) and the Aaron (Heb_6:20) o mesithv and oo arciereuvof this dispensation.
Vers. 22-27. The Blessing of God Almighty.
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In this benediction we have spiritually the love of God, and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, as imparted unto us in the kingdom of heaven, into which we are called, that we may inherit a blessing. (2Co_13:14 1Pe_3:9) Consider, therefore
I THAT ALL BLESSING IN THE NAME WAS GIVEN BY AARON AND HIS SONS ONLY, because they were the chosen representatives of God. Even so, all blessing in the Triune Name is given by Christ alone, the High Priest of our profession, and the only channel of blessing. All ministerial blessing is only the continuation made audible in times and places of that blessing which our Lord was pronouncing when he left the world, (Luk_24:50, Luk_24:51) which blessing, as it was never finished upon earth, so it was taken up with him, and became eternal in the heavens, and is still the benediction wherewith his servants are blessed.
II THAT TO BLESS THE PEOPLE, AS IT WAS THE PECULIAR PRIVILEGE, SO IT WAS THE BOUNDEN DUTY, OF THE PRIESTS, and that in which their office towards the people was, as it were, summed up. (Deu_21:5) Even so Jesus Christ was "sent to bless us", (Act_3:26) and "Benedictus benedicat" is the simplest and surest of all Christian prayers; and it is the object and the office of such as are called in any wise to minister the priestly authority of Christ to bring home his benediction to the souls of men.
III THAT THE FIRST CLAUSE OF THE BLESSING INTIMATES THE LOVE OF GOD THE FATHER, THROUGH WHICH WE ARE PRESERVED. For it is of his blessing that the whole world, and the race of men, and we ourselves have been kept from the destroyer, and held in life and plenty. (Gen_1:28 Gen_9:1 Act_14:17 Act_17:28) And it is of his blessing that we have escaped the destruction which threatened our souls; (Gen_2:17) and that because he had a favour unto us, (Deu_7:8 Deu_10:15) and because he had predestinated us in love, (Eph_1:4, Eph_1:5, en agaph proorisav hmav) and because he is not willing that any should perish. (2Pe_3:9)
IV THAT THE SECOND CLAUSE INTIMATES THE LOVE OF GOD THE SON WHEREBY WE HAVE OBTAINED, AND DO OBTAIN, GRACE. For in the Incarnation of the Son the face of God is made to shine upon us, and that clearly and brightly, as the natural sun being risen shines upon the earth which lay in darkness or in twilight. (Mal_4:2 Luk_1:78 Joh_1:14, 17 14:9 2Co_3:18 2Co_4:4, 6 Heb_1:3) Thus Moses not being permitted to see the face of God, but only his back parts, (Exo_33:23) signified, that before the Incarnation the revelation of God in grace and truth could not be made.
V THAT THE THIRD CLAUSE INTIMATES THE LOVE OF GOD THE HOLY GHOST, WHEREBY WE OBTAIN PEACE THROUGH THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE SPIRIT. For the loving regard of God his tender gaze upon the soul which he loves is the coming forth of the Holy Spirit to abide upon and within that soul, bringing with him the life of the Incarnate Son, (Joh_16:14, 15 1Jn_5:11) and the love of the Eternal Father, (Rom_5:5) and uniting us to both. (1Jn_1:3) And this life (Gal_2:20) and this love (Jud_1:21) are peace; (Gal_5:22 Rom_8:6 1Jn_4:18) and peace is the ripened fruit and accomplished purpose of the gospel. (Luk_2:14 Joh_20:19 Eph_2:15)
VI THAT THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL WERE TO BEAR THE COVENANT NAME OF GOD, whereby he was revealed to them alone. Even so is the holy and awful and Triune Name of our God called down upon us, (Mat_28:19, eiv to onoma ; Jam_2:7, to kalo onoma to epiklhye) and we bear it as a most potent talisman to shield us from all harm, as a most precious jewel to be our secret joy and pride (Rev_2:7; cf. Psa_91:14 Psa_9:10, etc.). Note, that the name of the Holy Trinity is often apparently interchanged with the name of Jesus, (Act_2:38 Act_19:5) because in "Jesus" is the whole fullness of the Godhead, (Col_2:9) and "Jesus" is the name under which the Divine Being is personally made known unto us, as under that now forgotten name to the Jews. (Act_3:16 Act_4:10) And note again, that amongst Israel, as amongst ourselves now, the sacred Name is put upon the people of God, yet so as it may pass away from them like the thin air, and leave no trace of sanctity behind: whereas in "him that overcometh" the Name shall be written, and that indelibly, because by Christ himself. (Rev_3:12)
VII THAT THE JEWS LOST THE HOLY NAME BECAUSE THEY USED IT NOT ARIGHT, FEARING TO MAKE IT KNOWN. Of that Name which wrought so many miracles (Isa_30:27) nothing remainsbut four letters without any certain meaning, or any possible use. But the Name in which we trust can never be lost, because it is preached unto every creature under heaven, (Act_17:3 Php_2:10) and its sweetness is everywhere diffused. (Son_1:3) And so it is with all which that name means to us we keep for ourselves exactly in proportion as we do not keep it to ourselves.
HOMILIES BY W. BINNIE Vers. 22-27. The benediction.
So far as I have observed, the blessing of the people has less consideration bestowed upon it than any other of the stated ordinances of Divine service. It is seldom made the subject of discourse from the pulpit; divines seldom treat of it in their books; there is reason to fear that it seldom gets its due place in the minds and hearts of the people. The Benediction occurs in Scripture in several forms. Of these, two are in most frequent use in our Churches: the "Apostolic benediction" in 2Co_13:14, and the "Aaronic benediction" in the text. Properly these are not two benedictions, but only two forms of one and the same. The benefits expressed are, in substance, the same. The principal difference is that the thrice-holy Name, and the benefits of God"s salvation, are declared more plainly and articulately in the later than they could well be in the earlier form. There is nothing expressed in the apostolic benediction which was not implied in the Aaronic. "What mean ye by this service?" When our children ask this question, what are we to reply?
I IT IS A PROCLAMATION OF THE NAME OF GOD. In blessing the people Aaron was to "put the name of the Lord upon the children of Israel" (verse 27), thus constituting them his witnesses. Compare Mic_4:5. This design is plain in the case of the apostolic form. Every time that form is used in the Church, it is as much as to say, Let all men know that the Name called upon in this place is the name of the Father Almighty, and of Jesus Christ his only-begotten Son, and of the Holy Ghost. The older form fulfilled the same purpose for the older time. There lurked in it a suggestion of the Trinity, to be brought to light in due time; and for the time then present, it loudly proclaimed at once the Unity and the personality of God a proclamation sorely needing to be repeated in our time also. There is a philosophy walking abroad, which invites us to substitute for the living God, whose name is Love, an impersonal "tendency that makes for righteousness." It is the old Pagan substitution of nature for God. In opposition to it and to all similar error, the Aaronic benediction is a standing witness, that the God in whom all things live and move and subsist, is the LORD, a personal God, who can think upon us, and be gracious to us.
II A DECLARATION OF THE BENEFITS GOD HAS LAID UP FOR THEM THAT SEEK HIM. If you would understand its true intention, you must bear in mind that the benediction is not spoken to men indiscriminately. It is for the Israel of God; for those on whom Christ"s name is called, and who walk in his name. It is a solemn and authoritative declaration of the relation which subsists between him and them; and of the benefits flowing therefrom.
1. "The Lord bless thee, and keep thee, q.d. The Lord is the keeper of Israel. He will care for thee. He will keep thy land and thine house; he will preserve thy going out and coming in, and will guard thy life; he will keep thy soul. He will deliver thy soul from death, thy feet from falling, thine eyes from tears. Compare Psalm 121, where the Church, opening its heart and drinking in the benediction, turns it into a song, "Jehovah Shomer.
2. "The Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee;" q.d. There is grace in God"s heart for thee. He has given proof of this timeswithout number. To many a man stained with sin and utterly cast down, be has said, Live; has taken him by the hand, and brought him near, and made him glad with his loving countenance. The best commentary on this, also, is to be found in the Psalms. A glance at the references in the margin will show that the benediction and especially this particular member of it was welcomed in many hearts in Israel, and was responded to with peculiar ardour. From it the Church borrows the refrain of the eightieth psalm (verses 3, 7, 19). Peculiar interest attaches to the form which the Church"s response takes in Psa 67: "God... bless us, and cause his face to shine upon us; that thy way may be known on earth, thy saving health among all nations: "q.d. Not for our own sakes alone do we beseech thee to make us glad with thy face, but that we, being sanctified and gladdened, may bear thy name to the nations who know thee not.
3. The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. Take this member and the foregoing, and what do they amount to but this, "Grace be to you, and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ". (Rom_1:7 1Co_1:3, etc. etc.) There is a look of God which fills with dismay, and makes men call to the mountains to hide them from his presence. But there is a look of God which fills the soul with peace. The Lord can, with a glance of his eye, say to the soul, "I am thy salvation:" he can so lift up his countenance upon us as to give us rest.
III A CALLING DOWN OF GOD"S BLESSING ON THOSE WHO SEEK HIM. A Benediction is a Beatitude. It is also a Prayer. But it is more than either or both of these. To speak of the latter only, every benediction is a prayer, but every prayer is not a benediction. Into a benediction there enters an element of authority not found in every prayer. Joseph"s sons may very well have prayed for Jacob; but we cannot fancy the lads putting their hands on the head of the venerable patriarch and blessing him. "Without all contradiction, the less is blessed of the better". (Heb_7:7) The case of Jacob may remind us, that it was not the priests only who blessed the congregation. Moses did it; David and Solomon did it; any aged saint may bless his younger brethren. So, also, the minister of the gospel, when the Lord calls him to preside in public worship, may bless the people in the name of the Lord, in the assured hope that the Lord will indeed bless them, and keep them, and give them his grace and peace. B.
HOMILIES BY E.S. PROUT Vers. 22-27. The priestly blessing.
I CERTAIN NOTEWORTHY POINTS IN REGARD TO THIS BLESSING.
1. One of the special duties of the priests was to be the medium of blessing. (Deu_21:5) The priests had much to do with slaughter and sacrifice; here we have a pleasant view of one of their higher functions. Yet to enter heartily into this duty required an elevation of character which the mechanical duties of the altar did not call for. Every servant of God who is faithful in that which is least may find opportunities for higher spiritual services. (Mat_13:12 Mat_25:29)
2. The triple repetition of the name Jehovah was supposed by the Jews themselves to contain some mystery. At any rate it suggested that as there was in God an infinity of holiness that no one term could express, (Isa_6:3) so God has for his people a fullness of blessing beyond what any single utterance of his favour would have suggested. (cf. Exo_33:19 Exo_34:6, 7 Isa_63:7 Eph_2:4-10) To us the mystery is further revealed by the doctrine of the Trinity. For it is to be noted that in the New Testament that doctrine is always presented in some practical aspect, often in connection with privileges conferred by the triune "God of our salvation". (e.g. Joh_14:16, 17 2Co_13:14 Eph_2:18, etc.)
3. The Divine blessing, though uttered on the nation, was designed for each individual. The "thee" brings the blessing home to each house and heart. God, who has blessings full enough for the whole world, has an appropriate benediction for the neediest of his children. (Psa_40:17) The sunlight is for the sake of the tiniest insect and seed- ling as well as for the whole human race; and God"s blessing is for the sick child in the cottage as much as for "the holy Church throughout all the world". (Psa_25:10 Rom_8:28)
4. This priestly benediction supplied or suggested the sub- stance of many prayers and benedictions in later days. Echoes of it are heard repeatedly in the Book of Psalms. (e.g., Psa_4:6 Psa_29:11 Psa_31:16 Psa_67:1 Psa_80:3 Ps 121 Ps 134) As God"s mercies are from everlasting to everlasting, and are "new every morning," so God"s words of benediction are like germs of beauty and fruitfulness, reproducing themselves from generation to generation in new and precious forms. "The form of sound words" may be a valuable heritage in the Church of God.
II THE PARTICULARS OF THE BLESSING. Each clause of the triple blessing contains a promise from God. Combining these, we find that the blessing includes these three favours: protection (verse 24), pardon (verse 25), peace (verse 26).
1. Pro tection. "The blessing of God," says Calvin, "is the goodness of God in action, by which a supply of all good pours down to us from his favour, as from its only fountain." We can confidently commend ourselves, and all who are the "blessed of the Lord," to his keeping, both in regard to spiritual preservation (1Th_5:23, 1Th_5:24) and temporal deliverances. (Psa_91:11 Isa_27:3) Because our High Priest has offered the prayer, (Joh_17:11) we may utter the doxology. (2Ti_4:18 Jud_1:24, 25)
2. Pardon (verse 25). The face of the Lord represents the aspect which God bears towards man, whether of sunshine and favour (Psa_21:6 Psa_34:15 Psa_119:135 Dan_9:17) or cloud and wrath. (Exo_14:24 Psa_34:16 Lev_17:10 Lev_20:3) The shining of God"s countenance is an assurance that God will be gracious; its shining upon "thee" a pledge that we have received the grace and pardon we need. (Psa_31:16 Psa_80:3) The little child feels the difference between the shining and the averted face of the mother, and the Christian cries, Psa_143:3, Psa_143:7. If God grants us to hear "the joyful sound" of forgiveness, we "walk all day long in the light of his countenance.
