So they shall put My name on the IsraelitesThis phrase refers to the priestly blessing given by Aaron and his sons to the people of Israel. The act of putting God's name on the Israelites signifies a special relationship and covenant between God and His chosen people. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, a name represented one's character and authority. By placing His name on the Israelites, God is marking them as His own, setting them apart from other nations. This act is a precursor to the New Testament concept of believers being sealed with the Holy Spirit (
Ephesians 1:13), indicating ownership and divine protection.
and I will bless them.
The promise of blessing is central to the covenant relationship between God and Israel. In the context ofNumbers 6, the blessing is not just material prosperity but encompasses peace, protection, and divine favor. This blessing is a fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham that through his descendants, all nations would be blessed (Genesis 12:3). The ultimate blessing is realized in Jesus Christ, who is the fulfillment of the law and the prophets, bringing spiritual blessings to all who believe (Ephesians 1:3). The assurance of God's blessing underscores His faithfulness and the unmerited favor bestowed upon His people.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
The IsraelitesThe chosen people of God, descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who were set apart to be a holy nation.
2.
Aaron and His SonsThe priests who were given the responsibility to bless the Israelites with the priestly blessing, which includes invoking God's name upon them.
3.
The TabernacleThe dwelling place of God among His people during their journey in the wilderness, where the priestly blessings were often pronounced.
4.
The Priestly BlessingA specific blessing given by God to be spoken by the priests over the people, found in
Numbers 6:24-26, culminating in verse 27.
5.
Yahweh (The LORD)The covenant name of God, representing His eternal presence and faithfulness to His people.
Teaching Points
The Power of God's NameGod's name represents His character, authority, and presence. When His name is placed upon His people, it signifies His ownership and blessing.
The Role of Priestly IntercessionThe priests acted as mediators between God and the people, highlighting the importance of intercession and the role of spiritual leaders in blessing others.
The Assurance of God's BlessingGod's promise to bless His people when His name is invoked assures believers of His faithfulness and the certainty of His blessings.
Identity and BelongingBeing marked by God's name gives believers a sense of identity and belonging, reminding them of their covenant relationship with Him.
Living Under God's BlessingAs recipients of God's name and blessing, believers are called to live in a way that reflects His character and brings glory to His name.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Numbers 6:27?
2.How does Numbers 6:27 emphasize God's authority in blessing His people?
3.What does "put My name on the Israelites" signify about God's relationship with them?
4.How can we apply the concept of God's blessing in our daily lives?
5.How does Numbers 6:27 connect with the Aaronic blessing in Numbers 6:24-26?
6.In what ways can we ensure we are living under God's blessing today?
7.What does Numbers 6:27 reveal about God's relationship with the Israelites?
8.How does Numbers 6:27 define the concept of divine blessing?
9.Why is the act of placing God's name significant in Numbers 6:27?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Numbers 6?
11.What is the Aaronic Blessing?
12.What is the purpose of a church benediction?
13.Is there any historical or archaeological evidence supporting the existence of Balaam and the events of Numbers 22?
14.Exodus 28:30: How reliable is the claim about the Urim and Thummim, given the lack of concrete archeological evidence or consistent references elsewhere?What Does Numbers 6:27 Mean
So they shall• “They” refers to Aaron and his sons—God-appointed priests commissioned to speak His blessing (Numbers 6:22-23;Deuteronomy 10:8).
• The tiny word “so” ties the priestly act directly to God’s command. Blessing Israel is not optional liturgy; it is obedience that releases divine favor (1 Chronicles 23:13).
• God cares about order. He doesn’t leave blessing to human improvisation; He prescribes the exact words (Numbers 6:24-26), showing that Scripture, not personal invention, carries the weight of heaven.
put My name• “Name” in Scripture encompasses God’s character, authority, and presence (Exodus 3:15;Psalm 20:1).
• To “put” His name is more than mentioning it—it is an act of placement, as if a royal seal were pressed onto the people.
• The priests verbally “attach” Yahweh’s identity to Israel, declaring that the Lord alone is their source of life, protection, and peace (Deuteronomy 12:5;1 Kings 8:29).
