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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Numbers 6:23 "Tell Aaron and his sons: This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/numbers/6-23.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/new9.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><meta property="og:image" content="https://biblehub.com/visuals/15/04_Num_06_23.jpg" /><meta property="og:title" content="Numbers 6:23 - Aaron's Blessing" /><meta property="og:site_name" content="Bible Hub" /><meta property="og:description" content="Tell Aaron and his sons: This is how you are to bless the Israelites. 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Say to them:<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nlt/numbers/6.htm">New Living Translation</a></span><br />“Tell Aaron and his sons to bless the people of Israel with this special blessing:<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/esv/numbers/6.htm">English Standard Version</a></span><br />“Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/bsb/numbers/6.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a></span><br />“Tell Aaron and his sons: This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/kjv/numbers/6.htm">King James Bible</a></span><br />Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nkjv/numbers/6.htm">New King James Version</a></span><br />“Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them:<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb_/numbers/6.htm">New American Standard Bible</a></span><br />“Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘In this way you shall bless the sons of Israel. You are to say to them:<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb/numbers/6.htm">NASB 1995</a></span><br />&#8220Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, &#8216Thus you shall bless the sons of Israel. You shall say to them:<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb77/numbers/6.htm">NASB 1977 </a></span><br />“Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘Thus you shall bless the sons of Israel. You shall say to them:<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsb/numbers/6.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a></span><br />“Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘Thus you shall bless the sons of Israel. You shall say to them:<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/amp/numbers/6.htm">Amplified Bible</a></span><br />“Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the way you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them:<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/csb/numbers/6.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />“Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. You should say to them,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hcsb/numbers/6.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />Tell Aaron and his sons how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/asv/numbers/6.htm">American Standard Version</a></span><br />Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel: ye shall say unto them,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cev/numbers/6.htm">Contemporary English Version</a></span><br />"When Aaron and his sons bless the people of Israel, they must say: <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/erv/numbers/6.htm">English Revised Version</a></span><br />Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel; ye shall say unto them,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gwt/numbers/6.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a></span><br />"Tell Aaron and his sons, 'This is how you will bless the Israelites. Say to them:<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gnt/numbers/6.htm">Good News Translation</a></span><br />to tell Aaron and his sons to use the following words in blessing the people of Israel: <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/isv/numbers/6.htm">International Standard Version</a></span><br />"Teach Aaron and his sons to bless the Israelis:<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/msb/numbers/6.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a></span><br />?Tell Aaron and his sons: This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/net/numbers/6.htm">NET Bible</a></span><br />"Tell Aaron and his sons, 'This is the way you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nheb/numbers/6.htm">New Heart English Bible</a></span><br />"Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, 'This is how you shall bless the children of Israel.' You shall tell them,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wbt/numbers/6.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a></span><br />Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying to them,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/web/numbers/6.htm">World English Bible</a></span><br />“Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘This is how you shall bless the children of Israel.’ You shall tell them, <div class="vheading2"><b>Literal Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsv/numbers/6.htm">Literal Standard Version</a></span><br />“Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, Thus you bless the sons of Israel, saying to them:<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/ylt/numbers/6.