3. Peace (verse 26). The lifting up of God"s countenance may suggest his active intervention to secure to us the blessing of peace. Illustrate, sun rising on the world, "with healing in its wings." Such looks from God will compensate for earthly privations, (Psa_4:6, Psa_4:7) and the expectation of them may sustain us in the night of trouble. (Psa_42:5) The Christian"s peace is "the peace of God," "my peace," communicated by Divine power to the soul. (Joh_14:27 Joh_15:11 Php_4:6, 7) These prayers of blessing remind us that all the relations of life may be thus sanctified, and our warmest wishes breathed forth in the form of prayers: e.g., pastor for flock; (Eph_6:23, 24 2Th_3:16) Christian for fellow-worshipper; (Psa_118:26 Psa_134:3) master for servants; (Rth_2:4 2Sa_6:18 2Sa_6:20) friend for correspondent. (2Ti_4:22) But our words of blessing avail not unless God adds his "Amen," as he promises in verse 27. Our benediction, whether of men or God, is only in words; God"s blessing is in deeds. His blessing when pledged cannot be reversed. (Gen_22:15-18 Num_23:19, Num_23:20) Spiritual blessings are part of the new covenant, which by faith we may enjoy for ourselves and invoke on others. P. (Eph_1:1-3, Eph_1:15-19)
HOMILIES BY D. YOUNG Vers. 22-26. The benediction through the priests.
A beautiful and touching benediction, and more beautiful for the place in which we come upon it. It is found in the midst of stern commandments and restrictions, minute specifications of duty, dreadful punishments for disobedience and rebellion. How clearly it thus shows that all Jehovah was requiring and doing was for the people"s good. Note
I THE VERBAL CHANNEL OF THIS BENEDICTION. Spoken through Aaron and his sons. It became an office of the priest as much as were any of the sacrifices. He was not only the way from men to God, but very tenderly from God to men. It was not a blessing to each tribe to be pronounced by its head, nor for each household to be spoken by the father, though doubtless in many families it was repeated, explained, and impressed. Aaron was the great official mediator between God and the people. Doubtless this benediction was to form a part in all solemn approaches of the priest to the people. It would come to them when in the discharge of sacred duties, at times of holy festival and Divine forgiveness. Others might utter idle, powerless good wishes, sinking with oft petition into mere politeness. The priest"s words official, solemn, spoken from the tabernacle. Thus they expressed the permanent good will of God, in spite of all negligence and forgetfulness towards him. We have a better Aaron, seeing perfection was not by the Levitical priesthood. The life and work of Jesus give one long and various utterance of this benediction. He the Minister of the sanctuary and true tabernacle which the Lord pitched, and not man. God"s good will to the true Israel is expressed in no doubtful, grudging way in Jesus. All that Aaron said to the people in respect of temporal blessings, Jesus says to the spiritual seed of Abraham in respect of spiritual blessings.
II THE ELEMENTS OF THE BENEDICTION.
1. As to the attitude of God.
(1) He blesses, which we may take to mean an expression of his favourable disposition, in the most general sense of the term. "Let it be an understood thing, O Israel, that God favours you." In the eyes not only of Israelites, but of other nations, it was a serious thing to be under the favour or frown of Deity. Favour meant the best of good, frown the worst of evil. Balak thought all his ends would be served if he could get Balaam only to curse the Israelites. Thus there would come on them in some mysterious but certain way an irresistible blight.
(2) He makes his face to shine. The sun may and does bless even when not shining, but shining it speaks for itself. The Lord is a sun as well as a shield, a sight that is sweet, and a pleasant thing for the eyes to behold. The face of Jesus shone as the sun upon the mount of transfiguration.
(3) He lifts up his countenance. What expressiveness there is in the face! The language of men s tongues was confounded at Babel, but the language of the countenance all Babel"s confusion could not touch. The language of the face needs no interpreter. When we see the face of a fellow-man shining, and his countenance lifted on us, then we know he will help us if he can. Just so sure were the Israelites to be of God"s interest in them. No intermediate voice was needed to maintain the reality of his good will. And we.are to behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus. "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father." And he who has seen Jesus knows all the grace in those features, how his countenance is ever lifted on the unstable, wandering children of men.
2. As to the communications which God makes.
(1) He keeps his people. Security the first of blessings to those who have much to lose. The rich man had increase of goods, and built bigger barns, but the barns could not keep him against death. Perhaps it is worthy of note that in Matthew 6 is the warning to keep our treasures in heaven. Not until we come to Matthew 13 is the pearl of great price set before us. Insecurity was the mark of Eden. God"s face shone, his countenance was lifted up on Adam and Eve, but he warned them there was danger in the midst of all their blessings. Perfect security belongs to the New Jerusalem. He who crept into Eden can never be found where entereth nothing that defileth or maketh a lie.
(2) He is gracious to them. He heaps on them tokens of his favour, just as one friend heaps presents on another. If we see one person enjoying a great number of gifts from another, we judge that he is regarded with special interest. There are gifts to the evil and the good, the common attendants of nature, but there are special gifts for God"s own people. Saved from Egypt, they might have been turned loose in the wilderness, but instead they were guided through into the promised land.
(3) He gives peace. His lifted countenance and benignant eye speak reconciliation so soon as the atonement is offered and the fruits meet for repentance brought forth. If his people are at peace with him, in hearty and diligent obedience, what matter all other foes? God"s benediction then, thus considered, appears suitable to man"s needs, and perfectly definite. Our trust and expectation should agree with what is a benediction to us through Christ, as much as it was to the Israelites through Aaron. Y.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator1887 · Public DomainOn vv23, 27On this wise ye shall bless the children of…
Num_6:23-26
On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel.
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The threefold blessing
1. Open the hand wide. The Father comes to fill it. The Lord bless thee, and keep thee.
(1) When? Now and ever, when you go out, come in, sit down, rise up, through all your living space, and when the last breath flutters on your lips.
(2) Where? In every place in which you tarry, or to which you move; in the closet, at the domestic board, at home, abroad, in still retreat, and in the busiest haunts, in the publicity of open work, and in the sanctity of holiest spots.
(3) How? By causing all things to minister to your true good, by crowning yore lot with all real happiness.
2. Jesus comes next. The Lord make His face shine upon thee, &c. The greatest change on natures brow is when light dawns. Gloom dwells beneath the pall of night. It is so with the soul. Sad are the hours which are not bright with Jesus. Then sins affright, and wrath dismays, and all the future is despair. This blessing promises the shining of His face, not a brief ray, but the full blaze of concentrated love. The Lord make His face shine upon thee. Here, too, a precious pearl is added. It is grace. The words proceed, and be gracious unto thee. What wonders are wrapt up in grace I Its birth is in the heavens, its fruit upon the earth. It looks on those in whom no merit dwells.
3. The blessing voice still speaks. The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, &c. Can they who have received so much need more? But more is wondrously given. The truly blest have all the blessings of a Triune Jehovah. Hence the Spirits favour is moreover pledged. Seek Christ, abide in Him, make Him your all, then will this threefold blessing be your crown. (Dean Law.)
The priestly blessing
I. The divine direction. The command to pronounce the blessing may be regarded as an assurance that, when it was pronounced, the blessing itself would be given.
II. The divine benediction.
1. The significant form of the benediction.
(1) The triple use of the sacred Name is significant.
(2) The use of the singular number in reference to the subject of the blessing is significant.
2. The Divine fulness of the benediction. As the threefold repetition of a word or sentence serves to express the thought as strongly as possible (cf: Jer_7:4; Jer_22:29)
, the triple blessing expressed in the most unconditional manner the thought that God would bestow upon His congregation the whole fulness of the blessing enfolded in His Divine Being which was manifested as Jehovah. The blessing includes--
(1) The preservation of God. The Lord bless thee, and keep thee. Danger is implied. We are weak, inexperienced, prone to sin, exposed to temptation. What subtlety can surprise God who is infinite in intelligence? What strength can stand against Omnipotence?
(2) The favour of God. The Lord make His face shine, &c. When the Divine face is dark with frowns, distress and death ensue; when it is bright with favours, life and joy flow to man. They perish at the rebuke of Thy countenance.
4. Cause Thy face to shine, and we shall be saved. There seems to be an allusion to the shining of the sun. It gives life, light, heat, beauty, power, joy.
(3) The peace of God. The Lord lift up His countenance, &c. Shalom--peace, the sum of all the good which God sets, prepares, or establishes for His people. Peace, including all that good which goes to make up a complete happiness. This great blessing is viewed as flowing from the gracious regard of God for man. Pardon, preservation, peace, an unspeakable wealth of blessing flows to man from the sovereign favour of our gracious God.
III. The divine ratification. And they shall put My name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them. The benediction was not to be the mere utterance of a pious wish; but God would give effect to it. A Divine blessing goes along with Divine institutions, and puts virtue and efficacy into them. God will certainly bless His own ordinances unto all those who believe. (W. Jones.)
The priestly blessing:
I. The priests, among other good offices they were to do, are appointed solemnly to bless the people in the name of the lord. Hereby God put an honour upon the priest, for the less is blessed of the better; and hereby He gave great comfort and satisfaction to the people, who looked upon the priest as Gods mouth to them. Though the priest of himself could do no more but beg a blessing, yet being an intercessor by office, and doing that in His name who commands the blessing, the prayer carried with it a promise, and he pronounced it as one having authority, with his hands lifted up and his face towards the people.
1. This was a type of Christs errand into the world, which was to bless us (Act_3:26) as the High Priest of our profession. The last thing He did on earth was with uplifted hands to bless His disciples (Luk_24:50-51). 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 that in 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.
2. It was a pattern to gospel-ministers, the masters of assemblies, who are in like manner to dismiss their solemn assemblies with a blessing. The same that are Gods mouth to His people to teach and command them, are His mouth likewise to bless them; and they that receive the law shall receive the blessing.
II. A form of blessing is here prescribed them. In other of their devotions no form is prescribed; but this being Gods command of the blessing, that it might not look like anything of their own He puts the very words into their mouths (Num_6:24-26). Where observe--
1. That the blessing is commanded upon each particular person: The Lord bless thee. They must each of them prepare themselves to receive the blessing, and then they should find enough in it to make them every man happy (Deu_28:3). If we take the law to ourselves, we may take the blessing to ourselves, as if our names were inserted.
2. That the name Jehovah is three times repeated in it, and (as the critics observe) each with a different accent in the original. The Jews themselves think there is some mystery. And we know what it is, the New Testament having explained it (2Co_13:14).
3. That the favour of God is all in all in this blessing, for that it is the fountain of all good.
(1) The Lord bless thee. Our blessing God is only our speaking well of Him, His blessing us is doing well for us; those whom He blesseth they are blessed indeed.
(2) The Lord make His face shine upon thee. Alluding to the shining of the sun upon the earth, to enlighten and comfort it, and to renew the face of it. The Lord love thee, and make thee know that He loves thee. We cannot but be happy if we have Gods love, and we cannot but be easy if we know that we have it.
(3) The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee. This is to the same purpose with the former, and it seems to allude to the smiles of a father upon his child, or of a man upon his friend whom he takes pleasure in. If God gives us the assurances of His special favour, and His acceptance of us, that will put gladness into the heart (Psa_4:7-8).
4. That the fruits of this favour conveyed by this blessing are protection, pardon, and peace.
(1) Protection from evil (Num_6:24). The Lord keep thee, for it is He that keepeth Israel, and neither slumbers nor sleeps (Psa_121:4), and all believers are kept by the power of God.
(2) Pardon of sin (Num_6:25). The Lord be gracious or merciful unto thee.
(3) Peace (Num_6:26), including all that good which goes to make up a complete happiness.
(4) God here promiseth to ratify and confirm the blessing (Num_6:27). They shall put My name upon the children of Israel. God gives them leave to make use of His name in blessing the people, and to bless them as His people called by His name. This included all the blessings they could pronounce upon them, to, mark them for Gods peculiar, the people of His choice and love. Gods name upon them was their honour, their comfort, their safety, their plea: we are called by Thy name, leave us not. It is added, and I will bless them. A Divine blessing goes along with Divine institutions, and puts virtue and efficacy into them. What Christ saith of the peace is true of the blessing. When Gods ministers pronounce the blessing, Peace be to this congregation, if the sons of peace and heirs of blessing be there, the peace, the blessing shall rest upon them (Luk_10:5-6). For in every place where God doth record His name, He will meet His people and bless them. (Matthew Henry, D. D.)
The blessing of the high priest:
I. The general character of this blessing.
1. It was a blessing given through a priest. Christ, as the great High Priest who offered Himself without spot unto God, is the Divine channel of blessing. Do we know the Lords Anointed?
2. This benediction is of the nature of intercession. Never forget that Christ made intercession for the transgressors. He has, moreover, a special pleading for believers (Joh_17:9).
3. This benediction is yet of a higher order than intercession. Here is not only faith pleating, but faith receiving and bestowing. The priest speaks the blessing: for which he asks.
4. This blessing is sure. Christ is commissioned of the Father, and anointed of the Spirit, as the ambassador of peace.
5. It is continuous. God blesses ever; curses never.
II. The blessing itself.
1. It passes from the priest to God. The Lord bless thee. What a blessing the Lord gives! Have we not heard a mother say to her little child, Bless you ? What a wealth of meaning she threw into it. But when God says, Bless you! there are infinity and immutability in it. There can be no limit to the goodwill of the infinite God.
2. Notice that the name of the Lord, or Jehovah, is three times mentioned. Here we hear the voice of One, yet Three.
3. Notice that this benediction is all along in the singular. Why? Because the people of God are one, and He views them as one, and so the blessing comes upon the entire Church as a whole. But, next, I think it is that every individual believer may take the whole of this benediction home to himself.
