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Christmas Season · Solemnity of Mary: The Holy Mother of God · Year A

Numbers 6:22-27

The Priestly Blessing of Aaron

January 1, 2026

The High Priest Aaron, Spanish School
The High Priest Aaron, Spanish School, 17th centuryMuseo del Prado, Madrid
An anonymous Spanish painting of Aaron in full priestly dress: the breastplate with its twelve stones, the turban, the bells on the hem.The Lord bless you and keep you: Numbers 6 is the blessing Aaron was given to say, and this is the man dressed to say it.Spanish SchoolUnattributed; a Spanish painting of the seventeenth century whose author is not recorded.Museo del Prado, MadridSpain's national collection, formed from what the Spanish crown had bought over three centuries, which is why its Titians and Rubenses are unmatched.Museo del Prado, Madrid
Roman Lectionary
GospelLuke 2:16-21Lk 2:16-21
Second ReadingGal. 4:4-7Gal 4:4-7
First ReadingNum. 6:22-27Nm 6:22-27
Responsorial PsalmPs. 67:2-3, 5, 6+8 (2a)Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6+8 (2a)

Overview & Insights

“The LORD bless you and keep you.” (Numbers 6:24)

The blessing is set down at the end of the Nazirite legislation and given as words the priests are to place on the people, not as a prayer the people may compose for themselves. Its architecture is deliberate, three lines of three, five and seven words in Hebrew, each naming the Lord as subject, so that the blessing widens as it is spoken. The middle petition asks that his face shine, an idiom for royal favor, and the last asks for shalom, which here means wholeness rather than the absence of conflict. Verse 27 supplies the rationale: the priests put the divine name on the Israelites and God himself does the blessing. Two small silver amulets found at Ketef Hinnom outside Jerusalem carry a version of these lines and are among the oldest known copies of any biblical text.

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Take it further: Numbers 6:22-27

Commentary

Commentary on Numbers 6:22-27Commentary on Nm 6:22-27 Working Preacher

The RCL Name of Jesus commentary reading the Aaronic blessing toward the name placed on the people.

Numbers 6 Commentary: The Vow of a NaziriteNm 6 Commentary: The Vow of a Nazirite Enduring Word · David Guzik

David Guzik's verse-by-verse commentary including the priestly benediction in verses 22-27.

Numbers 6 CommentaryNm 6 Commentary Precept Austin

Detailed study notes and Hebrew word helps on the threefold blessing.

Numbers 6:22 CommentariesNm 6:22 Commentaries BibleHub

Compiled classic commentaries on the command to bless the people with God's name.

Background & Word Study

Numbers 6 | Sefaria LibraryNm 6 | Sefaria Library Sefaria

The Hebrew text of Birkat Kohanim with Jewish commentaries and translations.

Numbers 6:22 InterlinearNm 6:22 Interlinear BibleHub

Hebrew word-by-word interlinear of the priestly blessing.

Book of Numbers Summary | Watch an Overview VideoBook of Nm Summary | Watch an Overview Video BibleProject

An animated overview of the book's structure and its wilderness setting.

The Church Fathers

Numbers 6 - Catena Bible & CommentariesNm 6 - Catena Bible & Commentaries Catena

Patristic comments gathered verse by verse on the Aaronic blessing.

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