The Lord said to Moses: 23 Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them: This is how you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them:
24 The Lord bless you and keep you!
25 The Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you!
26 The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace!
27 So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them.
The threefold repetition of "the LORD" emphasizes the personal nature of God's blessing, reinforcing the covenant relationship (cf. Ex 34:6-7). Many Church Fathers and theologians have also seen in this threefold invocation a foreshadowing of the Trinity, whose fullness is revealed in Christ (cf. 2 Cor 13:13). The phrase “let his face shine upon you” reflects divine favor, similar to how God's presence was symbolized in the cloud and fire over the Tabernacle (Ex 40:34-38). The final petition for peace (shalom) refers not just to the absence of conflict but to complete harmony with God and creation.
The blessing concludes with God's promise: "So shall they put my name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them" (v. 27). To bear God's name is to live in His presence and receive His divine protection (cf. Dt. 28:10, Rev 22:4). This priestly blessing foreshadows the ultimate blessing in Christ, through whom God's name is revealed definitively (Jn. 17:6).
This passage finds a profound parallel in Luke 24:50-53, where Jesus, acting as the High Priest, blesses His disciples before ascending into heaven. Just as Aaron and his sons invoked God's name upon Israel, Jesus extends His hands in blessing, signaling the fulfillment of God's covenant promise. The disciples respond with joy and worship, reflecting the peace (shalom) Jesus bestows (cf. Jn 20:19, 26).
The ultimate fulfillment of the priestly blessing is in Christ, who "became a minister of the sanctuary" (Heb. 8:2) and "always lives to make intercession" (Heb 7:25). Through Him, God's grace and peace are given fully to believers (Eph. 1:3, 2 Cor. 13:13).
The priestly blessing prefigures the work of Christ as the eternal High Priest (Heb. 4:14-16). The invocation of God's name over His people finds its highest realization in Jesus, whose name means "God saves" (Mt. 1:21, Acts 4:12). The peace and protection invoked in Numbers 6 are fully granted through Christ’s atoning sacrifice (Col. 1:19-20, Rom. 5:1).
During Lent, Christians seek God's blessing through repentance and purification, longing for His face to shine upon them. The themes of divine grace, mercy, and peace in Numbers 6 resonate with the Lenten call to conversion. Just as the Israelites depended on God's blessing for spiritual and physical sustenance, the faithful rely on Christ, who gives the ultimate blessing of reconciliation and peace through His Passion (2 Cor. 5:18-21).
Thus, the priestly blessing in Numbers 6 is a foretaste of the grace given in Christ, culminating in the eternal blessing of His Kingdom (Rev. 22:3-5).
Almighty God, shine Your face upon us through Your Son, Jesus Christ. May His hands, raised in blessing, bring us peace, and may His presence guide us to eternal joy. As we walk in faith, fill us with Your grace, so that we may share Your light. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Sources
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: The Pentateuch. Four Courts Press, 2017
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
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