Dr. Noreen Jacks

May the Lord bless you, and keep you;

May the Lord make His face shine upon you.
And be gracious unto you;

May the Lord lift up His countenance on you,
And give you peace.  Num 6:24-28

May the Lord bless and keep you.

Bless:בָּרַךְ barak = “to kneel, praise, adore, congratulate” (like kneeling before your little children).

Keep:שָׁמַר shamar = “to guard, protect, observe, preserve, treasure”

This is a picture of a watchman or a fully-armed soldier guarding his post, defending it with his life. Shamar is related to the term shamiyr, meaning “thorn.” While out in the wilderness, the shepherds of Israel constructed a sheepfold of thorn bushes to protect their flocks from marauders and wild animals. “The Good Shepherd” is one of Yeshua’s many titles. Imagine the King of the Universe bowing before you, offering you the gift of Himself, the greatest of all blessings, while promising to protect you from all harm in the manner of a good shepherd.

May the Lord make His faceshine upon you.

Face:פָּנִים panim = “presence”

Shine:אוֹר ‘owr= “to shine brightly, to illuminate”

The brilliant countenance of Almighty God is shining on you today.

And be gracious to you.

Gracious:chanan חָנַן= “favor, mercy”   

Everyone needs the unmerited favor, grace, and mercy of Almighty God.

May the Lord lift up His countenance on you.

Countenance: פָּנִיםpanim= “face, presence” 

The term panim is used twice in this brief passage. Repetition is a typical, Hebraic literary device used to denote emphasis. God wants you to fully comprehend the essence of His promises, which are conditional upon obedience to His Word.

And give you peace.

Shalom:שָׁלוֹם = “heavenly peace,” the peace of Christ that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7)

Shalom is much more than the absence of war. Heavenly shalom invokes well-being of body, mind, soul, and spirit, as well as good health and welfare. It speaks of security, rest, tranquility, contentedness, and the complete absence of stress or agitation. One of Yeshua’s many Hebrew titles is Sar Shalom, meaning “Prince of Peace.”

Now with this Hebraic understanding in mind, read and meditate on the Aaronic Blessing:

May the Lord bless you, and keep you;

May the Lord make His face shine upon you.
And be gracious unto you;

May the Lord lift up His countenance on you,
And give you peace.  Num 6:24-28

I hope you are able to picture the Lord God Almighty kneeling before you, offering you His many blessings: His brilliant presence, the light of His Word, the pleasure of His fellowship, His continual protection as your personal guardian, and His priceless heavenly peace. Now picture yourself praying this blessing from God’s Word over your loved ones. They will be blessed, indeed, and so will you!