III. The divine amen. Here is the authority repeated by way of confirmation of what has been said. They shall put My name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them. The priest does his part, and then the Lord makes the blessing effectual. Herein is condescension on Gods part, and honour and security for us. When the Lords name is named upon anything He will guard His own dedicated things. The name of the Lord is a strong tower, and within it we are safe. I think I see here a confirmation of those blessings which are pronounced by good men. They shall put My name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them. I loved to have my grandfathers blessing when I was preaching the Word in early days. He has now gone into the glory; but he blessed me, and none can take away the name of God from me. Most of you will remember the blessings of good men who are now gone to glory; and God confirms those blessings. He allows His people, whom He has made priests and kings unto God, to put His name upon others, and to pronounce blessings upon them. Their word shall stand, and what they bind on earth shall be bound in heaven. And then comes, best of all, the blessing of our God most surely promised. I will bless them; they shall have their troubles, but I will bless them through their troubles. When they have earthly goods I will bless them and make them real comforts. I will bless their basket and their store. If those earthly comforts arc taken away I will give them compensation a thousandfold in myself. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Israel blest and kept:
1. The blessing was put into the mouth of Aaron the high priest, in this as in other points a type and figure of the Lord Jesus Christ. But Aaron could only pronounce the blessing; Jesus gives it.
2. Observe how, by implication, the doctrine of the Trinity is here set forth.
I. The Lord bless thee. The blessings meant would seem to be chiefly spiritual. Not that we are to think lightly of temporal favours. They are left-hand blessings, if not right-hand mercies; they are gifts to be thankful for on earth, if not graces that take to heaven; provision for the perishing body, if not food for the immortal soul. Health, strength, such a measure of worldly goods as shall keep the wolf from the door and enable us to owe no man anything but love, children growing up to be a comfort to their parents, a kind and affectionate partner, warm and faithful friends, an untarnished name, who shall say that these are not blessings for which God is to be praised? And yet how infinitely short do these temporal blessings, which perish in the using, fall of spiritual blessings which endure for evermore.
1. Godly fear in the heart--that fountain of life by which an awakened sinner departs from the snares of death--is not that of all blessings first and foremost because the beginning of wisdom? It is a fountain of life, and, like a river, is only increased and deepened by successive additions of grace. If we have not the beginning we can have neither the middle nor end.
2. But is not faith a blessing too? And who know faith to be a blessing? Those who are deeply exercised and tried by an unbelieving heart.
3. And is not hope a blessing too?
4. Love.
5. Patience.
6. Testimonies of Gods mercy and grace to the soul.
7. Is not the rod often a blessing?
II. and keep thee. Blessing first and keeping afterwards. The blessing given, and then, when given, the blessing kept. The letter written, and then sealed; the jewel put into the casket, and then the casket locked. The Lord keep thee. We cannot keep ourselves.
1. I need hardly observe that the first and foremost is to be kept from positive evil. The Lord asked of the Father for His disciples, I pray not that Thou shouldst take them out of the world--no; let them suffer there as I have suffered before--but keep them from the evil. And this will be first and foremost in the petitions of every child of God who knows his own evil heart and has suffered from its weakness and treachery, that the Lord will keep him from open evil, that he may bring no distress and guilt upon his own conscience, or reproach upon the cause of God.
2. Error.
3. A spirit of delusion.
III. the lord make his face shine upon thee.
1. The allusion here seems to be to the sun. Sometimes the natural sun has not risen, and the world must needs be dark if the sun be still beneath the horizon. So with many gracious souls, it is darkness with them because at present neither the Day-star has appeared nor the Sun of Righteousness risen upon them with healing in His wings. But sometimes after the sun has risen we see not his face; dark clouds may obscure the face of that bright luminary throughout the whole day, and we may not get a single ray. So, many of the Lords family, after the Sun has risen upon them in the morning of their spiritual life may pass perhaps much of their subsequent time in the dark shadow, till perhaps at evening tide there is light, and a departing ray gilds the dying pillow. But, again, there are sometimes days when mists drive rapidly across the face of the bright orb of day, and yet occasionally he peeps through the breaking clouds. And is not this, in some measure, an emblem of tile way in which the Sun of Righteousness is continually obscured by the mists and fogs which spring up out of our unbelieving heart, hidden from view by the doubts and fears that, like the vapours of the valley, spread themselves to our view over His beauteous face? Yet there are time, when He gleams through the clouds and disperses the mists. When the Lord is pleased to bless the soul and shine upon it with any sweet manifestation, then He breaks in through the dark clouds; but they gather again. It is not in Christian experience one bright summer day. Our spiritual climate is humid, our inward latitude northern.
2. The Lord make His face shine upon thee. Is the Lord, then, sovereign in these matters? Can we not lift up our hand and remove the cloud? We have as much power to stretch forth our hand and sweep away the mists that obscure the Sun of Righteousness, as we have power with the same hand to sweep away a London fog. How this puts the creature into his right place I and the creature is only in his right place when he is nothing, and God is all in all.
3. The Lord make His face shine upon thee. And if He make His face shine upon thee, He will make thy face shine too.
IV. and be gracious unto thee. How sweet the gospel is! But what makes the gospel sweet? That one word which sheds a perfume through the whole--grace. Take grace out of the gospel and you destroy the gospel. Grace pervades every part and every branch of the blessed gospel; it is the life of the gospel; in a word, it is the gospel itself.
V. the lord lift up his countenance upon thee. The meaning of this expression may, I think, be illustrated by a simple figure. A child has been disobedient to, or otherwise displeased its parent. When we offend a person, his face is not toward us as at other times. It was so with Laban towards Jacob; and if we have in any way incurred a friends or superiors displeasure we watch instinctively his countenance. Is it down or up? Does it wear a frown or a smile? Is it looking upon us with the eye of affection, or are the eyes averted? We can tell in a moment if we know the countenance. Thus is the blessing asked, The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, as a kind and affectionate parent upon an obedient child.
VI. and give thee peace. Oh what a blessing! It is this that makes the pillow easy in life, and will alone make that pillow easy in death--peace with God through Jesus Christ, the peace of God which passeth all understanding. The blessing that the gracious soul most earnestly covets is peace; for this is the sweetest honey-drop in Gods cup. It is true that it does not make the heart overflow like joy, nor to dance with exultation like the first beaming in of the rays of hope, nor melt it down like visits of love; but it is in some respects sweeter than all, because it so settles down the soul into sweet assurance; it is the realisation of the Saviour Himself, for He is our peace, and may thus be called the crowning blessing. But see how the links of this Divine chain meet. The Lord bless thee--link the first; and keep thee--link the second; the Lord make His face shine upon thee--the third; and be gracious unto thee--the fourth; the Lord lift up His countenance upon thee--the fifth; and give thee peace--the sixth. Six blessed links, and all united into one continuous chain; for when the Lord begins to bless, He ends with peace. We need wish no greater nor pray for a higher blessing than peace, for God has none greater to give. When a father dies he leaves his children all his goods. Jesus, before He died, said, Peace I leave with you; My peace give I unto you; not as the world giveth give I unto you. It was His last legacy; His dying gift; in His own eyes of the greatest value, and it should be such in ours. (J. C. Philpot.)
The pastors wish and prayer:
I. Let us reflect on the nature and extent of the blessings here involved.
1. Divine benediction. In a world in which everything is rather semblance than reality, how delightful the thought that there is One--the Uncreated and Unconditional, the Ever-present and Ever-true, who is not more able than He is willing to overtake all the conditions of our being, and to do for us exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think! Our weakness can never fall to a depth lower than His power can reach. Our necessities can never exceed His resources. Our difficulties can never be so involved but that His wisdom can direct us. Our sorrows can never be so acute, or so accumulated, but His Spirit can assuage and relieve us.
2. Divine preservation. Not only the Lord bless thee, but keep thee. The consciousness that with a finite and dependent nature we are in a world of temptation, must ever render acceptable and blessed the help of another mightier and more able.
3. Divine illumination. The Lord make His face to shine upon thee. The reference here is doubtless to that mysterious symbol of His presence which God vouchsafed to His ancient Church, as the outward and visible expression of His favour and love. We rise from the material into the spiritual, and repose in the promise of that inward light which is ever streaming from the Spirit through the truth to guide and cheer arid render certain the steps of the wanderer across the desert of life.
4. Divine communication. The Lord be gracious unto thee. The grace of God is but another expression for His infinite and exhaustless bounty. The highest conception which we can form of the Divine benevolence is derived from the work of human redemption. Herein is love. In no other act of His administration is it so conspicuous or so glorious. Salvation is grace running out into infinite and everlasting kindness. And what are all the communications of spiritual blessing to the soul but the love of God ever repeating itself, and assuring us that the treasures of eternity are unlocked to supply our need?
5. Divine manifestation. The Lord lift up the light of His countenance upon thee. What will heaven be but this perfected and perpetuated in the immediate presence of God?
6. Divine satisfaction. The Lord give thee peace. It is a question in mechanics whether there be such a thing as a body in a state of perfect rest. We confess ourselves to be in a position not to solve the problem. Of this however we are certain, that in the spiritual world there is a centre of eternal repose on which the whole universe may rest for ever. The soul of man is torn and distracted with unfulfilled desires; and possess what he may, while one single longing is left unsatisfied the perfection of inward quiet and peace is impossible. This can only come with that completeness of life which is enjoyed in God.
II. Let us inquire into the ever-living and unchangeable source of such inestimable blessing. The incommunicable name Jehovah, here translated Lord, includes within itself every possible perfection and excellence. It not only points to the sum of being, but to the fountain of blessedness. His eternity we place in opposition to all that is temporary; His immutability in opposition to all that is changing; His immortality in opposition to whatever has in it the seeds of decay and death; His all-sufficiency and infinite felicity in opposition to all that is inadequate and unsatisfying. (R. Ferguson, LL. D.)
A comprehensive benediction:
What does this prayer not include? What a richness and plenitude of Divine mercy does it bring into view? It expresses as perfectly as any human words can express, the immense and infinite good which can he found in God, as the Root of all being and the Fountain of all happiness. What more could we ask on your behalf than that you may individually be the chosen objects of the unchangeable love and fatherly care of Him, who, while He has the weight of all worlds upon His arm, yet stoops to feed the ravens when they cry; who, amid the government of worlds, is not unmindful of individuals, and who, while He is guiding the stars in their course, is at the same moment numbering the very hairs of your heads? What more can we ask for you, than that He who never sleeps, and whose eyelids never slumber, whose power fainteth not, and who is ever travelling forth in the greatness of His strength mighty to save, may watch over you and preserve you, give you more than the warriors shield of triple brass, and bruise every enemy under your feet? What more can we now ask for you than that He, who ever lives and moves in the light of His own eternity, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the deeper and ever growing knowledge of Himself, fill your soul with the everlasting beamings of truth, cause the sunshine of His presence to break through every cloud, and falling softly on your steps, make your path like that of the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day? What more can we ask for you, than that He whose eternal love prompted Him to provide for the redemption of our race, may unlock the treasures of His mercy, and bless you with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places, may grant you according to the riches of His grace, and, adding to the plenitude of His grace the riches of His glory, thus fill you unto His own fulness? What more can we ask for you, than that He whose name is the Lord--the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, slow to anger, abundant in goodness and in truth--while He conceals the intenser glory of His nature, would ever manifest Himself unto you, take you into deeper communion with His Spirit, open up heaven to your view, and fill your vision with the glories of immortality? What more can we ask for you, than that He who is the only centre of rest for His dependent universe, may take from your nature every unholy and disturbing element, and give you that peace which passeth all understanding, sanctify you in soul, body, and spirit, and lift you above the din and distraction of this noisy and conflicting world, introduce you into the deep quiet of His own Infinite Being, and fill you with the joy which is unspeakable? What more can we ask for you, than that this goodness and mercy may follow you all the days of your life, and that when you enter the dark valley which separates the silence of eternity from the murmurs of time, you may be conscious of the immediate presence of the glorified Redeemer, and dropping the worn-out garment of the flesh, take your place reclothed and immortal, before the throne of God? (R. Ferguson, LL. D.)
The golden blessing
I. The golden blessing was given through a mediator. The Lord spake to Aaron through Moses. Jesus Christ is our Mediator, through whom all spiritual blessings are given.
II. The blessing was given by priestly lips. It was Aaron, and his sons, who were to bless the children of Israel. God spake to Moses, Moses to Aaron, Aaron to the people. Jesus Christ is both Mediator and Priest. He is a mediatorial Priest, and a priestly Mediator. There is no blessing apart from the true priesthood and sacrifice.
III. This threefold blessing tells of a trinity in unity, and a unity in trinity. Faith believes it, but reason cannot understand it.
IV. IN this benediction we have the earnest of all spiritual blessings. What a fulness there is!
V. The blessing was for all Israel. On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel. It was a common blessing for all the tribes. It is a blessing for those who are rejoicing, and for those who are sorrowing; for those who are praying, and for those who are praising. It is a blessing for the young, and for the old; for those who labour, and for those who suffer. It is a blessing for the living, if for them to live is Christ; for the dying, if they die in the Lord.
VI. It is a blessing secured by purpose, purchase, and power. I will bless them. Satan, and all our enemies, will be constrained to confess, He hath blessed and I cannot reverse it. (R. E. Sears.)
The Divine blessing and keeping:
What a joy to abide under the Divine blessing! This puts a gracious flavour into all things. If we are blessed, then all our possessions and enjoyments are blessed; yea, our losses and crosses, and even our disappointments. Gods blessing is deep, emphatic, effectual. A mans blessing may begin and end in words, but the blessing of the Lord makes rich and sanctifies. The best wish we can have for our dearest friend is not, May prosperity attend thee, but, The Lord bless thee. It is equally a delightful thing to be kept of God; kept by Him, kept near Him, kept in Him. They are kept, indeed, whom God keeps; they are preserved from evil, they are reserved unto boundless happiness. Gods keeping goes with His blessing, to establish it and cause it to endure. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Gods favour the comfort of the soul
It is Gods presence which constitutes the saints morning. As the stars may impart some light and yet the brightness of all combined cannot form the light of day, but when the sun appears there is day forthwith, so God may make some comfort arise to a soul from secondary and inferior means; but it is He Himself alone who, by the shining of His face and the smiles of His countenance, causes morning. (T. Burroughs.)
