Seder 107: Numbers 6:22-27---Numerical Patterns and Pronoun Ambiguity in the Priestly Blessing

The literary beauty of the priestly blessing in Numbers 6:22-27 has often been observed.  In the three lines of the blessing, there are 

• three Hebrew words in line 1, five in line 2, and 7 in line 3;
• 12 syllables in line 1, 14 in line 2, and 16 in line 3;
• 15 consonants in line 1, 20 in line 2, 25 in line 3.

Commentator Michael Morales notes that three of the words in the blessing are the divine name.  There are 12 additional words, he says, "reflecting YHWH's presence among the twelve tribes of Israel."

This section concludes with a summary in verse 27:  "So shall they put my name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them."  In context, "they" in "so shall they" refers to Aaron and his sons, the priests.  In "I will bless them," the pronoun "them" could presumably refer to either the priests or the Israelites in general.  As Kyle Kettering pointed out in a sermon at Church of the Messiah on March 14, 2026, it is a great privilege to be used by God to bless others.