• This points ahead to Christ, through whom God’s name is written on believers’ hearts and foreheads (Revelation 3:12).
on the Israelites• The blessing targets God’s covenant people in their entirety—men, women, children, the strong and the stragglers alike (Deuteronomy 7:6).
• God marks them as His treasured possession, distinguishing them from surrounding nations (Isaiah 43:1).
• The corporate scope reminds us that faith is personal yet never private; belonging to God means belonging to a people (1 Peter 2:9).
• When the priests raise their hands over the camp, every tribe hears the same words, underscoring unity under one Name.
and I will bless them• God Himself guarantees the outcome. The priests proclaim; the Lord performs (Genesis 22:17;Malachi 3:10).
• “I will” is covenant certainty, not wishful thinking. The Creator commits His infinite resources to the good of His people.
• The blessing encompasses material provision, spiritual peace, and protective grace (Ephesians 1:3), all rooted in God’s unchanging faithfulness.
• The verse closes the priestly blessing by shifting the spotlight from human mouthpieces back to the divine Source, ensuring no one mistakes liturgy for magic.
summaryNumbers 6:27 shows a beautifully simple chain of grace: obedient priests speak God’s prescribed words; those words place His very name upon His people; and God Himself responds with guaranteed blessing. The verse affirms that when God’s authority is rightly invoked over His covenant community, He delights to pour out tangible favor, marking His people as His own and lavishing them with His goodness.
Verse 27. -
They shall put my name upon the children of Israel. The "name of God is uniformly treated in Scripture as something very different from a mere arrangement of letters or an arbitrary vocal sound. All nations have bad names for the Supreme Being, but there was nothing sacred about them, except from association.
The name of God was not of man, nor from man, but of his own direct revelation (
Exodus 6:3), and was therefore of an unspeakable sanctity (
Exodus 20:7;
Exodus 33:19). Like the "word" of God, it cannot be dissociated from God himself. It is in some sense an extension outwards, into the sphere of the created and sensible, of the ineffable virtues of the Godhead itself. It stands in a real, though un-assignable, relation to infinite goodness and power, and therefore it comes fraught with untold blessing (or perchance cursing) to those on whom it lights. Hence, to put the name of God - the covenant name - upon the people had a real meaning. No one could do it except by his express direction; and when it was so done there was an invisible reality answering to the audible form; with the name pronounced in blessing came the blessing itself, came the special providence and presence of God, to abide upon such at least as were worthy of it. It is a fact, the significance of which cannot be denied, that the name which was commanded to be put upon the people was lost, and irrecoverably lost, by the later Jews. Out of an exaggerated dread of possible profanation, they first disobeyed the command by substituting Adonai for that name outside the sanctuary; and finally, after the death of Simeon the Just, the priests ceased to pronounce that name at all, and therefore lost the tradition by which the pronunciation was fixed. Our method of spelling and pronouncing the name as Jehovah is merely conventional, and almost certainly incorrect. It would seem to be the more devout opinion that the name itself, as revealed by God and uttered by many generations of priests, was forfeited (like Paradise), was withdrawn, and ought not to be inquired after.
And I willbless them. Here is the precise truth of all effectual benediction:
they shall put my name;...
I will bless. The outward form was ministered by the priests, the inward reality was of God and from God alone. It is observable that the form of blessing is expressed in the singular; either
(1) because all Israel was regarded as one, even as the first-born son of God (Exodus 4:22, 23;Hosea 11:1), or
(2) because all real blessing must in truth be individual - a nation can only be blessed in its several members.
. . .
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
So they shall putוְשָׂמ֥וּ(wə·śā·mū)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 7760:Put -- to put, place, setMy nameשְׁמִ֖י(šə·mî)Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 8034:A nameonעַל־(‘al-)Preposition
Strong's 5921:Above, over, upon, againstthe Israelites,בְּנֵ֣י(bə·nê)Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121:A sonand Iוַאֲנִ֖י(wa·’ă·nî)Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589:Iwill bless them.”אֲבָרֲכֵֽם׃(’ă·ḇā·ră·ḵêm)Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 1288:To kneel, to bless God, man, to curse
Links
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OT Law: Numbers 6:27 So they shall put my name (Nu Num.) 
