Numbers 6:25 — Word Study
WLCיָאֵ֨ר יְהוָ֧ה׀ פָּנָ֛יו אֵלֶ֖יךָ וִֽיחֻנֶּֽךָּ׃ ס
BSAmay the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] cause His facepânîym [presence, being in front of] to shineʼôwr▸ [give light, illuminate] upon youʼêl and be gracious to youchânan▸ [show kindness, favor]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| יָאֵ֨ר | may he make shine | Verb, Hiphil, jussive third person masculine singular |
| יְהוָ֧ה׀ | Yahweh | Noun proper |
| פָּנָ֛יו | face his | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| אֵלֶ֖יךָ | to you | Preposition, suffix |
| וִֽיחֻנֶּֽךָּ׃ ס | and may he show favor to you | Conjunction, verb qal third person masculine singular, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | may the LORD cause His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; |
| KJV | The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: |
| ASV | Jehovah make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: |
| YLT | 'Jehovah cause His face to shine upon thee, and favour thee; |
| WEB | Yahweh make his face to shine on you, and be gracious to you. |
| BBE | May the light of the Lord's face be shining on you in grace: |
Where they part company is יָאֵ֨ר — see How Translations Differ.
The verse consists of a main clause followed by a subordinate clause, both expressing blessings from the LORD.


3 commentators on this verse
Gill, Poole, Whedon & more — read them ›
clause
subjectיהוה
verbאוֹר
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Numbers 6:25
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Priestly Blessinggenerated
Numbers 6:25 is part of a blessing that the LORD instructs Aaron and his sons to speak over the Israelites. This blessing emphasizes God's desire to be present with His people and to show them kindness. It reflects the intimate relationship between God and Israel, highlighting His protective and gracious nature.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 21:6 | For You grant him blessings forever; You cheer him with joy in Your presence. |
| 2 | Psalm 31:16 | Make Your face shine on Your servant; save me by Your loving devotion. |
| 3 | Psalm 67:1 | May God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us, Selah |
| 4 | Psalm 80:1–3 | Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel, who leads Joseph like a flock; You who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth |
| 5 | Psalm 119:135 | Make Your face shine upon Your servant, and teach me Your statutes. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 10 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יָאֵ֨ר, ya.'Ergenerated
The verb אוֹר (or) means to give light or illuminate. It is a Hiphil form, indicating that the subject (the LORD) causes something to happen, in this case, the shining of His face. This word conveys both physical and spiritual illumination, suggesting a divine presence that brings clarity and warmth.
The use of this verb in the context of a blessing implies a desire for God's favor and guidance to be evident in the lives of the recipients.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb יָאֵ֨ר governs the blessing, with two phrases following: a noun phrase indicating the subject, יְהוָ֧ה (the LORD), and a second clause that includes another verb, וִֽיחֻנֶּֽךָּ (and may He show favor). The structure emphasizes the actions of God towards the people.
The Hebrew word order places the subject first, highlighting the LORD's active role in the blessing, followed by the desired actions directed towards the people.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates יָאֵ֨ר with ἐπιφάναι, which means to appear or shine forth. This choice emphasizes the manifestation of God's presence and favor.
The Greek translation captures the essence of the Hebrew text, focusing on the illumination and presence of the divine.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Numbers 6:25 expresses a blessing from the LORD, asking Him to shine His face upon the people and be gracious to them. This verse is part of a larger priestly blessing meant to convey God's favor and presence.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies God's presence and favor, illuminating their life with His guidance and kindness.
It establishes a sense of divine protection and grace, reminding the people of their special relationship with God.
Through acts of kindness, guidance in our decisions, and a sense of peace that comes from His presence in our lives.
Being gracious means that God shows kindness and favor, often in ways that we do not deserve, reflecting His love and mercy.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How can I recognize God's presence in my life?
- In what ways can I show kindness to others as a reflection of God's grace?
- What does it mean for me to seek God's favor in my daily life?
- How can I share the blessings of God's presence with those around me?
Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Numbers 6:25 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThe Lord make his face to shine upon thee,.... Cause himself, the sun of righteousness, to arise and shine upon them, and give both spiritual light and heat unto them; grant his gracious presence,
Read John Gill on Numbers 6 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bibleupon thee, i.e. Smile upon thee: this is opposed to the hiding of his face, and to the covering himself or his face with a cloud; and it is explained by the following words, be gracious unto thee. Others expound it of illumination or direction, and the revelation of himself and of his will to them.
Read Matthew Poole on Numbers 6 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible25. Make his face shine — The Targum adds, “when occupied in the law, and reveal to thee its secrets.” Anthropomorphic descriptions of God and boldness of metaphor are characteristic of Hebrew poetry.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Numbers 6 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
may the LORD cause His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
Yahweh make his face to shine on you, and be gracious to you.
may the LORD cause His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
Tyndale line
The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
Jehovah make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
The LORD make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
The LORD make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious to thee:
The Lord make his face shine vpon thee, and be merciful vnto thee,
Strictly literal
Jehovah make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee;
'Jehovah cause His face to shine upon thee, and favour thee;
YHWH cause His face to shine on you, || And favor you;
The Lord make his face shine unto thee, and be gracious to thee;
May Yahweh make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.
From the Latin
The Lord shew his face to thee, and have mercy on thee.
Simplified
May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you.
May the light of the Lord's face be shining on you in grace:
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text matches the Septuagint closely, with all five words corresponding directly. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs by using the word יאיר (Jair) instead of יָאֵ֨ר, which may suggest a different nuance or tradition in the blessing.
יָאֵ֨ר יְהוָ֧ה׀ פָּנָ֛יו אֵלֶ֖יךָ וִֽיחֻנֶּֽךָּ׃ ס
5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
יאיר יהוה פניו אליך ויחנך
1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: יאיר (Jair)
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Numbers 6:25
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
אוֹר (or) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be or become light, covering various contexts such as shining of the sun, illumination by celestial bodies, and lighting lamps. It has different forms: Qal (to shine), Niphal (to be illuminated), and Hiphil (to give light). The entries emphasize both literal and metaphorical uses, including making one's face shine and enlightening the eyes.
[אוֹר] 43 vb. be or become light
Qal;—become light, shine of sun (esp. in early morn.)
Niph.—become lighted up of day-break
Hiph.—
give light, of sun, moon & stars
light up, cause to shine, shine
light a lamp
lighten, of the eyes
make shine, of face of God
base
H215 אוֹר be or become light .—become light, shine of sun (esp. in early morn.)
.—become lighted up of day-break
.— . give light, of sun, moon & stars
. light up, cause to shine, shine
. light a lamp
. lighten, of the eyes
. make shine, of face of God
215 'owr ore
a primitive root; to be (causative, make) luminous (literally
and metaphorically):--X break of day, glorious, kindle, (be,
en-, give, show) light (-en, -ened), set on fire, shine.
אוֹר (or) — to light.
1) to be or become light, shine
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to become light (day)
1a2) to shine (of the sun)
1a3) to become bright
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be illuminated
1b2) to become lighted up
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to give light, shine (of sun, moon, and stars)
1c2) to illumine, light up, cause to shine, shine
1c3) to kindle, light (candle, wood)
1c4) lighten (of the eyes, his law, etc)
1c5) to make shine (of the face)
V-Hiphil-Juss-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · jussive third person masculine singularHVhj3ms
shin: The Hebrew words 'ahal, 'or, halal, zahar, zarach, yapha`, naghah, `ashath and qaran are all translated "shine." All indicate either the direct or indirect diffusion of beams of light. In a direct and literal sense the word "shine" is used of the heavenly bodies, or of candles, and fire (Job 18:5; 25:5 the King James Version; Job 29:3; 31:26; 2Ki 3:22). In a figurative sense it is used of reflected light or brightness, in any sense (Ex 34:29 f,35; Isa 60:1; Eze 43:2; Da 12:3). God as the sun of righteousness…
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
N-proper — Noun properHNpt
The Hebrew word פָּנֶה (*pāneh*) is a noun meaning 'face' or 'presence,' and it appears in various contexts, including the faces of seraphim and animals, as well as the surface of the ground. It can also function as an adverb meaning 'before' or 'in front of.' The word is built from a root that suggests turning or facing, and it encompasses a wide range of applications, both literal and figurative.
