Numbers 6:24-26 (KJV) is the priestly blessing God gave Aaron: "The LORD bless thee, and keep thee," "The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee," and "The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace." It asks for God's protection, His favor and grace, and His peace, and verse 27 says that by it God puts His name on His people.
Numbers 6:24-26 may be the oldest blessing still spoken in churches and synagogues every week. God gave it to Moses for Aaron and his sons, the priests of Israel, to speak over the people. It has three lines, and each line names the LORD, which many Christians see as a quiet hint of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Archaeologists found these words on two tiny silver scrolls at Ketef Hinnom near Jerusalem, dated to about 600 BC, which makes them among the oldest surviving texts from the Bible. Today the blessing is used at the end of worship services, at weddings, baptisms, graduations and birthdays, and many parents speak it over their children at bedtime. Below is the full passage in the King James Version, Numbers 6:22-27, with notes on each line, then verses showing how priests blessed the people and how the blessing's words echo through the Psalms and the Gospels. Searchers often look for this passage in the NKJV; the King James text is given here, and the wording is nearly the same. For more blessings, see Bible verses about blessing.
Numbers 6:22-26 (KJV): the blessing itself
1. Numbers 6:22-23
"And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them,"
The blessing begins with God, not Aaron: And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel. On this wise means in this way. God wrote the words Himself and told the priests exactly how to bless His people. That means the blessing is not a wish. It is God telling us what He wants to do for us.
2. Numbers 6:24
"The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:"
The first line has two parts: The LORD bless thee, and keep thee. To bless is to give good, to make life fruitful. To keep is to guard and protect, the same idea as "The LORD is thy keeper" (Psalm 121:5). Notice that thee is singular. The blessing was spoken over the whole nation, but it addresses each person individually. God does not bless a crowd and forget the faces in it.
3. Numbers 6:25
"The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:"
The second line: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee. A shining face is a smiling face, the look of a father delighted with his child. When God's face shines on you, you are in His favor. Gracious means He gives kindness you did not earn. In the New Testament, that grace is seen most clearly in Jesus, who is "full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).
4. Numbers 6:26
"The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace."
The third line: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. Countenance means face again. To lift up your face toward someone is to give them your full attention. The blessing ends in peace, the Hebrew word shalom, which means far more than the absence of conflict. It means wholeness and well-being in every part of life. The blessing moves from protection, to favor, to complete peace.
Priests who blessed the people
5. Numbers 6:27
"And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them."
God explains what happens when the priests speak the blessing: And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them. The priests speak, but God does the blessing. To put God's name on someone is to mark them as His own. When a pastor speaks this benediction at the end of a service, or a parent speaks it over a child, they are reminding God's people whose name they carry.
6. Leviticus 9:22
"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."
We see the first time Aaron blessed the people: 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. Blessing came after sacrifice. The order matters: God's people could receive His blessing because their sin had been dealt with. Christians see the same order in Christ, whose sacrifice opens the way to God's blessing.
7. Deuteronomy 10:8
"At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day."
Blessing the people was one of the main duties of the tribe of Levi: the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day. Carrying the ark, serving God and blessing people all belonged together. In the New Testament, Peter calls all believers "a royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:9), so every Christian can bless others in God's name.
8. Deuteronomy 21:5
"And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for them the LORD thy God hath chosen to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of the LORD; and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried:"
This verse repeats the priests' calling: for them the LORD thy God hath chosen to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of the LORD. Blessing in God's name is not magic words. It is speaking on God's behalf what He has promised. That is why the priestly blessing is so often spoken at the end of worship: God's people leave with His words ringing in their ears.
The blessing echoed in Scripture
9. Psalms 4:6
"There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us."
David borrowed the blessing's language in a prayer: There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. When people around him were discouraged, he asked for exactly what Numbers 6:26 promised. You can do the same. When you wonder where good will come from, pray the blessing back to God and ask Him to lift up His face on you.
10. Psalms 119:135
"Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes."
Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes. This psalm turns the blessing into a personal prayer, and adds something: teach me. God's shining face and God's Word go together. His favor is not only a feeling. It leads us into His ways. This is a good verse to pray before you open your Bible in the morning.
11. Ruth 2:4
"And, behold, Boaz came from Beth-lehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee."
In the book of Ruth, blessing was part of everyday life: Boaz came from Beth-lehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee. A farmer greeted his workers with a blessing, and they blessed him back. Numbers 6:24 is not only for church services. It can shape how we greet coworkers, neighbors and family.
12. Luke 24:50
"And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them."
The last thing Jesus did on earth before He ascended was to bless His disciples: he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. Lifting up hands was the posture of the priestly blessing (Leviticus 9:22). Jesus, our great High Priest, left His people with a blessing. As Christians speak Numbers 6:24-26 today, they echo His raised hands.
A short prayer
LORD, bless us and keep us. Make Your face shine upon us and be gracious unto us. Lift up Your countenance upon us and give us peace. Put Your name upon our family, our church and every person we love, and help us to carry it well. Thank You that in Jesus we are blessed, kept and at peace with You. Teach us to bless others in Your name, at home, at work and wherever we go. Amen.
Go deeper: a SOAP study prompt
Pick one verse above and write: - Scripture: copy the verse by hand. - Observation: what does it say? Who is speaking, to whom? - Application: what does it mean for you today? - Prayer: turn it into a two-line prayer.
New to this method? See our Bible study guide or pick a Bible reading plan.
Print free Bible verse bookmarks with a blessing to share · Memorize the priestly blessing with the Scripture Memory Cards · Pray blessings over your family with the 30-Day Prayer Journal
Frequently asked questions
What does Numbers 6:24-26 mean?
Numbers 6:24-26 is a blessing God gave the priests to speak over Israel. It asks for three things: that the LORD would bless and keep (protect) His people, that He would look on them with favor and grace and that He would turn His face toward them and give them peace. Verse 27 says that through it God puts His name on His people. See also Bible verses about peace.
What is the difference between Numbers 6:24-26 KJV and NKJV?
The two are almost the same. The KJV says "The LORD bless thee, and keep thee," while the NKJV updates thee to you. The NKJV also keeps the word countenance in verse 26. Many people search for the NKJV because it is common in churches, but the meaning is identical. This site uses the King James Version, which is public domain in the United States.
Where is the priestly blessing used today?
It is used at the end of church services as a benediction, at weddings, baptisms, graduations and funerals and in Jewish synagogue worship. Many parents speak it over their children at bedtime. It also makes a good birthday or card blessing. See Bible verses about birthdays and praying for others.
Why does the priestly blessing say the LORD three times?
Each line begins with the LORD, God's covenant name, which stresses that every part of the blessing comes from Him. Many Christians also see a hint of the Trinity, with each line pointing to the Father who keeps, the Son whose face shows grace and the Spirit who gives peace. The text itself does not explain the three names, so hold that reading humbly. See the Trinity.
Sources: All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. References were checked against the KJV text from bible-api.com.
Related: Blessing · Peace · Praying for Others · Birthdays · Favor of God · Protection · Grace · Psalm 121 KJV
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