Brightness to be renewed:
A friend of mine has some diamonds. He tells me that if he sets these diamonds out in the strong sunlight for a time, and then removes them into a dark room, they will shine brilliantly even amidst the darkness. But after a little while this brilliance becomes dim, and finally goes out altogether. The precious stones must be taken into the sunshine again if they are to be seen in the gloom. And is not this a parable of the life of Christians? God calls them His jewels; and if their Divine lustre is to be seen amidst the darkness of the world, they must often seek to look upon the face of the Sun of Righteousness. If they are careless about this their brightness will soon grow dim; but if they are faithful that brightness shall be constantly renewed. (Christian Commonwealth.)
Buoyant in the favour of God
As--in some summers morning, which wakes with a ring of birds, when it is clear, leagues up into the blue, and everything is as distinctly cut as if it stood in heaven, and not on earth, when the distant mountains lie bold upon the horizon, and the air is full of the fragrance of flowers which the night cradled--the traveller goes forth with buoyant and elastic step upon his journey, and halts not till in the twilight shadows he reaches his goal, so may we, who are but pilgrims, go forth beneath the smile of God, upon our homeward journey. (H. W. Beecher.)
Peace with God:
I reverence hundreds and hundreds of men who dont hold my opinion; but when I lie dying I dont want their speculations to rest upon. I want that Book for a pillow, for that Book rests on the nature of things. That is the only honest Book in the world. That tells me what I am; that tells me how to get into the mood of peace with God; that is what I wanted on a cold winters night as I rolled forty feet down a precipice, expecting instant death; and if that is what I wanted then, its what I want any time, isnt it? What is true in our highest moments is true in all moments. And what we see only by flashes is true the whole day long, the whole year long, life through, eternity through. If there is any certainty, it is certainty for all time and places. Now it is certain that when I lie dying I want that Book for a pillow, and, among other things in a pillow, I want a certainty that I have attained similarity of feeling with God, and love what He loves, and hate what He hates. That will be enough to give me peace. What! What! I am depending on my own righteousness when I make this my pillow! I beg your pardon, that is not what I say. If my life is to be my pillow, I must put my whole life into the pillow. There would be more than one thorn in the pillow if I were to put my whole life in it. Is there anybody here who can put his whole life in his pillow and rest in peace? You are going to depend on your own righteousness? Put your whole life into the pillow, and then put your head on it, and it will not be the softest kind of a support for a dying hour. You may do as you please, but I, for one, feel very sure I am going hence, that I want to go hence in peace, that I cannot go in peace unless I love what God loves, and hate what God hates. (Joseph Cook.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann1924 · Public DomainOn v22The Form of Public Blessing
The Form of Public Blessing
v. 22. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
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v. 23. Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, especially at the time of dismissal at the end of worship, Lev 9:22, saying unto them,
v. 24. The Lord bless thee and keep thee. This first strophe of the blessing forms the general foundation of the entire benediction, of the whole salvation brought to men by revelation. The blessing of Jehovah should be upon them, give to them all prosperity in material and spiritual things in full and rich measure. This includes that He will turn aside every curse, ward off every adversity from those that are His. The providence of God, both in granting blessings and in hindering misfortunes, is thus invoked.
v. 25. The Lord make His face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee. While the face of Jehovah is terrible upon those that oppose Him and strikes down His enemies with the rays of His glory, it is full of the richest and warmest sunlight of salvation to those that turn to Him in faith, Psa 27:1; Psa 43:3; Psa 44:4. But the greatest beauty of this light consists in the fact that it throws rays of mercy into the heart that sighs for mercy and forgiveness. It is the grace of God in the redemption of Jesus Christ that blots out all guilt.
v. 26. The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee and give thee peace. From the position of being raised up above the believer and shedding forth the rays of His merciful blessing, the warmth of the love of God sinks down upon the sinner and penetrates his entire being with its miraculous power. The aim of this work on the part of Jehovah is to give to the believer His peace, His salvation. The children of God should have the full assurance that all strife is now a thing of the past, that they are forever rescued out of all the distress and curse of sin and its consequences. The threefold blessing reminds us of the Trinity of the Godhead and of the threefold form of the work of God’s goodness and mercy in dealing with His children. There can be no doubt, therefore, that we are justified in finding here a statement of the Trinity of God.
v. 27. And they shall put My name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them. The blessing, as spoken by the priest, was not a mere pious wish, but it actually transmitted the divine power of blessing to the people. Every Israelite that believed these words as pronounced upon him went to his home with the blessing of the Lord resting upon him. To this day the members of the congregation are dismissed with the words of this blessing, and should take home with them the merciful goodness of the Triune God, especially the assurance of the forgiveness of their sins.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0On vv22, 25You must bless the people of Israel
You must bless the people of Israel
"You" is plural. (See: Forms of You)
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May Yahweh bless you and keep you
Here "you" is singular. (See: Forms of You)
keep you
This is an idiom. Here "keep" means to "protect." (See: Idiom)
Tyndale Open Study Notes2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0On vv22, 24, 25, 26, 276:22-27 The priestly benediction is related to the overall…
6:22-27 The priestly benediction is related to the overall theme of worship and purity in chs 5–6. This is a prayer on behalf of the people as the priests sought God’s blessings for Israel. Since the priest represented God, such prayer was part of the priestly duty (cp. Lev 9:23; Deut 10:8). This prayer is not unlike Jesus’ high priestly prayer in John 17.
GEBible — Godless Engineer's Bible App
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv23, 27 That is, pray for them.
That is, pray for them.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv23–24 Num 6:23 Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons,…
Num 6:23 Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them,
Ver. 23. Ye shall bless the children of Israel.] Praying for them with hands first stretched out to heaven, {Lev 9:22} and then laid upon the people; so putting the blessing of God upon them. So Christ did upon his apostles, which was his last action upon earth, {Luk 24:50} and so must all pastors do, that would do good on it, - pray down a blessing on their people.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv23–27 On this wise, Heb. Thus, in this manner, or…
On this wise, Heb. Thus, in this manner, or in these words; yet so as that they were not tied to these very words, because after this we have examples of Moses and David and Solomon and others blessing the people in other words.
Ye shall bless the children of Israel, to wit, in the public assembly.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain On v22 Here, I. The priests, among other good offices which…
Here, I. The priests, among other good offices which they were to do, are appointed solemnly to bless the people in the name of the Lord, Num 6:23. It was part of their work, Deu 21:5. Hereby God put an honour upon the priests, for the less is blessed of the better; and hereby he gave great comfort and satisfaction to the people, who looked upon the priest as God's mouth to them. Though the priests of himself could do no more than beg a blessing, yet being an intercessor by office, and doing that in his name who commands the blessing, the prayer carried with it a promise, and he pronounced it as one having authority with his hands lifted up and his face towards the people. Now, 1. This was a type of Christ's errand into the world, which was to bless us (Act 3:26), as the high priest of our profession. The last thing he did on earth was with uplifted hands to bless his disciples, Luk 24:50, Luk 24:51. 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. 2. It was a pattern to gospel ministers, the masters of assemblies, who are in like manner to dismiss their solemn assemblies with a blessing. The same that are God's mouth to his people, to teach and command them, are his mouth likewise to bless them; and those that receive the law shall receive the blessing. The Hebrew doctors warn the people that they say not, "What availeth the blessing of this poor simple priest? "For," say they, "the receiving of the blessing depends, not on the priest, but on the holy blessed God."
II. A form of blessing is here prescribed them. In their other devotions no form was prescribed, but this being God's command concerning benediction, that it might not look like any thing of their own, he puts the very words in their mouths, Num 6:24-26. Here observe, 1. That the blessing is commanded upon each particular person: The Lord bless thee. They must each of them prepare themselves to receive the blessing, and then they should find enough in it to make them every man happy. Blessed shalt thou be, Deu 28:3. If we take the law to ourselves, we may take the blessing to ourselves, as if our names were inserted. 2. That the name Jehovah is three times repeated in it, and (as the critics observe) each with a different accent in the original; the Jews themselves think there is some mystery in this, and we know what it is, the New Testament having explained it, which directs us to expect the blessing from the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of the Father, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, each of which persons is Jehovah, and yet they are "not three Lords, but one Lord," Co2 13:14. 3. That the favour of God is all in all in this blessing, for that is the fountain of all good. (1.) The Lord bless thee! Our blessing God is only our speaking well of him; his blessing us is doing well for us; those whom he blesses are blessed indeed. (2.) The Lord make his face shine upon thee, alluding to the shining of the sun upon the earth, to enlighten and comfort it, and to renew the face of it. "The Lord love thee and cause thee to know that he loves thee." We cannot but be happy if we have God's love; and we cannot but be easy if we know that we have it. (3.) The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee. This is to the same purport with the former, and it seems to allude to the smiles of a father upon his child, or of a man upon his friend whom he takes pleasure in. If God give us the assurances of his special favour and his acceptance of us, this will put gladness into the heart, Psa 4:7, Psa 4:8. 4. That the fruits of this favour conveyed by this blessing are protection, pardon, and peace. (1.) Protection from evil, Num 6:24. The Lord keep thee, for it is he that keeps Israel, and neither slumbers nor sleeps (Psa 121:4), and all believers are kept by the power of God. (2.) Pardon of sin, Num 6:25. The Lord be gracious, or merciful, unto thee. (3.) Peace (Num 6:26), including all that good which goes to make up a complete happiness.
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III. God here promises to ratify and confirm the blessing: They shall put my name upon the children of Israel, Num 6:27. God gives them leave to make use of his name in blessing the people, and to bless them as his people, called by his name. This included all the blessings they could pronounce upon them, to mark them for God's peculiar, the people of his choice and love. God's name upon them was their honour, their comfort, their safety, their plea. We are called by thy name, leave us not. It is added, and I will bless them. Note, A divine blessing goes along with divine institutions, and puts virtue and efficacy into them. What Christ says of the peace is true of the blessing, "Peace to this congregation," if the sons of peace and heirs of blessing be there, the peace, the blessing, shall rest upon them, Luk 10:5, Luk 10:6. For in every place where God records his name he will meet his people and bless them.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv22–26 Speak unto Aaron, and unto his sons,.... Aaron and…
Speak unto Aaron, and unto his sons,.... Aaron and his sons that succeeded him in all after generations, being the persons that were in a public manner to bless the people of Israel, they are particularly addressed, see Deu 10:8,
saying, on this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel; in such manner and with such words as after expressed; standing upon an eminence, lifting up their hands on high, spreading out their fingers, and raising their voices, and pronouncing the blessing in the Hebrew language, in the name of Jehovah, with their face towards the people; all which, according to the Jewish writers (d), were to be strictly observed:
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saying unto them; as follows.
(d) Maimon. Hilchot Neshiut Cappim. c. 14. sect. 11. Gersom in loc.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv23–27 On this wise - Hebrew. Thus, or in these…
On this wise - Hebrew. Thus, or in these words: yet they were not tied to these very words; because after this we have examples of Moses and David and Solomon, blessing the people in other words.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv23–24 Verse 23. On this wise ye shall bless the…
Verse 23. 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. This consideration may produce great confidence in them who come with either prayer or praise to the throne of grace, both of which should be, as far as circumstances will admit, in the very words of Scripture; for we can readily attach a consequence to the words of God, which we shall find difficult to attach to the best ordered words of men. Take with you words, and turn unto the Lord. What words? Why those which God immediately puts into their mouths. Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously; so will we render the calves of our lips; we shall then give the sacrifices of which our lips have spoken, when we made our vows unto thee. See Ho 14:2.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv23, 24, 27 Num 6:23. Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons…
Num 6:23. Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons — Among other good offices which the priests were appointed to perform, one was to bless in the name of the Lord, Deu 21:5. Hereby God put an honour upon them, for the less is blessed of the better, Heb 7:7; and hereby he gave great comfort and satisfaction to the people, who were taught to look on the priest as God’s mouth to them, and as blessing them in his name who commands the blessing out of Zion. And the priest was wont to pronounce it as one having authority, with his hands lifted up, and his face toward the people. Now in this he was a type of Christ, who came into the world to bless us, Act 3:26, as the High-Priest of our profession, and left the earth in the very act of blessing his disciples with uplifted hands, Luk 24:50. Bishop Pearson mentions it as a tradition of the Jews, that the priests blessed the people only at the close of the morning sacrifice, and that they omitted it in the evening, “to show, says he, that in the last days, the days of the Messiah, the benediction of the law should cease, and the blessing of Christ should take place.” On this wise shall ye bless — Thus, or in these words; and yet it is probable they were not confined to these very words. At least we find holy men, as Moses, David, and Solomon, blessing the people in other words. It is remarkable that, in the form here prescribed, the name Jehovah is three times repeated, and each time with a different accent in the original. The Jews themselves think that some mystery is hereby intended; and has not God explained what it is in the New Testament, having directed us to be baptized in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; and to expect the blessing from the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost?
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On v22 The priestly blessing (compare Ecclus. 36:17) is appointed as…
The priestly blessing (compare Ecclus. 36:17) is appointed as a solemn form to be used by the priests exclusively, and in this function their office as it were culminates (compare Lev 9:22 note). God Himself provides a formula, through which from time to time, as His people by obedience place themselves in true and right relationship to Him, the authorised mediators may pronounce and communicate His special blessing to them. It was a Jewish tradition that this blessing was given at the close of the daily sacrifice.