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a></span><br /> 'Speak unto Aaron, and unto his sons, saying, Thus ye do bless the sons of Israel, saying to them,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/slt/numbers/6.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a></span><br />Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, So shall ye praise the sons of Israel, saying to them,<div class="vheading2"><b>Catholic Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/drb/numbers/6.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a></span><br />Say to Aaron and his sons: Thus shall you bless the children of Israel, and you shall say to them: <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cpdv/numbers/6.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a></span><br />“Say to Aaron and his sons: Thus shall you bless the sons of Israel, and you shall say to them:<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nabre/numbers/6.htm">New American Bible</a></span><br />Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them: This is how you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them: <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nrsvce/numbers/6.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a></span><br />Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the Israelites: You shall say to them,<div class="vheading2"><b>Translations from Aramaic</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lamsa/numbers/6.htm">Lamsa Bible</a></span><br />Speak to Aaron and to his sons and say to them, Thus you shall bless the children of Israel, saying to them,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hpbt/numbers/6.htm">Peshitta Holy Bible Translated</a></span><br />“Speak with Ahron and with his sons and say to them: ‘In this way you shall bless the children of Israel: say to them.<div class="vheading2"><b>OT Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/jps/numbers/6.htm">JPS Tanakh 1917</a></span><br />Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying: On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel; ye shall say unto them:<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/sep/numbers/6.htm">Brenton Septuagint Translation</a></span><br />Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, Thus ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying to them,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/parallel/numbers/6-23.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></span></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv"><b>Audio Bible</b></div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yauBFvKLNNo?start=1988" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="vheadingv"><b>Context</b></div><span class="hdg"><a href="/bsb/numbers/6.htm">Aaron's Blessing</a></span><br><span class="reftext">22</span>Then the LORD said to Moses, <span class="reftext">23</span><span class="highl"><a href="/hebrew/1696.htm" title="1696: dab·bêr (V-Piel-Imp-ms) -- To speak. A primitive root; perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively, to speak; rarely to subdue.">“Tell</a> <a href="/hebrew/413.htm" title="413: ’el- (Prep) -- To, into, towards. "></a> <a href="/hebrew/175.htm" title="175: ’a·hă·rōn (N-proper-ms) -- An elder brother of Moses. Of uncertain derivation; Aharon, the brother of Moses.">Aaron</a> <a href="/hebrew/413.htm" title="413: wə·’el- (Conj-w:: Prep) -- To, into, towards. "></a> <a href="/hebrew/1121.htm" title="1121: bā·nāw (N-mpc:: 3ms) -- Son. From banah; a son, in the widest sense (like 'ab, 'ach, etc.).">and his sons:</a> <a href="/hebrew/559.htm" title="559: lê·mōr (Prep-l:: V-Qal-Inf) -- To utter, say. A primitive root; to say."></a> <a href="/hebrew/3541.htm" title="3541: kōh (Adv) -- Thus, here. From the prefix k and huw'; properly, like this, i.e. By implication, thus; also here; or now."></a> <a href="/hebrew/1288.htm" title="1288: ṯə·ḇā·ră·ḵū (V-Piel-Imperf-2mp) -- To kneel, bless. A primitive root; to kneel; by implication to bless God, and man; also to curse.">This is how you are to bless</a> <a href="/hebrew/853.htm" title="853: ’eṯ- (DirObjM) -- Apparent contracted from 'owth in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self."></a> <a href="/hebrew/1121.htm" title="1121: bə·nê (N-mpc) -- Son. From banah; a son, in the widest sense (like 'ab, 'ach, etc.).">the Israelites.</a> <a href="/hebrew/3478.htm" title="3478: yiś·rā·’êl (N-proper-ms) -- From sarah and 'el; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also of his posterity."></a> <a href="/hebrew/559.htm" title="559: ’ā·mō·wr (V-Qal-InfAbs) -- To utter, say. A primitive root; to say.">Say</a> <a href="/hebrew/lā·hem (Prep:: 3mp) -- ">to them:</a> </span><span class="reftext">24</span>‘May the LORD bless you and keep you;…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><span class="crossverse"><a href="/leviticus/9-22.htm">Leviticus 9:22</a></span><br />Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them. And having made the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offering, he stepped down.