Bible HebrewThe Blessing Numbers 6:24–26
The priestly blessing: three lines that grow longer, full of “you” endings.
Numbers 6:24
יְבָרֶכְךָ יְהוָה וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ
Yəvārekhkhā yəḥawwe wəyishmərekhā
“May yəḥawwe bless you and keep you.”
Word by word
| Hebrew | Sounds | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| יְבָרֶכְךָ | yəvārekhkhā | may he bless you |
| יְהוָה | yəḥawwe | yəḥawwe |
| וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ | wəyishmərekhā | and may he keep you |
- יְבָרֶכְךָ: יְבָרֶכְךָ: a Piel imperfect of ברך, “bless”, + ־ְךָ “you”. Here the imperfect expresses a wish: “may he bless you” (see the Pronoun Endings lesson).
- וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ: וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ, “and may he keep you”: שׁמר with the same “you” ending, spelled ־ֶךָ.
- Whole verse: The “you” in this blessing is singular all the way through.
Numbers 6:25
יָאֵר יְהוָה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וִיחֻנֶּךָּ
Yāʾēr yəḥawwe pānāw ʾēlekhā wīḥunnekkā
“May yəḥawwe make his face shine toward you and be gracious to you.”
Word by word
| Hebrew | Sounds | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| יָאֵר | yāʾēr | may he make shine |
| יְהוָה | yəḥawwe | yəḥawwe |
| פָּנָיו | pānāw | his face |
| אֵלֶיךָ | ʾēlekhā | toward you |
| וִיחֻנֶּךָּ | wīḥunnekkā | and may he be gracious to you |
- יָאֵר: יָאֵר, “may he make shine”: a Hiphil (causative) of אוֹר, “light”, in a short form that expresses a wish.
- פָּנָיו: פָּנָיו, “his face”: פָּנִים, “face”, is always plural in form.
- וִיחֻנֶּךָּ: וִיחֻנֶּךָּ = וְ + a verb from חנן, “be gracious”, + ־ךָּ “you”.
Numbers 6:26
יִשָּׂא יְהוָה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם
Yiśśā yəḥawwe pānāw ʾēlekhā wəyāśēm ləkhā shālōm
“May yəḥawwe lift up his face toward you and give you peace.”
Word by word
| Hebrew | Sounds | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| יִשָּׂא | yiśśā | may he lift |
| יְהוָה | yəḥawwe | yəḥawwe |
| פָּנָיו | pānāw | his face |
| אֵלֶיךָ | ʾēlekhā | toward you |
| וְיָשֵׂם | wəyāśēm | and may he set |
| לְךָ | ləkhā | for you |
| שָׁלוֹם | shālōm | peace |
- יִשָּׂא: יִשָּׂא, “may he lift”, from the I-nun root נשׂא. The נ has assimilated into the doubled שּׂ (see the Weak Verbs lesson).
- וְיָשֵׂם: וְיָשֵׂם, “and may he set”, from the hollow root שׂים, “put, set”: “set peace for you”.
- שָׁלוֹם: שָׁלוֹם is more than the absence of war: wholeness, well-being, things as they should be.
← Samuel, SamuelShort Psalms →
Bible Hebrew teaches this with practice questions and reviews that come back right before you forget. The alphabet, the lessons, the vocabulary and the guided readings are recorded in the biblical pronunciation. Free, no ads, and it works offline.
Practice this lesson free