The structure of the blessing is remarkable. It is rhythmical, consists of three distinct parts, and mounts by gradual stages to that peace which forms the last and most consummate gift which God can give His people.
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From a Christian point of view, and comparing the counterpart benediction of 2Co 13:14, it is impossible not to see shadowed forth the doctrine of the Holy Trinity (compare Isa 6:3; Mat 28:19). And the three several sets of terms correspond fittingly to the office of the Three Persons in Their gracious work for the redemption of man.
Num 6:24
The Lord bless thee, and keep thee - The second clause here, as in the other three verses, defines more closely the general tenor of the preceding one. The singular number, which is observed throughout, indicates that the blessing is conferred on Israel “collectively.”
Num 6:25
Make his face shine - This is an enhancement of the preceding benediction. “The face of God” imports not merely God’s good will in general, but His active and special regard. With the “face” or “eye of the Lord accordingly is connected alike the judicial visitation of the wicked. Psa 34:16, and His mercies to the righteous Psa 4:6.
Num 6:26
Lift up his countenance upon thee - i. e. especially direct His thought and care toward thee: compare 2Ki 9:32, and similar phrases in Gen 43:29; Gen 44:21. Through such loving providence alone could the peace of God in which the blessing closes be given.
Num 6:27
Put my name upon the children of Israel - i. e. pronounce My Sacred Name over them in blessing them. God will give effect to the benediction pronounced by the priests.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv23, 25, 26, 27 Sons. The three forms of benediction for the high…
Sons. The three forms of benediction for the high priests, have all the same meaning, and they might choose which they pleased. Grotius observes, that they pronounced them aloud standing, with their hands lifted up. The books of Moses are the ritual of the priests.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures 1864 · Public Domain On v22 The Blessing on God’s Army
SIXTH SECTION
The Blessing on God’s Army
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Num_6:22-27
22And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 23Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, 18saying unto them, 24, 25The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, 26and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. 27And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
1. Now that the army of God is established in every respect, the next thing is to declare its signature and destiny. The name of Jehovah shall be shed over it as the brightness of the sun: on Jehovah’s part this name shall rest on it; on its part it shall bear this name. To bear the name of Jehovah, the revelation of the covenant God in its universal historical significance, and bear it forth into the world, and especially itself to be blessed and become great in this name, as this destination was already intimated in the germ in the name of Shem, such is its great, concentric, exclusive vocation, toward which all its wars and victories should point. See Genesis 12 sqq.; Isaiah 42 sqq. Aaron and his sons were to be continuously the organs of the blessings into which this benediction would develop.
The one benediction subdivides into three chief blessings, and each blessing again into two members. It is a number six, that becomes in the unity of the name Jehovah the number seven.
2. The first blessing forms not only the general foundation of the whole benediction, of the entire salvation of revelation, but is at the same time the first special blessing, Jehovah bless thee, i. e. direct upon thee all prosperity in immeasurable progression; and keep thee, i. e. ward off every curse, all adversity from thee. That is the peace of the gracious providence of God, according to its two aspects, His positive and negative governance.
3. In the second blessing, the light of Jehovah’s countenance rises on Israel. On the meaning of His countenance see the Bible-work on Gen_12:1-20, § 5, and the related passages in Exodus. The effect of the shining of the countenance of God, which Israel was the first to experience, is the experience of His redemption that blots out guilt, His grace.
4. The third blessing might appear to be identical with the second were one to take the נָשָׂא פָּנָיו only in its current sense, and the recurring אֵלֶיךָ just as in the second blessing. But, according to the progress of the thought, the countenance of Jehovah rises up over Israel in kindness, and thence sinks deep down on it; it operates penetratingly as the sun in the zenith. Hence its operation manifests itself as peace, and if one take the שׂוּם in its full significance, then the second clause says: establish peace for thee, peace par excellence.
Thus if the name of God is laid on Israel from above, so, too, Israel is therewith in this name raised high aloft.
On the reference of this wonderful benediction to the mystery of the Trinity, see Keil. It is not to be ignored, that the number three may be regarded as an Old Testament form of emphasis, and the six members as a three-fold parallelism of members. But just as little should one ignore that the three economies of divine revelation are very plainly reflected in this benediction. And thus it forms one of the most glorious of the typical germs of New Testament revelation in the Old Testament.
Knobel is of the opinion that the Elohist cited the Aaronic blessing already in Lev_9:22. But he overlooks the distinction between blessing in general and this blessing.
[And they shall put my name, etc. Num_6:27. “Hence we gather that whatsoever the ministers of the Church do by God’s command is ratified by Him with a real and solid result; since He declares nothing by His ministers which He will not Himself fulfil and perform by the efficacy of His Spirit. But we must observe that He does not so transfer the office of blessing to His priests as to resign His rights to them; for after having entrusted this ministry to them, He claims the accomplishment of the thing for Himself alone.” Calvin.—Tr.]
HOMILETICAL HINTS
Num_6:22-27. The Aaronic Blessing. A blessing of unity (einheitlicher Segen) for the people of God in their unity. For its departure into the world. The three-foldness of the Aaronic blessing no system, but a germ of the doctrine of the Trinity. The three blessings singly. Their gradation. The Aaronic blessing in the light of the New Testament. The six parts of the three parts of the blessing (bless, keep—making the face shine, be gracious—letting down the countenance on thee [by the Spirit] and the peace). Thus Jehovah blesses His own Himself by His servants. All blessing of God is included in His name, in His revelation of salvation. The name of God is to be distinguished from His being, but is the impress of His being in religious contemplation. The priest is to bless; the congregation pronounces the curse.
Footnotes:
[18]say.
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On v23 THE FORM OF BLESSING THE PEOPLE. (Num 6:23-27)
THE FORM OF BLESSING THE PEOPLE. (Num 6:23-27)
Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the congregation of Israel, &c.--This passage records the solemn benediction which God appointed for dismissing the people at the close of the daily service. The repetition of the name "Lord" or "Jehovah" three times, expresses the great mystery of the Godhead--three persons, and yet one God. The expressions in the separate clauses correspond to the respective offices of the Father, to "bless and keep us"; of the Son, to be "gracious to us"; and of the Holy Ghost, to "give us peace." And because the benediction, though pronounced by the lips of a fellow man, derived its virtue, not from the priest but from God, the encouraging assurance was added, "I the Lord will bless them."
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Next: Numbers Chapter 7
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv22–27 THE FORM OF THE PRIESTLY BLESSING, Num_6:22-27.
THE FORM OF THE PRIESTLY BLESSING, Num_6:22-27.
The Book of Numbers is rich in fragments of ancient poetry, some of them of great beauty, and all elucidating the character of the times in which they were composed. Such is the poetical benediction of the high priest. From this mustard seed arose the overshadowing system of Hebrew and Christian liturgies, which Milton aptly styles “the manuals and handmaids of devotion, the lip-work of every prelatical liturgist, clapped together and quilted out of Scripture phrase.” While the vast majority of Hebraists are unable to detect any rhythm of measures in Hebrew poetry, they find what has been called a rhythm of sentiment. Thus in this priestly blessing each period is divided into two members which balance each other by thought corresponding to thought in repetition and amplification. This parallelism is the distinctive feature of Hebrew poetry. Thus, in this benediction, are three sets of parallels, each containing two verbs.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On v23 (23) On this wise ye shall bless the children…
(23) On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel.—The occasions on which this blessing was used are not recorded. The blessing itself, which marks in a special manner the spiritual character of the chosen people, consists of three double clauses. In each of these three clauses the sacred name Jehovah is repeated, and there is a rising gradation in the blessing invoked, until it culminates in that peace which is the highest of those gifts that God can bestow and that man can possess. There has been commonly recognised in this blessing an allusion to the doctrine of the Trinity. Mention is made in Lev_9:22 of a blessing pronounced by Aaron upon the people, but no form of words is found there.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv22–27 THE PRIESTLY BENEDICTION (verses Gal_3:19) Our Lord is both…
THE PRIESTLY BENEDICTION (verses Gal_3:19) Our Lord is both the Moses (Act_3:22) and the Aaron (Heb_6:20) o mesithv and oo arciereuvof this dispensation.
Vers. 22-27. The Blessing of God Almighty.
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In this benediction we have spiritually the love of God, and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, as imparted unto us in the kingdom of heaven, into which we are called, that we may inherit a blessing. (2Co_13:14 1Pe_3:9) Consider, therefore
I THAT ALL BLESSING IN THE NAME WAS GIVEN BY AARON AND HIS SONS ONLY, because they were the chosen representatives of God. Even so, all blessing in the Triune Name is given by Christ alone, the High Priest of our profession, and the only channel of blessing. All ministerial blessing is only the continuation made audible in times and places of that blessing which our Lord was pronouncing when he left the world, (Luk_24:50, Luk_24:51) which blessing, as it was never finished upon earth, so it was taken up with him, and became eternal in the heavens, and is still the benediction wherewith his servants are blessed.
II THAT TO BLESS THE PEOPLE, AS IT WAS THE PECULIAR PRIVILEGE, SO IT WAS THE BOUNDEN DUTY, OF THE PRIESTS, and that in which their office towards the people was, as it were, summed up. (Deu_21:5) Even so Jesus Christ was "sent to bless us", (Act_3:26) and "Benedictus benedicat" is the simplest and surest of all Christian prayers; and it is the object and the office of such as are called in any wise to minister the priestly authority of Christ to bring home his benediction to the souls of men.
III THAT THE FIRST CLAUSE OF THE BLESSING INTIMATES THE LOVE OF GOD THE FATHER, THROUGH WHICH WE ARE PRESERVED. For it is of his blessing that the whole world, and the race of men, and we ourselves have been kept from the destroyer, and held in life and plenty. (Gen_1:28 Gen_9:1 Act_14:17 Act_17:28) And it is of his blessing that we have escaped the destruction which threatened our souls; (Gen_2:17) and that because he had a favour unto us, (Deu_7:8 Deu_10:15) and because he had predestinated us in love, (Eph_1:4, Eph_1:5, en agaph proorisav hmav) and because he is not willing that any should perish. (2Pe_3:9)
IV THAT THE SECOND CLAUSE INTIMATES THE LOVE OF GOD THE SON WHEREBY WE HAVE OBTAINED, AND DO OBTAIN, GRACE. For in the Incarnation of the Son the face of God is made to shine upon us, and that clearly and brightly, as the natural sun being risen shines upon the earth which lay in darkness or in twilight. (Mal_4:2 Luk_1:78 Joh_1:14, 17 14:9 2Co_3:18 2Co_4:4, 6 Heb_1:3) Thus Moses not being permitted to see the face of God, but only his back parts, (Exo_33:23) signified, that before the Incarnation the revelation of God in grace and truth could not be made.
V THAT THE THIRD CLAUSE INTIMATES THE LOVE OF GOD THE HOLY GHOST, WHEREBY WE OBTAIN PEACE THROUGH THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE SPIRIT. For the loving regard of God his tender gaze upon the soul which he loves is the coming forth of the Holy Spirit to abide upon and within that soul, bringing with him the life of the Incarnate Son, (Joh_16:14, 15 1Jn_5:11) and the love of the Eternal Father, (Rom_5:5) and uniting us to both. (1Jn_1:3) And this life (Gal_2:20) and this love (Jud_1:21) are peace; (Gal_5:22 Rom_8:6 1Jn_4:18) and peace is the ripened fruit and accomplished purpose of the gospel. (Luk_2:14 Joh_20:19 Eph_2:15)
VI THAT THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL WERE TO BEAR THE COVENANT NAME OF GOD, whereby he was revealed to them alone. Even so is the holy and awful and Triune Name of our God called down upon us, (Mat_28:19, eiv to onoma ; Jam_2:7, to kalo onoma to epiklhye) and we bear it as a most potent talisman to shield us from all harm, as a most precious jewel to be our secret joy and pride (Rev_2:7; cf. Psa_91:14 Psa_9:10, etc.). Note, that the name of the Holy Trinity is often apparently interchanged with the name of Jesus, (Act_2:38 Act_19:5) because in "Jesus" is the whole fullness of the Godhead, (Col_2:9) and "Jesus" is the name under which the Divine Being is personally made known unto us, as under that now forgotten name to the Jews. (Act_3:16 Act_4:10) And note again, that amongst Israel, as amongst ourselves now, the sacred Name is put upon the people of God, yet so as it may pass away from them like the thin air, and leave no trace of sanctity behind: whereas in "him that overcometh" the Name shall be written, and that indelibly, because by Christ himself. (Rev_3:12)
VII THAT THE JEWS LOST THE HOLY NAME BECAUSE THEY USED IT NOT ARIGHT, FEARING TO MAKE IT KNOWN. Of that Name which wrought so many miracles (Isa_30:27) nothing remainsbut four letters without any certain meaning, or any possible use. But the Name in which we trust can never be lost, because it is preached unto every creature under heaven, (Act_17:3 Php_2:10) and its sweetness is everywhere diffused. (Son_1:3) And so it is with all which that name means to us we keep for ourselves exactly in proportion as we do not keep it to ourselves.
HOMILIES BY W. BINNIE Vers. 22-27. The benediction.
So far as I have observed, the blessing of the people has less consideration bestowed upon it than any other of the stated ordinances of Divine service. It is seldom made the subject of discourse from the pulpit; divines seldom treat of it in their books; there is reason to fear that it seldom gets its due place in the minds and hearts of the people. The Benediction occurs in Scripture in several forms. Of these, two are in most frequent use in our Churches: the "Apostolic benediction" in 2Co_13:14, and the "Aaronic benediction" in the text. Properly these are not two benedictions, but only two forms of one and the same. The benefits expressed are, in substance, the same. The principal difference is that the thrice-holy Name, and the benefits of God"s salvation, are declared more plainly and articulately in the later than they could well be in the earlier form. There is nothing expressed in the apostolic benediction which was not implied in the Aaronic. "What mean ye by this service?" When our children ask this question, what are we to reply?