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/psalms/67-1.htm">Psalm 67:1</a></span><br />For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments. A Psalm. A song. May God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us, Selah<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/psalms/121-7.htm">Psalm 121:7-8</a></span><br />The LORD will guard you from all evil; He will preserve your soul. / The LORD will watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/psalms/134-3.htm">Psalm 134:3</a></span><br />May the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth, bless you from Zion.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/psalms/29-11.htm">Psalm 29:11</a></span><br />The LORD gives His people strength; the LORD blesses His people with peace.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/deuteronomy/10-8.htm">Deuteronomy 10:8</a></span><br />At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to serve Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name, as they do to this day.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_chronicles/23-13.htm">1 Chronicles 23:13</a></span><br />The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron and his descendants were set apart forever to consecrate the most holy things, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister before Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name forever.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/2_chronicles/30-27.htm">2 Chronicles 30:27</a></span><br />Then the priests and the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard their voice, and their prayer came into His holy dwelling place in heaven.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/genesis/14-19.htm">Genesis 14:19-20</a></span><br />and he blessed Abram and said: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, / and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_kings/8-55.htm">1 Kings 8:55-56</a></span><br />And he stood and blessed the whole assembly of Israel in a loud voice, saying: / “Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel according to all that He promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises He made through His servant Moses.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/hebrews/7-7.htm">Hebrews 7:7</a></span><br />And indisputably, the lesser is blessed by the greater.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/luke/24-50.htm">Luke 24:50-51</a></span><br />When Jesus had led them out as far as Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them. / While He was blessing them, He left them and was carried up into heaven.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ephesians/1-3.htm">Ephesians 1:3</a></span><br />Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_peter/3-9.htm">1 Peter 3:9</a></span><br />Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/romans/15-29.htm">Romans 15:29</a></span><br />I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.</div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div><p class="tsk2">Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, On this wise you shall bless the children of Israel, saying to them,</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/genesis/14-19.htm">Genesis 14:19,20</a></b></br> And he blessed him, and said, Blessed <i>be</i> Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: … </p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/genesis/24-60.htm">Genesis 24:60</a></b></br> And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou <i>art</i> our sister, be thou <i>the mother</i> of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/genesis/27-27.htm">Genesis 27:27-29</a></b></br> And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son <i>is</i> as the smell of a field which the LORD hath blessed: … </p><div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/numbers/4-46.htm">Aaron</a> <a href="/leviticus/9-23.htm">Bless</a> <a href="/leviticus/25-21.htm">Blessing</a> <a href="/numbers/6-2.htm">Children</a> <a href="/numbers/6-2.htm">Israel</a> <a href="/numbers/6-2.htm">Israelites</a> <a href="/numbers/6-2.htm">Speak</a> <a href="/numbers/4-32.htm">Used</a> <a href="/leviticus/27-19.htm">Wise</a> <a href="/leviticus/24-23.htm">Words</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/numbers/7-8.htm">Aaron</a> <a href="/numbers/6-24.htm">Bless</a> <a href="/numbers/6-24.htm">Blessing</a> <a href="/numbers/6-27.htm">Children</a> <a href="/numbers/6-27.htm">Israel</a> <a href="/numbers/6-27.htm">Israelites</a> <a href="/numbers/7-89.htm">Speak</a> <a href="/numbers/7-5.htm">Used</a> <a href="/numbers/14-23.htm">Wise</a> <a href="/numbers/11-24.htm">Words</a><div class="vheading2">Numbers 6</div><span class="reftext">1. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/numbers/6-1.htm">The law of the Nazarite in the days of his separation</a></span><br><span class="reftext">13. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/numbers/6-13.htm">And after their completion</a></span><br><span class="reftext">22. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/numbers/6-22.htm">The form of blessing the people</a></span><br></div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; 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Aaron, the brother of Moses, was appointed as the first high priest, and his descendants were given the responsibility of performing sacred duties. This priestly role is significant in maintaining the spiritual well-being of the Israelites and mediating between God and His people. The priesthood is a type of Christ, who is our ultimate High Priest, as described in <a href="/hebrews/4-14.htm">Hebrews 4:14-16</a>.