The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26
This is one of the most well-known and significant blessings found in the Bible. It’s often referred to as the Priestly Blessing or the Aaronic Blessing. The meaning of Numbers 6:24-26 has profound truth and a timeless blessing that still has application today.
This poetic passage reveals God’s heart for us. And leaning into this blessing can bring you comfort and give you hope.
The Context Of Numbers 6:24-26
In order to better understand the Numbers 6:24-26 meaning we first need to look at the context.
The original Hebrew title the Jews gave Numbers was Bemidbar, meaning “in the wilderness.” This is a fitting title since most of this book covers Israel’s 40 years of wandering in the desert. The book is a manual of sorts that deals with how Israel should conduct itself in their journey, how the priests were to function, and how they were to prepare for the conquest of Canaan.
As we get to Numbers 6 we see instructions being given to the Nazirites. These were people who voluntarily dedicated themselves to God for a specific period of time. They would make vows to abstain from certain activities such as consuming alcohol or cutting their hair.
In Numbers 6:22 we see Moses being instructed to tell Aaron, the High Priest, to bless the people using specific words given by God himself. The words that follow in Numbers 6:24-26 is this blessing and is appropriately called the “Priestly Blessing.”
The Meaning Of Numbers 6:24-26
This Priestly Blessing contains three lines that form a poetic structure. To help us better understand the meaning of Numbers 6:24-26 we are going to break this blessing down into three sections.
The Lord Bless You And Keep You Meaning
“The Lord bless you and keep you.” The opening line of this blessing shows God’s desire to bestow his blessings upon his people.
The word “bless” shows God’s desire to pour out his divine favor on his people. He not only wants to provide for their basic needs, but he wants to shower them with his goodness beyond measure. He is a good Father who wants to bless his children.
The word “keep” continues this idea showing how God provides for his people. This word embodies the idea of God’s protection. The Israelites were continually facing dangers and adversaries; this blessing shows that God will protect them from forces that seek to harm.
The Lord Make His Face Shine On You And Be Gracious To You Meaning
The image of God’s face shining upon someone paints a picture that signifies God’s divine favor. Like warm rays from the sun, God’s favor is shining upon his people.
When we read “the Lord make his face shine upon you” it shows God’s radiance warming our lives with love, grace, compassion, guidance, joy, and all other attributes that flow from him. Again, we see the abundance in which God blesses his people.
To “be gracious to you” shows that this isn’t something we deserve; rather it’s unmerited grace that God is giving us. Because God loves us, he gives us what we need and not what we deserve. That’s grace.
The Lord Turn His Face Toward You And Give You Peace Meaning
Not only does the Lord make his face shine upon us, but he also “turns his face toward you and give you peace.” This final line shows the intimacy between the Creator and humanity. To have God’s face turn toward you signifies undivided attention. This gives us assurance that when we pray God is listening.
This also symbolizes the reconciliation that we can have with God. Our sin separates us from a right relationship, but God will restore our relationship by taking on our sin.
Ultimately the promise of this verse is peace. A peace that surpasses understanding, a peace that we can have amid life’s storms because God is with us. He will turn his face toward us. This is a promise that is found all throughout the Bible, that peace is found in God.
How Numbers 6:24-26 Applies To Your Life
The meaning of Numbers 6:24-26 provides believers with a powerful reminder of God’s love, care, grace, favor, and peace that is available to all who seek him. It shows us that God’s desire isn’t to be distant, but rather he wants an intimate relationship with his creation. This passage provides encouragement for challenging times and brings comfort and hope.
I want to end by looking at four practical lessons this passage teaches us.
1. God Is The Source Of All Good Gifts
The world is full of empty promises. It promises happiness and joy, but it ends up robbing us of what it promised. In John 10:10 we read, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the fullest.”
Throughout the Bible we see this contrast; the thief, or the world, seeks to destroy. But God seeks to bless and bless abundantly. God is the only true source of good gifts. His blessings don’t rot, they don’t rob us, and they will not fade. He is the only place we can be satisfied.
2. God Will Protect You
Numbers 6:24-26 speaks to God’s divine protection. When this blessing was written the Israelites were facing threats from all over, and God promised that if they trusted him he would protect them.
The same is true for us today. Whether we realize it or not we are faced daily with threats, physical and spiritual. The promise is that God is on our side, and he is protecting us in ways that we can’t fully comprehend.
So, trust God. Even when it doesn’t make sense. He will protect you.
3. God Desires To Bless You
I often encounter this belief that God just wants to rule over his people, he only cares about us obeying him. And make no mistake, he is king, and he does desire our obedience. But he does so for our benefit.
God doesn’t give us rules to keep us from having fun; he gives us rules to protect us. Again, John 10:10 tells us that he came to give us life and life to the FULLEST. God desires to bless you, but that blessing can only be found in him.
4. Peace And Joy Is Possible
I know in this world it can seem like peace is impossible and joy is fleeting. But the Bible promises time and time again, that peace and joy are possible even in the middle of storms.
Still, many Christians fail to grab ahold of this because they are looking in the wrong places. We think peace and joy are found in the absence of storms, but the reality is they are found in the presence of Jesus. The Bible never promises us smooth sailing and an easy life. Instead, it promises that God will always be with us, and in him we can find peace.
Now check out: Peter Walks On Water (5 powerful lessons from Matthew 14:22-33)
BA in Biblical Studies - Ozark Christian College (2012)
MA in Theology - Regent University (2019)
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