I IT IS A PROCLAMATION OF THE NAME OF GOD. In blessing the people Aaron was to "put the name of the Lord upon the children of Israel" (verse 27), thus constituting them his witnesses. Compare Mic_4:5. This design is plain in the case of the apostolic form. Every time that form is used in the Church, it is as much as to say, Let all men know that the Name called upon in this place is the name of the Father Almighty, and of Jesus Christ his only-begotten Son, and of the Holy Ghost. The older form fulfilled the same purpose for the older time. There lurked in it a suggestion of the Trinity, to be brought to light in due time; and for the time then present, it loudly proclaimed at once the Unity and the personality of God a proclamation sorely needing to be repeated in our time also. There is a philosophy walking abroad, which invites us to substitute for the living God, whose name is Love, an impersonal "tendency that makes for righteousness." It is the old Pagan substitution of nature for God. In opposition to it and to all similar error, the Aaronic benediction is a standing witness, that the God in whom all things live and move and subsist, is the LORD, a personal God, who can think upon us, and be gracious to us.
II A DECLARATION OF THE BENEFITS GOD HAS LAID UP FOR THEM THAT SEEK HIM. If you would understand its true intention, you must bear in mind that the benediction is not spoken to men indiscriminately. It is for the Israel of God; for those on whom Christ"s name is called, and who walk in his name. It is a solemn and authoritative declaration of the relation which subsists between him and them; and of the benefits flowing therefrom.
1. "The Lord bless thee, and keep thee, q.d. The Lord is the keeper of Israel. He will care for thee. He will keep thy land and thine house; he will preserve thy going out and coming in, and will guard thy life; he will keep thy soul. He will deliver thy soul from death, thy feet from falling, thine eyes from tears. Compare Psalm 121, where the Church, opening its heart and drinking in the benediction, turns it into a song, "Jehovah Shomer.
2. "The Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee;" q.d. There is grace in God"s heart for thee. He has given proof of this timeswithout number. To many a man stained with sin and utterly cast down, be has said, Live; has taken him by the hand, and brought him near, and made him glad with his loving countenance. The best commentary on this, also, is to be found in the Psalms. A glance at the references in the margin will show that the benediction and especially this particular member of it was welcomed in many hearts in Israel, and was responded to with peculiar ardour. From it the Church borrows the refrain of the eightieth psalm (verses 3, 7, 19). Peculiar interest attaches to the form which the Church"s response takes in Psa 67: "God... bless us, and cause his face to shine upon us; that thy way may be known on earth, thy saving health among all nations: "q.d. Not for our own sakes alone do we beseech thee to make us glad with thy face, but that we, being sanctified and gladdened, may bear thy name to the nations who know thee not.
3. The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. Take this member and the foregoing, and what do they amount to but this, "Grace be to you, and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ". (Rom_1:7 1Co_1:3, etc. etc.) There is a look of God which fills with dismay, and makes men call to the mountains to hide them from his presence. But there is a look of God which fills the soul with peace. The Lord can, with a glance of his eye, say to the soul, "I am thy salvation:" he can so lift up his countenance upon us as to give us rest.
III A CALLING DOWN OF GOD"S BLESSING ON THOSE WHO SEEK HIM. A Benediction is a Beatitude. It is also a Prayer. But it is more than either or both of these. To speak of the latter only, every benediction is a prayer, but every prayer is not a benediction. Into a benediction there enters an element of authority not found in every prayer. Joseph"s sons may very well have prayed for Jacob; but we cannot fancy the lads putting their hands on the head of the venerable patriarch and blessing him. "Without all contradiction, the less is blessed of the better". (Heb_7:7) The case of Jacob may remind us, that it was not the priests only who blessed the congregation. Moses did it; David and Solomon did it; any aged saint may bless his younger brethren. So, also, the minister of the gospel, when the Lord calls him to preside in public worship, may bless the people in the name of the Lord, in the assured hope that the Lord will indeed bless them, and keep them, and give them his grace and peace. B.
HOMILIES BY E.S. PROUT Vers. 22-27. The priestly blessing.
I CERTAIN NOTEWORTHY POINTS IN REGARD TO THIS BLESSING.
1. One of the special duties of the priests was to be the medium of blessing. (Deu_21:5) The priests had much to do with slaughter and sacrifice; here we have a pleasant view of one of their higher functions. Yet to enter heartily into this duty required an elevation of character which the mechanical duties of the altar did not call for. Every servant of God who is faithful in that which is least may find opportunities for higher spiritual services. (Mat_13:12 Mat_25:29)
2. The triple repetition of the name Jehovah was supposed by the Jews themselves to contain some mystery. At any rate it suggested that as there was in God an infinity of holiness that no one term could express, (Isa_6:3) so God has for his people a fullness of blessing beyond what any single utterance of his favour would have suggested. (cf. Exo_33:19 Exo_34:6, 7 Isa_63:7 Eph_2:4-10) To us the mystery is further revealed by the doctrine of the Trinity. For it is to be noted that in the New Testament that doctrine is always presented in some practical aspect, often in connection with privileges conferred by the triune "God of our salvation". (e.g. Joh_14:16, 17 2Co_13:14 Eph_2:18, etc.)
3. The Divine blessing, though uttered on the nation, was designed for each individual. The "thee" brings the blessing home to each house and heart. God, who has blessings full enough for the whole world, has an appropriate benediction for the neediest of his children. (Psa_40:17) The sunlight is for the sake of the tiniest insect and seed- ling as well as for the whole human race; and God"s blessing is for the sick child in the cottage as much as for "the holy Church throughout all the world". (Psa_25:10 Rom_8:28)
4. This priestly benediction supplied or suggested the sub- stance of many prayers and benedictions in later days. Echoes of it are heard repeatedly in the Book of Psalms. (e.g., Psa_4:6 Psa_29:11 Psa_31:16 Psa_67:1 Psa_80:3 Ps 121 Ps 134) As God"s mercies are from everlasting to everlasting, and are "new every morning," so God"s words of benediction are like germs of beauty and fruitfulness, reproducing themselves from generation to generation in new and precious forms. "The form of sound words" may be a valuable heritage in the Church of God.
II THE PARTICULARS OF THE BLESSING. Each clause of the triple blessing contains a promise from God. Combining these, we find that the blessing includes these three favours: protection (verse 24), pardon (verse 25), peace (verse 26).
1. Pro tection. "The blessing of God," says Calvin, "is the goodness of God in action, by which a supply of all good pours down to us from his favour, as from its only fountain." We can confidently commend ourselves, and all who are the "blessed of the Lord," to his keeping, both in regard to spiritual preservation (1Th_5:23, 1Th_5:24) and temporal deliverances. (Psa_91:11 Isa_27:3) Because our High Priest has offered the prayer, (Joh_17:11) we may utter the doxology. (2Ti_4:18 Jud_1:24, 25)
2. Pardon (verse 25). The face of the Lord represents the aspect which God bears towards man, whether of sunshine and favour (Psa_21:6 Psa_34:15 Psa_119:135 Dan_9:17) or cloud and wrath. (Exo_14:24 Psa_34:16 Lev_17:10 Lev_20:3) The shining of God"s countenance is an assurance that God will be gracious; its shining upon "thee" a pledge that we have received the grace and pardon we need. (Psa_31:16 Psa_80:3) The little child feels the difference between the shining and the averted face of the mother, and the Christian cries, Psa_143:3, Psa_143:7. If God grants us to hear "the joyful sound" of forgiveness, we "walk all day long in the light of his countenance.
3. Peace (verse 26). The lifting up of God"s countenance may suggest his active intervention to secure to us the blessing of peace. Illustrate, sun rising on the world, "with healing in its wings." Such looks from God will compensate for earthly privations, (Psa_4:6, Psa_4:7) and the expectation of them may sustain us in the night of trouble. (Psa_42:5) The Christian"s peace is "the peace of God," "my peace," communicated by Divine power to the soul. (Joh_14:27 Joh_15:11 Php_4:6, 7) These prayers of blessing remind us that all the relations of life may be thus sanctified, and our warmest wishes breathed forth in the form of prayers: e.g., pastor for flock; (Eph_6:23, 24 2Th_3:16) Christian for fellow-worshipper; (Psa_118:26 Psa_134:3) master for servants; (Rth_2:4 2Sa_6:18 2Sa_6:20) friend for correspondent. (2Ti_4:22) But our words of blessing avail not unless God adds his "Amen," as he promises in verse 27. Our benediction, whether of men or God, is only in words; God"s blessing is in deeds. His blessing when pledged cannot be reversed. (Gen_22:15-18 Num_23:19, Num_23:20) Spiritual blessings are part of the new covenant, which by faith we may enjoy for ourselves and invoke on others. P. (Eph_1:1-3, Eph_1:15-19)
HOMILIES BY D. YOUNG Vers. 22-26. The benediction through the priests.
A beautiful and touching benediction, and more beautiful for the place in which we come upon it. It is found in the midst of stern commandments and restrictions, minute specifications of duty, dreadful punishments for disobedience and rebellion. How clearly it thus shows that all Jehovah was requiring and doing was for the people"s good. Note
I THE VERBAL CHANNEL OF THIS BENEDICTION. Spoken through Aaron and his sons. It became an office of the priest as much as were any of the sacrifices. He was not only the way from men to God, but very tenderly from God to men. It was not a blessing to each tribe to be pronounced by its head, nor for each household to be spoken by the father, though doubtless in many families it was repeated, explained, and impressed. Aaron was the great official mediator between God and the people. Doubtless this benediction was to form a part in all solemn approaches of the priest to the people. It would come to them when in the discharge of sacred duties, at times of holy festival and Divine forgiveness. Others might utter idle, powerless good wishes, sinking with oft petition into mere politeness. The priest"s words official, solemn, spoken from the tabernacle. Thus they expressed the permanent good will of God, in spite of all negligence and forgetfulness towards him. We have a better Aaron, seeing perfection was not by the Levitical priesthood. The life and work of Jesus give one long and various utterance of this benediction. He the Minister of the sanctuary and true tabernacle which the Lord pitched, and not man. God"s good will to the true Israel is expressed in no doubtful, grudging way in Jesus. All that Aaron said to the people in respect of temporal blessings, Jesus says to the spiritual seed of Abraham in respect of spiritual blessings.
II THE ELEMENTS OF THE BENEDICTION.
1. As to the attitude of God.
(1) He blesses, which we may take to mean an expression of his favourable disposition, in the most general sense of the term. "Let it be an understood thing, O Israel, that God favours you." In the eyes not only of Israelites, but of other nations, it was a serious thing to be under the favour or frown of Deity. Favour meant the best of good, frown the worst of evil. Balak thought all his ends would be served if he could get Balaam only to curse the Israelites. Thus there would come on them in some mysterious but certain way an irresistible blight.
(2) He makes his face to shine. The sun may and does bless even when not shining, but shining it speaks for itself. The Lord is a sun as well as a shield, a sight that is sweet, and a pleasant thing for the eyes to behold. The face of Jesus shone as the sun upon the mount of transfiguration.
(3) He lifts up his countenance. What expressiveness there is in the face! The language of men s tongues was confounded at Babel, but the language of the countenance all Babel"s confusion could not touch. The language of the face needs no interpreter. When we see the face of a fellow-man shining, and his countenance lifted on us, then we know he will help us if he can. Just so sure were the Israelites to be of God"s interest in them. No intermediate voice was needed to maintain the reality of his good will. And we.are to behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus. "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father." And he who has seen Jesus knows all the grace in those features, how his countenance is ever lifted on the unstable, wandering children of men.
2. As to the communications which God makes.
(1) He keeps his people. Security the first of blessings to those who have much to lose. The rich man had increase of goods, and built bigger barns, but the barns could not keep him against death. Perhaps it is worthy of note that in Matthew 6 is the warning to keep our treasures in heaven. Not until we come to Matthew 13 is the pearl of great price set before us. Insecurity was the mark of Eden. God"s face shone, his countenance was lifted up on Adam and Eve, but he warned them there was danger in the midst of all their blessings. Perfect security belongs to the New Jerusalem. He who crept into Eden can never be found where entereth nothing that defileth or maketh a lie.
(2) He is gracious to them. He heaps on them tokens of his favour, just as one friend heaps presents on another. If we see one person enjoying a great number of gifts from another, we judge that he is regarded with special interest. There are gifts to the evil and the good, the common attendants of nature, but there are special gifts for God"s own people. Saved from Egypt, they might have been turned loose in the wilderness, but instead they were guided through into the promised land.
(3) He gives peace. His lifted countenance and benignant eye speak reconciliation so soon as the atonement is offered and the fruits meet for repentance brought forth. If his people are at peace with him, in hearty and diligent obedience, what matter all other foes? God"s benediction then, thus considered, appears suitable to man"s needs, and perfectly definite. Our trust and expectation should agree with what is a benediction to us through Christ, as much as it was to the Israelites through Aaron. Y.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On vv23, 27 On this wise ye shall bless the children of…
Num_6:23-26
On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel.
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The threefold blessing
1. Open the hand wide. The Father comes to fill it. The Lord bless thee, and keep thee.
(1) When? Now and ever, when you go out, come in, sit down, rise up, through all your living space, and when the last breath flutters on your lips.
(2) Where? In every place in which you tarry, or to which you move; in the closet, at the domestic board, at home, abroad, in still retreat, and in the busiest haunts, in the publicity of open work, and in the sanctity of holiest spots.