<p><b>This is how you are to bless the Israelites:</b><br>The blessing is a formal pronouncement of God's favor and protection over the people of Israel. It underscores the covenant relationship between God and the Israelites, where God promises to be their God and they are to be His people. The act of blessing is not just a wish for well-being but an invocation of divine favor, reflecting the deep connection between God and His chosen nation. This blessing is a precursor to the New Testament understanding of blessings in Christ, as seen in <a href="/ephesians/1-3.htm">Ephesians 1:3</a>.<p><b>Say to them:</b><br>The instruction to "say" indicates the importance of spoken words in conveying God's promises and blessings. In the ancient Near Eastern context, spoken words held power and authority, and this is reflected in the biblical narrative where God's word is creative and effective (<a href="/genesis/1-3.htm">Genesis 1:3</a>). The spoken blessing is a means of imparting God's grace and peace to the people, and it foreshadows the power of the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ, who speaks life and truth into the world (<a href="/john/1-14.htm">John 1:14</a>).<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <b><a href="/topical/a/aaron.htm">Aaron</a></b><br>The brother of Moses and the first high priest of Israel. He was chosen by God to lead the priestly duties and to bless the people.<br><br>2. <b><a href="/topical/a/aaron's_sons.htm">Aaron's Sons</a></b><br>The descendants of Aaron who were appointed as priests to serve in the tabernacle and later in the temple, continuing the priestly lineage.<br><br>3. <b><a href="/topical/t/the_israelites.htm">The Israelites</a></b><br>The chosen people of God, descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who were delivered from slavery in Egypt and were journeying to the Promised Land.<br><br>4. <b><a href="/topical/t/the_priestly_blessing.htm">The Priestly Blessing</a></b><br>A specific blessing given by God to be pronounced over the Israelites, signifying His favor and protection.<br><br>5. <b><a href="/topical/t/the_tabernacle.htm">The Tabernacle</a></b><br>The portable dwelling place for the divine presence among the Israelites during their journey in the wilderness.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><b><a href="/topical/t/the_role_of_the_priesthood.htm">The Role of the Priesthood</a></b><br>The priesthood was established by God to mediate between Him and His people. Aaron and his sons were given the authority to pronounce blessings, signifying the importance of spiritual leadership.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/the_power_of_blessing.htm">The Power of Blessing</a></b><br>The act of blessing is a powerful declaration of God's favor and protection. It is a reminder of God's covenant with His people and His desire to see them prosper.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/g/god's_desire_for_relationship.htm">God's Desire for Relationship</a></b><br>The priestly blessing underscores God's desire to be in a relationship with His people, offering them peace and grace. It is a call to live in a way that reflects His holiness.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/c/continuity_of_blessing_in_christ.htm">Continuity of Blessing in Christ</a></b><br>As believers in Christ, we are part of a royal priesthood (<a href="/1_peter/2-9.htm">1 Peter 2:9</a>). We are called to bless others and to be conduits of God's grace and peace in the world.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/p/practical_application_of_blessing.htm">Practical Application of Blessing</a></b><br>In our daily lives, we can practice the act of blessing by speaking words of encouragement, praying for others, and being a source of God's love and peace in our communities.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_numbers_6.htm">Top 10 Lessons from Numbers 6</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_is_the_aaronic_blessing.htm">What is the Aaronic Blessing?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/who_are_the_grigori_angels.htm">Who was Korah in the Bible?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/bible's_view_on_separation.htm">What does the Bible say about separation?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/who_were_priests_pre-tabernacle_and_post-temple.htm">Deuteronomy 26:3 mentions going to the priest; who fulfilled this role before the Tabernacle or after the Temple’s destruction, and does history support a continuous priestly lineage? </a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/numbers/6.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(23) <span class= "bld">On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel.</span>--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 <a href="/leviticus/9-22.htm" title="And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people, and blessed them, and came down from offering of the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and peace offerings.">Leviticus 9:22</a> of a blessing pronounced by Aaron upon the people, but no form of words is found there.<p><span class= "bld"><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/numbers/6.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 23.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">On this wise ye shall bless.