[פָּנֶה], pl. פָּנִים 2123 n.m. face, also faces
face, faces
presence, person
technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence
face of seraphim
face of animals
face (= surface) of ground
as adv.loc. before
for other phrases
with prepositions
base
H6440 פָּנֶה, pl. פָּנִים face, also faces . . face, faces
. . presence, person
. technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence
. face of seraphim
. face of animals
. face (= surface) of ground
. as adv. loc. before
. for other phrases
. with prepositions
6440 paniym paw-neem'
plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun (paneh
{paw-neh'}; from 6437); the face (as the part that turns);
used in a great variety of applications (literally and
figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a
preposition (before, etc.):--+ accept, a-(be- )fore(-time),
against, anger, X as (long as), at, + battle, + because (of),
+ beseech, countenance, edge, + employ, endure, + enquire,
face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er
time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, X him(-self), +
honourable, + impudent, + in, it, look(-eth) (- s), X me, +
meet, X more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), X on,
open, + out of, over against, the partial, person, + please,
presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, + regard, right
forth, + serve, X shewbread, sight, state, straight, + street,
X thee, X them(-selves), through (+ - out), till, time(-s)
פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face: before.
: before/to/front
1) face
1a) face, faces
1b) presence, person
1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)
1d) face (of animals)
1e) face, surface (of ground)
1f) as adv of loc/temp
1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before
1g) with prep
1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of
פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face.
: face
1) face
1a) face, faces
1b) presence, person
1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)
1d) face (of animals)
1e) face, surface (of ground)
1f) as adv of loc/temp
1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before
1g) with prep
1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from…
N-cp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp3ms
The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.
אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),
prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place
Where the limit is actually entered, into
Of direction towards anything
Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against
Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to
Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of
Of rule or standard according to (rare)
Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion
Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to
base
H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place
. Where the limit is actually entered, into
. Of direction towards anything
. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against
. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to
. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of
. Of rule or standard according to (rare)
. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion
. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to
413 'el ale
(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});
a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but
occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or
among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,
against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,
by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,
over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,
with(-in).
אֶל (el) — to(wards).
1) to, toward, unto (of motion)
2) into (limit is actually entered)
2a) in among
3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)
4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)
5) in addition to, to
6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of
7) according to (rule or standard)
8) at, by, against (of one's presence)
9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffixHRd/Sp2ms
חָנַן (chanan) is a Hebrew verb meaning to show favor or be gracious. It encompasses various forms, including being pitied, directing favor, and seeking favor through imploration. The word can also mean to be loathsome, as noted in Job 19:17. The lexicons provide a range of uses, primarily focusing on kindness and mercy.
חָנַן vb. shew favour, be gracious
Qal favour, shew favour
Niph. be pitied
Po‛el direct favour to
Hoph. be shewn favour, consideration
H2603a חָנַן shew favour, be gracious .favour, shew favour
. be pitied
.direct favour to
. be shewn favour, consideration
. seek or implore favour
H2603b חָנַן be loathsome
2603 chanan khaw-nan'
a primitive root (compare 2583); properly, to bend or stoop
in kindness to an inferior; to favor, bestow; causatively to
implore (i.e. move to favor by petition):--beseech, X fair,
(be, find, shew) favour(-able), be (deal, give, grant
(gracious(-ly), intreat, (be) merciful, have (shew) mercy (on,
upon), have pity upon, pray, make supplication, X very.
see HEBREW for 02583
חָנַן (cha.nan) — be gracious.
1) to be gracious, show favour, pity
1a) (Qal) to show favour, be gracious
1b) (Niphal) to be pitied
1c) (Piel) to make gracious, make favourable, be gracious
1d) (Poel) to direct favour to, have mercy on
1e) (Hophal) to be shown favour, be shown consideration
1f) (Hithpael) to seek favour, implore favour
חָנַן (cha.nan) — be loathsome.
to be loathsome
Conj | V-Qal-Juss-3ms | Suff — Conjunction · verb qal third person masculine singular · suffixHC/Vqu3ms/Sp2ms