(3) How? By causing all things to minister to your true good, by crowning yore lot with all real happiness.
2. Jesus comes next. The Lord make His face shine upon thee, &c. The greatest change on natures brow is when light dawns. Gloom dwells beneath the pall of night. It is so with the soul. Sad are the hours which are not bright with Jesus. Then sins affright, and wrath dismays, and all the future is despair. This blessing promises the shining of His face, not a brief ray, but the full blaze of concentrated love. The Lord make His face shine upon thee. Here, too, a precious pearl is added. It is grace. The words proceed, and be gracious unto thee. What wonders are wrapt up in grace I Its birth is in the heavens, its fruit upon the earth. It looks on those in whom no merit dwells.
3. The blessing voice still speaks. The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, &c. Can they who have received so much need more? But more is wondrously given. The truly blest have all the blessings of a Triune Jehovah. Hence the Spirits favour is moreover pledged. Seek Christ, abide in Him, make Him your all, then will this threefold blessing be your crown. (Dean Law.)
The priestly blessing
I. The divine direction. The command to pronounce the blessing may be regarded as an assurance that, when it was pronounced, the blessing itself would be given.
II. The divine benediction.
1. The significant form of the benediction.
(1) The triple use of the sacred Name is significant.
(2) The use of the singular number in reference to the subject of the blessing is significant.
2. The Divine fulness of the benediction. As the threefold repetition of a word or sentence serves to express the thought as strongly as possible (cf: Jer_7:4; Jer_22:29)
, the triple blessing expressed in the most unconditional manner the thought that God would bestow upon His congregation the whole fulness of the blessing enfolded in His Divine Being which was manifested as Jehovah. The blessing includes--
(1) The preservation of God. The Lord bless thee, and keep thee. Danger is implied. We are weak, inexperienced, prone to sin, exposed to temptation. What subtlety can surprise God who is infinite in intelligence? What strength can stand against Omnipotence?
(2) The favour of God. The Lord make His face shine, &c. When the Divine face is dark with frowns, distress and death ensue; when it is bright with favours, life and joy flow to man. They perish at the rebuke of Thy countenance.
4. Cause Thy face to shine, and we shall be saved. There seems to be an allusion to the shining of the sun. It gives life, light, heat, beauty, power, joy.
(3) The peace of God. The Lord lift up His countenance, &c. Shalom--peace, the sum of all the good which God sets, prepares, or establishes for His people. Peace, including all that good which goes to make up a complete happiness. This great blessing is viewed as flowing from the gracious regard of God for man. Pardon, preservation, peace, an unspeakable wealth of blessing flows to man from the sovereign favour of our gracious God.
III. The divine ratification. And they shall put My name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them. The benediction was not to be the mere utterance of a pious wish; but God would give effect to it. A Divine blessing goes along with Divine institutions, and puts virtue and efficacy into them. God will certainly bless His own ordinances unto all those who believe. (W. Jones.)
The priestly blessing:
I. The priests, among other good offices they were to do, are appointed solemnly to bless the people in the name of the lord. Hereby God put an honour upon the priest, for the less is blessed of the better; and hereby He gave great comfort and satisfaction to the people, who looked upon the priest as Gods mouth to them. Though the priest of himself could do no more but beg a blessing, yet being an intercessor by office, and doing that in His name who commands the blessing, the prayer carried with it a promise, and he pronounced it as one having authority, with his hands lifted up and his face towards the people.
1. This was a type of Christs errand into the world, which was to bless us (Act_3:26) as the High Priest of our profession. The last thing He did on earth was with uplifted hands to bless His disciples (Luk_24:50-51). 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 that in 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.
2. It was a pattern to gospel-ministers, the masters of assemblies, who are in like manner to dismiss their solemn assemblies with a blessing. The same that are Gods mouth to His people to teach and command them, are His mouth likewise to bless them; and they that receive the law shall receive the blessing.
II. A form of blessing is here prescribed them. In other of their devotions no form is prescribed; but this being Gods command of the blessing, that it might not look like anything of their own He puts the very words into their mouths (Num_6:24-26). Where observe--
1. That the blessing is commanded upon each particular person: The Lord bless thee. They must each of them prepare themselves to receive the blessing, and then they should find enough in it to make them every man happy (Deu_28:3). If we take the law to ourselves, we may take the blessing to ourselves, as if our names were inserted.
2. That the name Jehovah is three times repeated in it, and (as the critics observe) each with a different accent in the original. The Jews themselves think there is some mystery. And we know what it is, the New Testament having explained it (2Co_13:14).
3. That the favour of God is all in all in this blessing, for that it is the fountain of all good.
(1) The Lord bless thee. Our blessing God is only our speaking well of Him, His blessing us is doing well for us; those whom He blesseth they are blessed indeed.
(2) The Lord make His face shine upon thee. Alluding to the shining of the sun upon the earth, to enlighten and comfort it, and to renew the face of it. The Lord love thee, and make thee know that He loves thee. We cannot but be happy if we have Gods love, and we cannot but be easy if we know that we have it.
(3) The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee. This is to the same purpose with the former, and it seems to allude to the smiles of a father upon his child, or of a man upon his friend whom he takes pleasure in. If God gives us the assurances of His special favour, and His acceptance of us, that will put gladness into the heart (Psa_4:7-8).
4. That the fruits of this favour conveyed by this blessing are protection, pardon, and peace.
(1) Protection from evil (Num_6:24). The Lord keep thee, for it is He that keepeth Israel, and neither slumbers nor sleeps (Psa_121:4), and all believers are kept by the power of God.
(2) Pardon of sin (Num_6:25). The Lord be gracious or merciful unto thee.
(3) Peace (Num_6:26), including all that good which goes to make up a complete happiness.
(4) God here promiseth to ratify and confirm the blessing (Num_6:27). They shall put My name upon the children of Israel. God gives them leave to make use of His name in blessing the people, and to bless them as His people called by His name. This included all the blessings they could pronounce upon them, to, mark them for Gods peculiar, the people of His choice and love. Gods name upon them was their honour, their comfort, their safety, their plea: we are called by Thy name, leave us not. It is added, and I will bless them. A Divine blessing goes along with Divine institutions, and puts virtue and efficacy into them. What Christ saith of the peace is true of the blessing. When Gods ministers pronounce the blessing, Peace be to this congregation, if the sons of peace and heirs of blessing be there, the peace, the blessing shall rest upon them (Luk_10:5-6). For in every place where God doth record His name, He will meet His people and bless them. (Matthew Henry, D. D.)
The blessing of the high priest:
I. The general character of this blessing.
1. It was a blessing given through a priest. Christ, as the great High Priest who offered Himself without spot unto God, is the Divine channel of blessing. Do we know the Lords Anointed?
2. This benediction is of the nature of intercession. Never forget that Christ made intercession for the transgressors. He has, moreover, a special pleading for believers (Joh_17:9).
3. This benediction is yet of a higher order than intercession. Here is not only faith pleating, but faith receiving and bestowing. The priest speaks the blessing: for which he asks.
4. This blessing is sure. Christ is commissioned of the Father, and anointed of the Spirit, as the ambassador of peace.
5. It is continuous. God blesses ever; curses never.
II. The blessing itself.
1. It passes from the priest to God. The Lord bless thee. What a blessing the Lord gives! Have we not heard a mother say to her little child, Bless you ? What a wealth of meaning she threw into it. But when God says, Bless you! there are infinity and immutability in it. There can be no limit to the goodwill of the infinite God.
2. Notice that the name of the Lord, or Jehovah, is three times mentioned. Here we hear the voice of One, yet Three.
3. Notice that this benediction is all along in the singular. Why? Because the people of God are one, and He views them as one, and so the blessing comes upon the entire Church as a whole. But, next, I think it is that every individual believer may take the whole of this benediction home to himself.
III. The divine amen. Here is the authority repeated by way of confirmation of what has been said. They shall put My name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them. The priest does his part, and then the Lord makes the blessing effectual. Herein is condescension on Gods part, and honour and security for us. When the Lords name is named upon anything He will guard His own dedicated things. The name of the Lord is a strong tower, and within it we are safe. I think I see here a confirmation of those blessings which are pronounced by good men. They shall put My name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them. I loved to have my grandfathers blessing when I was preaching the Word in early days. He has now gone into the glory; but he blessed me, and none can take away the name of God from me. Most of you will remember the blessings of good men who are now gone to glory; and God confirms those blessings. He allows His people, whom He has made priests and kings unto God, to put His name upon others, and to pronounce blessings upon them. Their word shall stand, and what they bind on earth shall be bound in heaven. And then comes, best of all, the blessing of our God most surely promised. I will bless them; they shall have their troubles, but I will bless them through their troubles. When they have earthly goods I will bless them and make them real comforts. I will bless their basket and their store. If those earthly comforts arc taken away I will give them compensation a thousandfold in myself. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Israel blest and kept:
1. The blessing was put into the mouth of Aaron the high priest, in this as in other points a type and figure of the Lord Jesus Christ. But Aaron could only pronounce the blessing; Jesus gives it.
2. Observe how, by implication, the doctrine of the Trinity is here set forth.
I. The Lord bless thee. The blessings meant would seem to be chiefly spiritual. Not that we are to think lightly of temporal favours. They are left-hand blessings, if not right-hand mercies; they are gifts to be thankful for on earth, if not graces that take to heaven; provision for the perishing body, if not food for the immortal soul. Health, strength, such a measure of worldly goods as shall keep the wolf from the door and enable us to owe no man anything but love, children growing up to be a comfort to their parents, a kind and affectionate partner, warm and faithful friends, an untarnished name, who shall say that these are not blessings for which God is to be praised? And yet how infinitely short do these temporal blessings, which perish in the using, fall of spiritual blessings which endure for evermore.
1. Godly fear in the heart--that fountain of life by which an awakened sinner departs from the snares of death--is not that of all blessings first and foremost because the beginning of wisdom? It is a fountain of life, and, like a river, is only increased and deepened by successive additions of grace. If we have not the beginning we can have neither the middle nor end.
2. But is not faith a blessing too? And who know faith to be a blessing? Those who are deeply exercised and tried by an unbelieving heart.
3. And is not hope a blessing too?
4. Love.
5. Patience.
6. Testimonies of Gods mercy and grace to the soul.
7. Is not the rod often a blessing?
II. and keep thee. Blessing first and keeping afterwards. The blessing given, and then, when given, the blessing kept. The letter written, and then sealed; the jewel put into the casket, and then the casket locked. The Lord keep thee. We cannot keep ourselves.
1. I need hardly observe that the first and foremost is to be kept from positive evil. The Lord asked of the Father for His disciples, I pray not that Thou shouldst take them out of the world--no; let them suffer there as I have suffered before--but keep them from the evil. And this will be first and foremost in the petitions of every child of God who knows his own evil heart and has suffered from its weakness and treachery, that the Lord will keep him from open evil, that he may bring no distress and guilt upon his own conscience, or reproach upon the cause of God.
2. Error.
3. A spirit of delusion.
III. the lord make his face shine upon thee.
1. The allusion here seems to be to the sun. Sometimes the natural sun has not risen, and the world must needs be dark if the sun be still beneath the horizon. So with many gracious souls, it is darkness with them because at present neither the Day-star has appeared nor the Sun of Righteousness risen upon them with healing in His wings. But sometimes after the sun has risen we see not his face; dark clouds may obscure the face of that bright luminary throughout the whole day, and we may not get a single ray. So, many of the Lords family, after the Sun has risen upon them in the morning of their spiritual life may pass perhaps much of their subsequent time in the dark shadow, till perhaps at evening tide there is light, and a departing ray gilds the dying pillow. But, again, there are sometimes days when mists drive rapidly across the face of the bright orb of day, and yet occasionally he peeps through the breaking clouds. And is not this, in some measure, an emblem of tile way in which the Sun of Righteousness is continually obscured by the mists and fogs which spring up out of our unbelieving heart, hidden from view by the doubts and fears that, like the vapours of the valley, spread themselves to our view over His beauteous face? Yet there are time, when He gleams through the clouds and disperses the mists. When the Lord is pleased to bless the soul and shine upon it with any sweet manifestation, then He breaks in through the dark clouds; but they gather again. It is not in Christian experience one bright summer day. Our spiritual climate is humid, our inward latitude northern.
2. The Lord make His face shine upon thee. Is the Lord, then, sovereign in these matters? Can we not lift up our hand and remove the cloud? We have as much power to stretch forth our hand and sweep away the mists that obscure the Sun of Righteousness, as we have power with the same hand to sweep away a London fog. How this puts the creature into his right place I and the creature is only in his right place when he is nothing, and God is all in all.
3. The Lord make His face shine upon thee. And if He make His face shine upon thee, He will make thy face shine too.
IV. and be gracious unto thee. How sweet the gospel is! But what makes the gospel sweet? That one word which sheds a perfume through the whole--grace. Take grace out of the gospel and you destroy the gospel. Grace pervades every part and every branch of the blessed gospel; it is the life of the gospel; in a word, it is the gospel itself.
V. the lord lift up his countenance upon thee. The meaning of this expression may, I think, be illustrated by a simple figure. A child has been disobedient to, or otherwise displeased its parent. When we offend a person, his face is not toward us as at other times. It was so with Laban towards Jacob; and if we have in any way incurred a friends or superiors displeasure we watch instinctively his countenance. Is it down or up? Does it wear a frown or a smile? Is it looking upon us with the eye of affection, or are the eyes averted? We can tell in a moment if we know the countenance. Thus is the blessing asked, The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, as a kind and affectionate parent upon an obedient child.