</span> In <a href="/leviticus/9-22.htm">Leviticus 9:22</a> it is recorded that Aaron blessed the people, first by himself from the brazen altar of sacrifice, and afterwards in conjunction with Moses, when they came out of the tabernacle; and that he might so bless the people is mentioned as one object of his consecration (<a href="/deuteronomy/21-5.htm">Deuteronomy 21:5</a>; and cf. <a href="/1_chronicles/23-13.htm">1 Chronicles 23:13</a>). Blessing in or with the name of the Supreme Being was an important part of all primitive religion, as appears from the case of Melchizedec and Abraham, of Isaac and his sons, of Jacob and Pharaoh. And this act of blessing was far from being a mere expression of good will, or from being a simple prayer; for" without all contradiction the less is blessed of the greater" (<a href="/hebrews/7-7.htm">Hebrews 7:7</a>), <span class="accented">i.e.</span>, the blessing must be given by one who stands nearer to God to one who stands less near. The name of God could not be used in blessing save by one who had some right to such use of it, whether as prophet, as priest, or as patriarch. For that name in which the blessing was given <span class="accented">was</span> not inoperative, but was mighty with untold spiritual efficacy where rightly used as the name of blessing. To Aaron and to his sons was now confided this use of the Divine name, that all Israel might know and might hear in their appointed words the voice of God himself. <span class="cmt_word">Saying</span> <span class="cmt_word">unto them.</span> The benediction here appointed consists of three clauses, each complete in itself, and each consisting of two members, the second of which seems to present the application and result in experience of the grace besought in the first. Both, therefore, in its form and its contents this benediction is one of the most profound and most fruitful of the Divine oracles; and this indeed we might have expected, because (if we may venture to say so) God is never so entirely and absolutely himself as in blessing. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/commentaries/numbers/6-23.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a></span><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Hebrew</div><span class="word">“Tell</span><br /><span class="heb">דַּבֵּ֤ר</span> <span class="translit">(dab·bêr)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_1696.htm">Strong's 1696: </a> </span><span class="str2">To arrange, to speak, to subdue</span><br /><br /><span class="word">Aaron</span><br /><span class="heb">אַהֲרֹן֙</span> <span class="translit">(’a·hă·rōn)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - proper - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_175.htm">Strong's 175: </a> </span><span class="str2">Aaron -- an elder brother of Moses</span><br /><br /><span class="word">and his sons:</span><br /><span class="heb">בָּנָ֣יו</span> <span class="translit">(bā·nāw)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_1121.htm">Strong's 1121: </a> </span><span class="str2">A son</span><br /><br /><span class="word">This is how you are to bless</span><br /><span class="heb">תְבָרֲכ֖וּ</span> <span class="translit">(ṯə·ḇā·ră·ḵū)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_1288.htm">Strong's 1288: </a> </span><span class="str2">To kneel, to bless God, man, to curse</span><br /><br /><span class="word">the Israelites.</span><br /><span class="heb">בְּנֵ֣י</span> <span class="translit">(bə·nê)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine plural construct<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_1121.htm">Strong's 1121: </a> </span><span class="str2">A son</span><br /><br /><span class="word">Say to them:</span><br /><span class="heb">לֵאמֹ֔ר</span> <span class="translit">(lê·mōr)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_559.htm">Strong's 559: </a> </span><span class="str2">To utter, say</span><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/numbers/6-23.htm">Numbers 6:23 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/numbers/6-23.htm">Numbers 6:23 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/numbers/6-23.htm">Numbers 6:23 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/numbers/6-23.htm">Numbers 6:23 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/numbers/6-23.htm">Numbers 6:23 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="//bibleapps.com/numbers/6-23.htm">Numbers 6:23 BibleApps.com</a><br /><a href="//bibliaparalela.com/numbers/6-23.htm">Numbers 6:23 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="//holybible.com.cn/numbers/6-23.htm">Numbers 6:23 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="//saintebible.com/numbers/6-23.htm">Numbers 6:23 French Bible</a><br /><a href="/catholic/numbers/6-23.htm">Numbers 6:23 Catholic Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/numbers/6-23.htm">OT Law: Numbers 6:23 Speak to Aaron and to his sons (Nu Num.) </a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/numbers/6-22.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Numbers 6:22"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Numbers 6:22" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/numbers/6-24.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Numbers 6:24"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Numbers 6:24" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>