VI. and give thee peace. Oh what a blessing! It is this that makes the pillow easy in life, and will alone make that pillow easy in death--peace with God through Jesus Christ, the peace of God which passeth all understanding. The blessing that the gracious soul most earnestly covets is peace; for this is the sweetest honey-drop in Gods cup. It is true that it does not make the heart overflow like joy, nor to dance with exultation like the first beaming in of the rays of hope, nor melt it down like visits of love; but it is in some respects sweeter than all, because it so settles down the soul into sweet assurance; it is the realisation of the Saviour Himself, for He is our peace, and may thus be called the crowning blessing. But see how the links of this Divine chain meet. The Lord bless thee--link the first; and keep thee--link the second; the Lord make His face shine upon thee--the third; and be gracious unto thee--the fourth; the Lord lift up His countenance upon thee--the fifth; and give thee peace--the sixth. Six blessed links, and all united into one continuous chain; for when the Lord begins to bless, He ends with peace. We need wish no greater nor pray for a higher blessing than peace, for God has none greater to give. When a father dies he leaves his children all his goods. Jesus, before He died, said, Peace I leave with you; My peace give I unto you; not as the world giveth give I unto you. It was His last legacy; His dying gift; in His own eyes of the greatest value, and it should be such in ours. (J. C. Philpot.)
The pastors wish and prayer:
I. Let us reflect on the nature and extent of the blessings here involved.
1. Divine benediction. In a world in which everything is rather semblance than reality, how delightful the thought that there is One--the Uncreated and Unconditional, the Ever-present and Ever-true, who is not more able than He is willing to overtake all the conditions of our being, and to do for us exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think! Our weakness can never fall to a depth lower than His power can reach. Our necessities can never exceed His resources. Our difficulties can never be so involved but that His wisdom can direct us. Our sorrows can never be so acute, or so accumulated, but His Spirit can assuage and relieve us.
2. Divine preservation. Not only the Lord bless thee, but keep thee. The consciousness that with a finite and dependent nature we are in a world of temptation, must ever render acceptable and blessed the help of another mightier and more able.
3. Divine illumination. The Lord make His face to shine upon thee. The reference here is doubtless to that mysterious symbol of His presence which God vouchsafed to His ancient Church, as the outward and visible expression of His favour and love. We rise from the material into the spiritual, and repose in the promise of that inward light which is ever streaming from the Spirit through the truth to guide and cheer arid render certain the steps of the wanderer across the desert of life.
4. Divine communication. The Lord be gracious unto thee. The grace of God is but another expression for His infinite and exhaustless bounty. The highest conception which we can form of the Divine benevolence is derived from the work of human redemption. Herein is love. In no other act of His administration is it so conspicuous or so glorious. Salvation is grace running out into infinite and everlasting kindness. And what are all the communications of spiritual blessing to the soul but the love of God ever repeating itself, and assuring us that the treasures of eternity are unlocked to supply our need?
5. Divine manifestation. The Lord lift up the light of His countenance upon thee. What will heaven be but this perfected and perpetuated in the immediate presence of God?
6. Divine satisfaction. The Lord give thee peace. It is a question in mechanics whether there be such a thing as a body in a state of perfect rest. We confess ourselves to be in a position not to solve the problem. Of this however we are certain, that in the spiritual world there is a centre of eternal repose on which the whole universe may rest for ever. The soul of man is torn and distracted with unfulfilled desires; and possess what he may, while one single longing is left unsatisfied the perfection of inward quiet and peace is impossible. This can only come with that completeness of life which is enjoyed in God.
II. Let us inquire into the ever-living and unchangeable source of such inestimable blessing. The incommunicable name Jehovah, here translated Lord, includes within itself every possible perfection and excellence. It not only points to the sum of being, but to the fountain of blessedness. His eternity we place in opposition to all that is temporary; His immutability in opposition to all that is changing; His immortality in opposition to whatever has in it the seeds of decay and death; His all-sufficiency and infinite felicity in opposition to all that is inadequate and unsatisfying. (R. Ferguson, LL. D.)
A comprehensive benediction:
What does this prayer not include? What a richness and plenitude of Divine mercy does it bring into view? It expresses as perfectly as any human words can express, the immense and infinite good which can he found in God, as the Root of all being and the Fountain of all happiness. What more could we ask on your behalf than that you may individually be the chosen objects of the unchangeable love and fatherly care of Him, who, while He has the weight of all worlds upon His arm, yet stoops to feed the ravens when they cry; who, amid the government of worlds, is not unmindful of individuals, and who, while He is guiding the stars in their course, is at the same moment numbering the very hairs of your heads? What more can we ask for you, than that He who never sleeps, and whose eyelids never slumber, whose power fainteth not, and who is ever travelling forth in the greatness of His strength mighty to save, may watch over you and preserve you, give you more than the warriors shield of triple brass, and bruise every enemy under your feet? What more can we now ask for you than that He, who ever lives and moves in the light of His own eternity, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the deeper and ever growing knowledge of Himself, fill your soul with the everlasting beamings of truth, cause the sunshine of His presence to break through every cloud, and falling softly on your steps, make your path like that of the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day? What more can we ask for you, than that He whose eternal love prompted Him to provide for the redemption of our race, may unlock the treasures of His mercy, and bless you with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places, may grant you according to the riches of His grace, and, adding to the plenitude of His grace the riches of His glory, thus fill you unto His own fulness? What more can we ask for you, than that He whose name is the Lord--the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, slow to anger, abundant in goodness and in truth--while He conceals the intenser glory of His nature, would ever manifest Himself unto you, take you into deeper communion with His Spirit, open up heaven to your view, and fill your vision with the glories of immortality? What more can we ask for you, than that He who is the only centre of rest for His dependent universe, may take from your nature every unholy and disturbing element, and give you that peace which passeth all understanding, sanctify you in soul, body, and spirit, and lift you above the din and distraction of this noisy and conflicting world, introduce you into the deep quiet of His own Infinite Being, and fill you with the joy which is unspeakable? What more can we ask for you, than that this goodness and mercy may follow you all the days of your life, and that when you enter the dark valley which separates the silence of eternity from the murmurs of time, you may be conscious of the immediate presence of the glorified Redeemer, and dropping the worn-out garment of the flesh, take your place reclothed and immortal, before the throne of God? (R. Ferguson, LL. D.)
The golden blessing
I. The golden blessing was given through a mediator. The Lord spake to Aaron through Moses. Jesus Christ is our Mediator, through whom all spiritual blessings are given.
II. The blessing was given by priestly lips. It was Aaron, and his sons, who were to bless the children of Israel. God spake to Moses, Moses to Aaron, Aaron to the people. Jesus Christ is both Mediator and Priest. He is a mediatorial Priest, and a priestly Mediator. There is no blessing apart from the true priesthood and sacrifice.
III. This threefold blessing tells of a trinity in unity, and a unity in trinity. Faith believes it, but reason cannot understand it.
IV. IN this benediction we have the earnest of all spiritual blessings. What a fulness there is!
V. The blessing was for all Israel. On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel. It was a common blessing for all the tribes. It is a blessing for those who are rejoicing, and for those who are sorrowing; for those who are praying, and for those who are praising. It is a blessing for the young, and for the old; for those who labour, and for those who suffer. It is a blessing for the living, if for them to live is Christ; for the dying, if they die in the Lord.
VI. It is a blessing secured by purpose, purchase, and power. I will bless them. Satan, and all our enemies, will be constrained to confess, He hath blessed and I cannot reverse it. (R. E. Sears.)
The Divine blessing and keeping:
What a joy to abide under the Divine blessing! This puts a gracious flavour into all things. If we are blessed, then all our possessions and enjoyments are blessed; yea, our losses and crosses, and even our disappointments. Gods blessing is deep, emphatic, effectual. A mans blessing may begin and end in words, but the blessing of the Lord makes rich and sanctifies. The best wish we can have for our dearest friend is not, May prosperity attend thee, but, The Lord bless thee. It is equally a delightful thing to be kept of God; kept by Him, kept near Him, kept in Him. They are kept, indeed, whom God keeps; they are preserved from evil, they are reserved unto boundless happiness. Gods keeping goes with His blessing, to establish it and cause it to endure. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Gods favour the comfort of the soul
It is Gods presence which constitutes the saints morning. As the stars may impart some light and yet the brightness of all combined cannot form the light of day, but when the sun appears there is day forthwith, so God may make some comfort arise to a soul from secondary and inferior means; but it is He Himself alone who, by the shining of His face and the smiles of His countenance, causes morning. (T. Burroughs.)
Brightness to be renewed:
A friend of mine has some diamonds. He tells me that if he sets these diamonds out in the strong sunlight for a time, and then removes them into a dark room, they will shine brilliantly even amidst the darkness. But after a little while this brilliance becomes dim, and finally goes out altogether. The precious stones must be taken into the sunshine again if they are to be seen in the gloom. And is not this a parable of the life of Christians? God calls them His jewels; and if their Divine lustre is to be seen amidst the darkness of the world, they must often seek to look upon the face of the Sun of Righteousness. If they are careless about this their brightness will soon grow dim; but if they are faithful that brightness shall be constantly renewed. (Christian Commonwealth.)
Buoyant in the favour of God
As--in some summers morning, which wakes with a ring of birds, when it is clear, leagues up into the blue, and everything is as distinctly cut as if it stood in heaven, and not on earth, when the distant mountains lie bold upon the horizon, and the air is full of the fragrance of flowers which the night cradled--the traveller goes forth with buoyant and elastic step upon his journey, and halts not till in the twilight shadows he reaches his goal, so may we, who are but pilgrims, go forth beneath the smile of God, upon our homeward journey. (H. W. Beecher.)
Peace with God:
I reverence hundreds and hundreds of men who dont hold my opinion; but when I lie dying I dont want their speculations to rest upon. I want that Book for a pillow, for that Book rests on the nature of things. That is the only honest Book in the world. That tells me what I am; that tells me how to get into the mood of peace with God; that is what I wanted on a cold winters night as I rolled forty feet down a precipice, expecting instant death; and if that is what I wanted then, its what I want any time, isnt it? What is true in our highest moments is true in all moments. And what we see only by flashes is true the whole day long, the whole year long, life through, eternity through. If there is any certainty, it is certainty for all time and places. Now it is certain that when I lie dying I want that Book for a pillow, and, among other things in a pillow, I want a certainty that I have attained similarity of feeling with God, and love what He loves, and hate what He hates. That will be enough to give me peace. What! What! I am depending on my own righteousness when I make this my pillow! I beg your pardon, that is not what I say. If my life is to be my pillow, I must put my whole life into the pillow. There would be more than one thorn in the pillow if I were to put my whole life in it. Is there anybody here who can put his whole life in his pillow and rest in peace? You are going to depend on your own righteousness? Put your whole life into the pillow, and then put your head on it, and it will not be the softest kind of a support for a dying hour. You may do as you please, but I, for one, feel very sure I am going hence, that I want to go hence in peace, that I cannot go in peace unless I love what God loves, and hate what God hates. (Joseph Cook.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain On v22 The Form of Public Blessing
The Form of Public Blessing
v. 22. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
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v. 23. Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, especially at the time of dismissal at the end of worship, Lev 9:22, saying unto them,
v. 24. The Lord bless thee and keep thee. This first strophe of the blessing forms the general foundation of the entire benediction, of the whole salvation brought to men by revelation. The blessing of Jehovah should be upon them, give to them all prosperity in material and spiritual things in full and rich measure. This includes that He will turn aside every curse, ward off every adversity from those that are His. The providence of God, both in granting blessings and in hindering misfortunes, is thus invoked.
v. 25. The Lord make His face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee. While the face of Jehovah is terrible upon those that oppose Him and strikes down His enemies with the rays of His glory, it is full of the richest and warmest sunlight of salvation to those that turn to Him in faith, Psa 27:1; Psa 43:3; Psa 44:4. But the greatest beauty of this light consists in the fact that it throws rays of mercy into the heart that sighs for mercy and forgiveness. It is the grace of God in the redemption of Jesus Christ that blots out all guilt.
v. 26. The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee and give thee peace. From the position of being raised up above the believer and shedding forth the rays of His merciful blessing, the warmth of the love of God sinks down upon the sinner and penetrates his entire being with its miraculous power. The aim of this work on the part of Jehovah is to give to the believer His peace, His salvation. The children of God should have the full assurance that all strife is now a thing of the past, that they are forever rescued out of all the distress and curse of sin and its consequences. The threefold blessing reminds us of the Trinity of the Godhead and of the threefold form of the work of God’s goodness and mercy in dealing with His children. There can be no doubt, therefore, that we are justified in finding here a statement of the Trinity of God.
v. 27. And they shall put My name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them. The blessing, as spoken by the priest, was not a mere pious wish, but it actually transmitted the divine power of blessing to the people. Every Israelite that believed these words as pronounced upon him went to his home with the blessing of the Lord resting upon him. To this day the members of the congregation are dismissed with the words of this blessing, and should take home with them the merciful goodness of the Triune God, especially the assurance of the forgiveness of their sins.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv22, 25 You must bless the people of Israel
You must bless the people of Israel
"You" is plural. (See: Forms of You)
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May Yahweh bless you and keep you
Here "you" is singular. (See: Forms of You)
keep you
This is an idiom. Here "keep" means to "protect." (See: Idiom)
translationWords
Moses
Aaron
son
bless
Israel
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv22, 24, 25, 26, 27 6:22-27 The priestly benediction is related to the overall…
6:22-27 The priestly benediction is related to the overall theme of worship and purity in chs 5–6. This is a prayer on behalf of the people as the priests sought God’s blessings for Israel. Since the priest represented God, such prayer was part of the priestly duty (cp. Lev 9:23; Deut 10:8). This prayer is not unlike Jesus’ high priestly prayer in John 17.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.